bookshelf

THE GREAT HORSE-LESS CARRIAGE RACE

Name: THE GREAT HORSE-LESS CARRIAGE RACE
Author: Michael Dooling
ISBN: 0-8234-1640-2

by Michael Dooling & illustrated by Michael Dooling ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 1, 2002

bookshelf

An 1895 race sponsored by the Chicago Times-Herald to prove that the horseless carriage was the way of the future is the subject of Dooling’s (Lewis and Clark and Me: A Dog’s Tale, p. 886, etc.) latest offering, the first he’s both written and illustrated. He begins by introducing each car that participated in the race, the drivers and the umpires/passengers charged with enforcing the rules. Seventy-nine vehicles pledged to participate, but on the day of the race, only six showed up, including two electric cars (the night before, a storm blanketed the city with a foot of snow). Initially rendered in black and white, Dooling’s illustrations have the look and feel of old photographs; as the race unfolds, he introduces hints of color in full-bleed spreads that stretch across the page to convey the cars’ swift motion. As breakdowns and other delays occur, Dooling slows the pace by redirecting action to the left of the spread. History buffs and car lovers will appreciate this faithful account. Dooling’s depiction of industrial age fashion is spot-on and, as the author’s note explains, much of the telling is based on primary sources, including a journal one of the umpires used to record the race. Back matter also explains what happened after the race: winner Frank Duryea started the Duryea Motor Company in 1896, predating Henry Ford by seven years. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2002

ISBN: 0-8234-1640-2

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Holiday House

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2002

Categories:

CHILDREN'S TRANSPORTATION

- BOOK REVIEW
WALKING TO SCHOOL
by Eve Bunting & illustrated by Michael Dooling

- BOOK REVIEW
ANNE HUTCHINSON’S WAY
by Jeannine Atkins & illustrated by Michael Dooling

- BOOK REVIEW
THE BOY WHO SAVED CLEVELAND
by James Cross Giblin & illustrated by Michael Dooling

bookshelf

LITTLE BLUE TRUCK LOST AND FOUND

From the Little Blue Truck series

by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 18, 2026

Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed.

bookshelf

Beep! Beep! Beep! Toad and Little Blue Truck get ready for a hayride.

After the titular vehicle is loaded with hay, Toad is nowhere to be found. “Beep! Beep! Beep! Where are you, Toad?” asks Little Blue Truck. All the barnyard animals look for him. Sheep searches the meadow. Goose and Duck check the pond. Others pitch in, too, but Toad seems to have disappeared…until Hen hears snoring coming from the pile of hay in the back of Little Blue Truck. Although the text’s scansion is imperfect in places (adults may want to pre-read to ensure a smooth read-aloud), the bouncy meter and rhyming text nevertheless capture the energy of the search and the farmyard community’s concern for Toad’s safety, making this a solid storytime choice. Eye-catching illustrations with rich, fully saturated colors balance the right level of detail while still highlighting the animal that is the focus of each verse. By introducing one farm animal at a time, Schertle also helps the youngest readers begin to identify barnyard animals by name and understand their unique farm homes. Traditional animal sounds are part of the text, and listeners will add them to their vocabulary. It all ends with the promised hayride, bringing the tale to a joyous ending.

Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2026

ISBN: 9780063436121

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: July 20, 2026

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S TRANSPORTATION

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK AND RACER RED
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK MAKES A FRIEND
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry

- BOOK REVIEW
TIME FOR SCHOOL, LITTLE BLUE TRUCK
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph

bookshelf

GOING PLACES

by Peter H. Reynolds ; Paul A. Reynolds ; illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 18, 2014

Not astonishingly go-out-and-buy-it-at-graduation inspirational, but all it takes is one seed of change to be planted.

bookshelf

Imagination soars—quite literally—when a little girl follows her own set of rules.

Every year Oak Hill School has a go-kart race called the Going Places contest. Students are given identical go-kart kits with a precise set of instructions. And of course, every single kart ends up exactly the same. Every one, that is, except Maya’s. Maya is a dreamy artist, and she would rather sketch birds in her backyard than get caught up in the competition. When she finally does start working, she uses the parts in the go-kart box but creates something completely different. No one ever said it had to be a go-kart. Maya’s creative thinking inspires Rafael, her neighbor (and the most enthusiastic Going Places contestant), to ask to team up. The instructions never say they couldn’t work together, either! An ode to creativity and individuality to be sure, but the Reynolds brothers are also taking a swipe at modern education: Endless repetition and following instructions without question create a culture of conformity. Hopefully now, readers will see infinite possibility every time the system hands them an identical go-kart box.

Not astonishingly go-out-and-buy-it-at-graduation inspirational, but all it takes is one seed of change to be planted. (Picture book. 4-8)