Mini Racer

November 1, 2010
"Start your engines! Time to race, / round the corners, take your place." So begins this fast-paced rhyming book featuring a diverse animal menagerie in a humorous variety of unique, coordinating vehicles revving to cross the finish line. Both preschoolers and adults will find much to explore in the bright cartoon-like illustrations as the track weaves past town and "Over, under, in, and through." Strevens-Marzo successfully shows the circuitous route through the use of varying, at times almost Cubist perspectives. Each creature's emotions during the race come across clearly, including frustration at crashing, panicked urgency during a pit stop and the mix of disappointment and elation at the end with the surprise winner. Most of Dempsey's rapid text helps spur readers to keep the pages turning. Only on occasion does an odd word choice (careen, accelerate) seem an obstacle to easy scansion in an otherwise winning title for preschoolers. Full of zooming action and fender-bender drama, it has definite appeal for youngsters. Pair it with Brian Floca's Racecar Alphabet (2003) for a zipping-good time. (Picture book. 3-5)

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Starred review from January 1, 2011

PreS-Gr 1-An array of animals takes off in a race, ensconced in vehicles of every description, from a rainbow-wheeled wheelchair to tricked-out motorcycles and cars made of bananas, logs, carrots, or cheese. Bouncy rhymes curve along the race course as the critters speed, swerve, and careen around the serpentine country roads, encountering obstacles, crashes, and even having time for a swim. The journey is as much fun as seeing the skateboarding snail take the winner's cup for his slow, undistracted pace. Bright, colorful illustrations feature bold dark lines and saucy, big-eyed characters zooming across the spreads. With a line or two on every page, this book can be used with groups, although kids with the need for speed and a love of vehicles will pore over the pictures and find details to delight on their own.-Marge Loch-Wouters, La Crosse Public Library, WI

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2010
Preschool-G Move over Grand Prix! After gassing up and lining up, 12 different types of animals, each in his or her own unique vehicle, are off, veering through the countryside, careening over hill and dale and through a village. Soon the front-runnersa giraffe in a safari-mobile, a monkey in a banana-shaped vehicle, a dog on a motorcycle, a mouse on his three-wheeled slice of cheese (which seems to be his snack as well)all fall away until only the snail on his skateboard is left to cross the finish line and claim the prize. Children will cheer for these brightly colored cartoon figures, somewhat reminiscent of Richard Scarrys work, and groan as their favorites gets sidelined along the way. The lively rhyming text provides an exciting play-by-play commentary. For more racing action, check out The Wheels on the Race Car, by Alexander Zane (2005); Hot Rod Hamster, by Cynthia Lord (2010); and The Racecar Alphabet, by Brian Floca (2003).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)