The Winters Tale Appraisal

The Gingerbread Man Tell-A-Tale Book

This item is a children's storybook, specifically 'The Gingerbread Man' from the 'A Tell-A-Tale Book' series. The cover art dominates the image and features a stylized illustration of a cutting board background, upon which a dark-skinned gingerbread man figure with a smiling face is depicted. The gingerbread man is adorned with a red jacket, purple pants, and white outline details, suggesting icing. The cutting board itself has a realistic wood grain texture in shades of brown and tan, and at its top, a green ribbon is tied through the handle, giving the appearance of a decorative accent. Bold, blocky purple lettering spells out 'THE GINGERBREAD MAN' across the top half of the cutting board motif. Floral or decorative scrollwork in teal, red, and green accents the side of the gingerbread man figure. In the upper left corner, a small circular logo with a friendly character face is visible, accompanied by the text 'A TELL-A-TALE. BOOK', indicating the series. In the upper right corner, a partial number '49' can be seen, likely part of an item number or price. The overall condition appears to be used, with some visible scuffing and minor discoloration on the white background around the title and logo, consistent with a vintage or well-loved children's book. The colors are vibrant but show some signs of age-related wear on the surface gloss. The cover is likely made from a sturdy cardboard or thin board, typical for children's books of its era, to withstand handling by young readers. The style suggests a publication from the mid to late 20th century, possibly the 1960s or 1970s, given the distinctive illustration style and 'Tell-A-Tale' branding.