Race Car Count

September 7, 2015
Ten brightly colored race cars—Formula One racers, a windup toy lookalike, even a souped-up minivan—vie for first place on their way to the finish line. Neither Dotlich (All Aboard!) nor Slack (Elecopter) is a stranger to vehicle-themed stories, and the book’s bouncy rhymes and Matchbox-worthy vehicles (spoilers and bulging hot-red engines abound) combine to create a lively race with some tense back-and-forth moments (“Race car 4, all shiny red,/ rumbles, grumbles, pulls ahead”). Sturdy paper stock with rounded corners helps tailor the book to a younger crowd and should hold up to re-readings hinted at by the ending, which sets up a rematch: “All lined up, 10 in a row.../ red light, yellow light, green light... go!” Ages 2–5. Author’s agent: Elizabeth Harding, Curtis Brown. Illustrator’s agent: Lori Nowicki, Painted Words.

August 1, 2015
The flash and thrill of the race car track-it's all here in a zippy counting book just right for the toddler set. "Red light, yellow light, green light, GO!" Spread by spread, the cars enter the track, each one highlighted in numeric order as if by an announcer: "Race car 8 is dynamite- / thunders, roars, swerves to the right." The rhyme, plenty of action words, and some onomatopoeia sustain the excitement, while these slightly goofy-looking autos with expressive grilles charge around a course of loop-de-loops and obstacles. Making the most of vertical planes, tense, comical moments during the heat are captured in the bright digital art: racers are splashed, engines burn out (ducks compose the pit crew), and autos pile up (the ducks go flying). Even the clunky, bold type seems to emphasize the funky nature of the circuit and the contestants. Anticipation builds as the competition is called, but this is not about who wins. The race is concluding by the time the last contestant is introduced-No. 10, who "finished last. / Still, his wheels were lightning fast." Groovy. Just like his name. (The final page names all 10, along with some of their interests, such as collecting oil caps or savoring hot peppers.) When the cars line up for another race, children will cheer. (Picture book. 2-5)

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September 1, 2015

PreS-K-This charming race car story reinforces the concept of the numbers one through 10 in rhyming text. It begins, "Race car 1 honks, Look at me!/He zooms in front with the turn of a key." Each car in the story is a different color and style reflecting its unique personality. A visual winner, the illustrations are brightly colored and drawn in a cartoon style that will appeal to fans of the "Cars" movies. The text is clear and simple and conveys the fast-paced story. Cars overcome rain, a pile-up, and even chomping gators in this race. But the fun does not come to an end quite yet. At the end of the race, they line up to do it all over again. At the back of the book there is also a page called Meet the Race Cars! In addition to each race car having a separate picture, there is other "vital" information. For example, race car number 9, named Comet, loves milk shakes and collects hubcaps. VERDICT This popular transportation-themed book is sure to be a crowd pleaser.-Robin Sofge, Alexandria Library, VA

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