Trick or Treat with Laura Murray + Treat Inside!

4 hours ago

6 min read

Hi, readers, writers, and gingerbread lovers of all kinds! 🎃 What’s better than Halloween? A Halloween and Christmas mashup, of course! And what better way to celebrate than with Laura Murray and her newest graphic novel, The Gingerbread Man, Trick-or-Treaters on the Loose!

It’s Halloween, and the Gingerbread Man can’t wait to join his class in all the spooky celebrations. He even gets to make his very own costume and go trick-or-treating with his friends after school!

But when his bat costume catches the eye of a hungry owl, this smart cookie will have to do some quick thinking if he doesn’t want to become a tasty treat! Eek!

Want to know more about Laura and her sweet new story PLUS want to find out what treats she’s passing out? Read on… if you dare! 🎄📚

Q: Thanks for trick-or-treating with SeasonsOfKidLit.com! We’re thrilled to feature you and hear all about you and your book! What inspired your Gingerbread Man on the Loose series? What’s been the most exciting part about continuing the series/adding new titles?

A: The Gingerbread Man on the Loose book series began with the first book, The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School. It’s a twist on the classic tale and is told by the Gingerbread man himself. Instead of running away, he is searching the school for the class that made him. Although this story has humor and plenty of mishaps, it’s ultimately a tale about acceptance and belonging. This story lead to all 11 books in the series, following the many adventures of the Gingerbread Man, including the newest one set during Halloween – The Gingerbread Man: Trick-or-Treaters on the Loose!

I am a former Kindergarten teacher, and this series was inspired by a very widely-used school Gingerbread Man unit that culminates in chasing a freshly baked Gingerbread Man through the school.

The chase serves as a fun way for students to become familiar with their school surroundings and meet the staff members during back-to-school time or the holidays.

This was absolutely my student’s favorite unit, and they are the ones who inspired me to write the story of the fun we had with the Gingerbread Man in our class. Being a former teacher, kids are really my inspiration! They fascinate me, inspire me and crack me up – their imagination and belief in the possibility of magic and wonder in the world is something that I want to retain myself. It’s also something that I try to sprinkle into my writing, along with a good dose of humor. I clearly remember the look on my student’s faces as we chased our GB man through our school – that look and feeling is what I strive for when I write.

All of the Gingerbread Man’s adventures are school-related. There will be eleven in total, five Picture Books, and six Early Reader Graphic Novels. I’m so excited to share the latest books in the series - The Gingerbread Man: Trick-or-Treaters on the Loose just came out, and The Gingerbread Man: Astronaut on the Loose will follow in January 2027.

WOW!! That is SOOO impressive - thanks for sharing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33HOwrVQfuk

Q: What will readers enjoy most about your newest book? Why is it a perfect fit for the fall/Halloween season?

A: The Gingerbread Man: Trick-or-Treaters on the Loose is a funny, rhyming, action-packed story mirroring the fun had at school on Halloween day, and the fun had with friends trick-or-treating at night! It’s highly-engaging graphic novel format is also a perfect bridge between picture books and graphic novels for young readers.

Early Reader Graphic Novels cater to different age levels and reading abilities and create strong literacy skills connections. The visual nature of ER GNs helps readers with context clues, word recognition, decoding, and comprehension, ultimately reducing frustration and building reading confidence. At school author visits, I’ve heard many librarians mention that young kids are clamoring for graphic novels, and that this relatively new genre is filling the gap perfectly for them.

Q: We love Mike Lowery's spook-tacular illustrations for your books! What’s one of your favorite spreads from the book and why is it your favorite?

A: One of my favorite spreads in The Gingerbread Man: Trick-or-Treaters on the Loose shows the whole class dressed up as familiar book characters for the school Library Character Parade. This is a fun activity that schools actually do today. As a former teacher, I always try to put threads in my books that educators can connect to. Mike Lowery, the fabulous illustrator, created a spread that is not only fun, but also encourages interaction, as readers try to guess the book characters they know and love.

