travel – One Chapter

What Kind of Car Does a T. Rex Drive? by Mark Lee

5 stars Children’s Picture Books

So, what kind of car do you think they can drive? Welcome to the world of Otto’s Used Cars. Otto is not selling any cars, and his niece and nephew are at the car lot to help him. Otto is having a summer sale with big savings, yet no one is coming to buy a car.

Finally …….someone stops in to buy a car. It’s a stegosaur! Never having sold a car to a dinosaur, Otto doesn’t know what to say. His niece Ava and nephew Mickey jump in to help with the sale and the stegosaurus leaves with a smile on his face. Meanwhile, in the back of the car lot, the kids see someone else looking around the car lot.

It isn’t long before other dinosaurs start to arrive, one-by-one, wanting cars. Each dinosaur is different, each of them having their own needs which Otto and the kids must consider finding the perfect car for them.

It’s a cute book for dinosaurs and car lovers. The illustrations are fun, bold, and the facial expressions are great. It’s fun trying to guess what type of car each dinosaur should get before turning the page and discovering the answer. Younger readers will enjoy the choices that they actually drive away in. The ending is super fun. 5 stars

School Trip by Jerry Craft

4.5 stars Middle School Graphic Novel

They’re off to Paris! If you liked the first two graphic novels by Jerry Craft, you’ll want to pick up book three in this series, as the group is now headed to Paris to close out their last year in junior high. You can also read this book as a stand alone as the author does give the reader some details about the characters to help you feel connected.

I enjoyed the variety of characters that were included in this book and their different walks of life. This diversity made the book more interesting, and entertaining. In junior high, there are those students who settle into groups (or packs) and then, there were those students who walk alone. Nothing changes as excitement fills the air. The teens are looking forward to their end-of-the-year trip. The tension and division that the classmates felt during the school year felt significate and factual but that soon changes as they begin to realize what’s really important.

The supportive staff are excited about being the tour guides but at the last minute, their plans are upended. So much for having things all planned out. I thought this twist of events was excellent as it put the adults on the same playing field as the students. As each group arrives at their destination, the unfamiliarity and the excitement of the situation affects everyone. It’s like their senses have come alive to embrace what’s in front of them.

As they walked the streets of Paris, this alternative was the best option for them. They saw Paris for what it was. From the bathrooms to how friendly everyone was, they realize many things about themselves and life. No longer was Paris just a city in a movie or a picture in a book, they were actually experiencing Paris with their own eyes! I liked how the characters started to change. Their own observations on how their trip went at the end of their trip was a great way to wrap up this experience. This wasn’t just an educational trip for the students. This trip didn’t go according to plan, yet everyone enjoyed themselves and had a good time. I feel that everyone left their better person, even the supportive staff.

Another great graphic novel by Jerry Craft which touches on a variety of issues that teens encounter. 4.5 stars I want to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for my copy of this book that I received in exchange for an honest opinion #SchoolTrip

“In France, we work in order to live. But in America, it seems you live in order to work.”

A First Time For Everything by Dan Santat

4 stars Graphic Novel Middle School

If only life was like elementary school, where life was simple and good. Unfortunately, Dan got a rude awaking when he entered middle school and he saw how some individuals really were. His life got worse after rehearsing his speech in front of his peers, as his peers started to bully him. Luckily with a few close friends by his side, Dan survived those awful years physically with the emotional damage locked away within him. Hoping that high school would be different, Dan didn’t know why his parents were pushing him to go to Europe this summer to study abroad. He wanted the summer off, Europe would always be there, and why go to Europe with some classmates that weren’t even his friends.

That summer trip to Europe the summer before Dan begins high school proves to be a life-changing event for Dan. Leaving for Europe, Dan’s confidence and negativity are at a all-time low and during this trip, he has some experiences that he never could have had at home, had he just continued on with his daily life at home. Meeting new people, getting lost, having new adventures, learning to trust, depend, and go out of his comfort zone really helps Dan become a better person. He grows as a person and when he steps back on U.S. soil, Dan is not the same person he was when he boarded the plane 3 weeks ago.

There has been a lot of hype about this book, I knew that I had to read it. I enjoyed the pacing of the story and how realistic the story felt. There was quite a bit of dialogue and action in this book as Dan travels to Europe, but it was easy to follow this story using the text boxes. The different font sizes and styles that were used throughout the story enhanced different parts of the story, which I thought added to the book. Dan didn’t expect to enjoy his time with his peers, he just wanted to get the three weeks over with. As he starts to realize his potential, you can feel him change and his view of the world changes with him. The negativity that has been riding on his shoulders starts to lift and possibilities await. 4 stars

Are We There Yet by Dan Santat

5 stars Children’s Picture Book

Interesting and unique picture book. I wasn’t prepared for the journey this book took me on. It’s grandma’s birthday and they’re going to her birthday party which is in another city. For the child, the car ride there takes forever and no matter how many toys or activities he brings with him for the car ride it is NEVER enough. As he sits in the back seat, his mind takes over and soon, he is off into another world.

A world where they’re being overtaken by pirates, racing a speeding train, fighting a knight, in Egypt, and even in the Jurassic Era where they’re faced with dinosaurs!

The boy wants the ride to be over with so he can be at his grandmother’s house yet, he starts to enjoy some of the experiences he’s having in the backseat.

When he arrives at his grandmother’s house, he’s glad to be out of the car and embraces his grandmother and after some attention from the other adults at the party, he’s ready to go home – ha!

I liked how some of the pages of the book are flipped and how some of the text boxes are turned so you must turn the book to follow the script on the page. It’s a fun and entertaining book to read. The illustrations are beautiful and full of detail – make sure you stop and look at them. I loved looking at the facial expressions of the individuals on the pages. 5 stars

The American Dream?: A Journey on Route 66 Discovering Dinosaur Statues, Muffler Men, and the Perfect Breakfast Burrito by Shing Yin Khor

I’m sure glad that I found this book as I enjoyed traveling with Shing and her dog as she made her journey traveling through parts of the United States and her road trip provided for me, some interesting history. Shing Yin Khor has lived in Los Angeles for ten years after having grown up in Malaysia. Although Shing is now an American citizen, Shing feels that she needs to see more of her new country to actually feel like an American and I thought this was an excellent idea. With some preformed images in her head of America, she now wants to experience America personally, she’s ready to step out of her “Los Angeles bubble” and experience a more historical look at America.

Beginning in California, Shing and her dog Bug, start traveling Route 66 to Illinois. What a fun and brave adventure! She gets lost, she talks about sleeping in her car, she meets up with a biker, she explores a variety of attractions and she meets such a wide variety of individuals. I liked how she provides the brief, interesting facts and commentaries about each of her stops, in the different states that she visits. Her remarks make me want to visit them. She does have her moments where she misses parts of being home but she knows that, she needs this journey. The water-colored illustrations provided just enough color to add to her journey, making this graphic novel an interesting and entertaining read. I read this book as part of the Read for a Better Tomorrow Winter Reading Program Jan 2022. 4 stars