Product Description
Will it be A-OK on race day, or will Buster’s anxious, nervous rumblies keep him from victory?
When Coach Hog rescues Buster from a failed racing team, Buster has to figure out how to race with new teammates, learn to keep going even after he makes mistakes, and try with all his might to make it to the finish line before all the other cars! But can Buster navigate his anxiety before race day?
Roaring with bright and energetic illustrations, NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s debut picture book encourages kids that they can overcome any obstacle on the track, finish that final lap, and make a few friends along the way!
From School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2—The opening pages begin with a fun introduction to Punchy Motorsports and its team of colorful race cars. The team itself features leader Coach Hog, veteran racer Jimmy Jam, stylish Click, and newcomer and title character Buster. Each car is accompanied by short background on the characters. Earnhardt's story then begins with an uneasy Buster, who frequently feels anxious—be it about racing or making friends—and finds himself constantly worrying about "messing up" and letting down the team. Jimmy Jam offers wise advice, stating that "our mistakes help shape us" and that it is okay to have setbacks as long as you keep trying. Following the pep talk and some additional support from Click, Buster prepares for the big race against the rival team, but on the day of the race, nothing goes Buster's way as he quickly finds himself crashing into the wall. Jimmy Jam gets caught in his own crash, and Click finds herself with only three working tires. It is up to Buster to get one of the cars from Punchy Motorsports across the finish line first. This picture book is perfect for any lover of race cars, as colorful as it is entertaining in Smietanka's charming illustrations; these look as though they were drawn carefully with bright crayons, a detail that will surely catch young readers' eyes. The language is fun, with some subtle wordplay thrown in. VERDICT A fine read-aloud for elementary school settings, with a lot of race track action and bonus SEL lessons in perseverance, helping others, and working through anxiety.—Kerra Mazzariello
About the Author
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is an American professional stock car racing driver, champion team owner, businessman, television analyst for NBC Sports Group, and inductee into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. He won a record 15-straight NASCAR Most Popular Driver awards from 2003 to 2017, consecutive NASCAR Busch Series Championships in 1998 and 1999, and the prestigious Daytona 500 in 2004 and 2014. He is the author of the New York Times bestselling Racing to the Finish and Driver #8, as well as the children's book Buster's Trip to Victory Lane. Dale lives in Mooresville, North Carolina, with his wife, Amy, and their two daughters, Isla and Nicole.
Ela Smietanka is a Polish illustrator. She followed her dreams of becoming an artist, graduating from the Faculty of Graphic Arts at the Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, where she now lives with her husband, two sons, and a cat named Brush. Ela loves the mountains and tries to reach the summit once a week.
