The Red Racer

The Red Racer

Nona, a little girl who wants a new bicycle more than anything else in the world, decides to eliminate her old bike so that her parents will have to buy her the much-coveted Red Racer, in a whimsical morality play by the author of King Bidgood's in the Bathtub. PreSchool-Grade 3?Bullies tease Nona about her broken-down bicycle. After her parents refuse to buy her a shiny new Deluxe Red Racer, she decides that if she can lose or wreck her old bike, they will have to give in. This "wicked thought" leads her to throw the bike in the dump, push it off a pier, and abandon it on railroad tracks. The first two times, neighbors rescue it, much to Nona's dismay. Then her parents surprise her with all the parts needed to refurbish her bike, and she races to the station herself. At the end, the "new" bike looks just like the one of her dreams. The digital illustrations have the look of a videogame in places, especially some of the backgrounds. The "wicked thought," a shape-shifting green blob, expands through the pages as Nona's determination to do the wrong thing increases. The illustrations have a cartoonlike quality that will appeal to children, who will recognize Nona's wish for something new. Her naughtiness is unmistakable but understandable. Her remorse when she thinks the train has flattened her bike is genuine. Strong visuals and a believable heroine make a winning combination.?Kathy Piehl, Mankato State University, MN Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. Ages 4^-7. Nona desperately wants a new Deluxe Red Racer: "It's the most beautiful bicycle in the whole world. We can buy it today!" After her father reminds her that she already has a bike, Nona begins to wonder what would happen if her old bicycle "disappeared." Irrepressible Nona then plunges into one hilarious scheme after another in an attempt to get rid of the clunker, which is always somehow rescued from its ill fate. The extremely well-crafted plot builds suspense, culminating in an exciting climactic scene in which Nona herself rescues the bike after her parents surprise her with a plan to remake it. Zany, vividly colored cartoon-style illustrations, created on a computer, perfectly match the boisterous mood of the story. A humorous and witty tale with a wonderful, heartwarming ending. Lauren Peterson Nona's bicycle is old and worn out. The spokes are bent, the paint is chipped, and the chain falls off at the worst moments. "Clunker, clunker, clunker," the neighborhood kids tease. "Nona's got a junker!" Nona wants a new bike, and not just any bike-- a Deluxe Red Racer. But her parents don't see why they should buy her a new bike when she already has one. Then Nona has a Wicked Thought: What if my old bicycle disappeared? Nona's schemes to get rid of her old bike and get a new one build up to a dramatic climax that will leave young readers breathless. This exciting story, illustrated in brilliant color, features a spunky heroine, plenty of humor, and a message that parents and children will appreciate. Audrey Wood says this about The Red Racer, her first digitally illustrated children's book: "It's all my son's fault. One evening Bruce Robert challenged me to draw a picture on his computer. I sat down convinced I would hate it, I had never touched a computer before. I didn't get up out of his chair until three a.m. When I staggered off to bed I was already a digital illustrator...All of the illustrations for The Red Racer were drawn with a digital pen on a digital tablet by my hand. I mixed the colors on my digital palette, created digital pens, and designed the textured backgrounds." Ms. Wood lives with her husband in Santa Barbara, California. Used Book in Good Condition