Then the Gingerbread Man gets to make his very own costume too and go trick-or-treating with friends after school! But when his bat costume (aka – The GingerBAT Man ) catches the eye of a hungry owl, this smart cookie will have to do some quick thinking if he doesn't want to end up as a treat!

Q: What other books of yours can we check out ASAP or keep our eyes peeled for?

A: There are 5 picture books in the original Gingerbread Man on the Loose series that are rhyming, rollicking adventures with fun school-based settings.

The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School
The Gingerbread Man Loose on the Fire Truck
The Gingerbread Man Loose at Christmas
The Gingerbread Man Loose at the Zoo
The Gingerbread Man & the Leprechaun Loose at School

And there are also 6 Early Reader Graphic Novels in the continuation of the series.

The Gingerbread Man: Buttons on the Loose
The Gingerbread Man: Class Pet on the Loose
The Gingerbread Man: Paper Airplanes on the Loose
The Gingerbread Man: New Friend on the Loose
The Gingerbread Man: Trick-or-Treaters on the Loose
And I can give you a sneak peek cover reveal for the new book coming out in January 2027 – The Gingerbread Man: Astronaut on the Loose

For a closer look, check them out here: Amazon.com : Laura Murray: books, biography, latest update

I hope that you and your young readers can find the Gingerbread Man’s adventures in your local bookstore, public library, or school library!

Q: If your main character dressed up for Halloween as something other than what they are in your book, what would they choose, and why?

My main character in all the books is the Gingerbread Man, and in The Gingerbread Man: Trick-or-Treaters on the Loose he does get to create his very own costume out of classroom supplies. He loves it and is proud of it! As an author, I always try to include ways for the readers to interact with the story. Here is a page from the book with clues about what kind of costume the Gingerbread Man is making. Can you guess what it is?

Can you guess why one of his classmates dubs him “The GingerBAT Man” at the end of the book :)?

Q: What is your favorite Halloween candy that you’d love to see in your goodie bag, and what candy would you immediately swap?

A: My favorite Halloween candy is Junior Mints. I love the combination of dark chocolate and the creamy mint inside! The candy that I’d donate to someone else would be Almond Joy bars, because I’m not a big fan of coconut.

Q: Would you like to leave a Trick or a Treat for our readers?

A: A Treat! I'd like to leave a signed copy of The Gingerbread Man: Trick-or-Treaters on the Loose book, a bookmark & GBMan fun tattoo mailed to the reader chosen.

What a ginger-iffic treat! Thanks for such an amazing gift! And thanks again for stopping by. We LOVED getting to know you more.

Giveaway Details: Readers, to enter Laura's giveaway, 1) leave a comment below to thank her for stopping by, and 2) share her post on social media. Gingerbread-themed GIFs are welcomed, too!

*Special Reminder: Those who like, leave a comment on, and share all posts will be entered into a drawing and be eligible to win:

One (1) of five (5) Rate Your Story Speed Passes, perfect for quick MS feedback, provided by Editor Lynne Marie and Author Heather Macht and/or
Books from Heather's Treat Bag (see below)!

Winners will be drawn and announced on 10/18. Head back to the blog then for the official announcement!

Laura Murray:

Laura Murray’s humor-filled, rhyming picture book, THE GINGERBREAD MAN LOOSE IN THE SCHOOL, is the first of a five-book, award-winning series. It is a Chicago Library’s Best Book of the Year, a Virginia & Illinois State Award winner, & a Publisher’s Weekly, Scholastic Book Club, & Amazon bestseller. Laura also has six new Gingerbread Man Loose Early Reader Graphic Novels in the series, including the new THE GINGERBREAD MAN: TRICK-OR-TREATERS ON THE LOOSE. She’s a former teacher & seasoned presenter at schools & conferences, as well as at the Library of Congress with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

Visit her online at:

http://www.LauraMurrayBooks.com

IG - @LauraMurrayBooks

FB – Laura L. Murray

Blue Sky - Lmurraybooks.bsky.social

You Tube - @LM3732

REMINDER: The 2026 SOKL Book Awards Contest is LIVE! For more, visit: 2026 Book Awards | SeasonsOfKidlit