CAN’T CATCH ME

The Gingerbread Man gets a summery update in this latest from the Hassetts. When Mom leaves for the store, Boy sneaks a peek in the forbidden freezer at the ice cubes she has made, allowing one to escape. “ ‘Can’t catch me,’ the ice cube said. I’m off to the sea, where I will grow as big as an iceberg and bump into boats when they are not looking.’ ” Off he goes in a more or less traditional chase, but among the characters chasing him are an ant wanting to ice skate, a mouse who pinched her tail and a goose who wants goose bumps. Safely making it to the sea, he asks a whale where he can find some boats. What a coincidence—there are some boats in the whale’s belly! Lively animals and pudgy people populate the spreads, which are done in muted summery shades. While the refrain is not especially catchy, the illustrations carry it off, and this could be just right on a hot summer day. (Picture book. 5-8)