Grandpa has a surprise for his grandson.

“…it was – a little car!
Diesel or gas?” I asked Grandpa
“Sweat,” he said.”

Actually it’s a pedal car, which soon becomes “drivable” after substantial repairs, a lick of paint and driving school training, which the grandson passes but  as Grandpa tells him, “Don’t ever run over my bad toe again.”

Then the narrator and his younger brother, Cornelius, pedal off on their Big Adventure. It’s one that includes, in no particular order, a tunnel,  a wasp nest, a cliff, a pigsty  and a crash in the dark forest.

My first car was red is a hugely entertaining off road romp, that combines rich retro detail (check out the small road sign symbols) and a humorous first person narrative. The wry dialogue and observations are ably supported by Schossow’s crisply delineated illustrations. Their subtle colouring and bucolic backgrounds only add to this atmospheric flat-out adventure.

Suitable for road testing on young students - especially those who like adventures and anything on wheels.

Car.jpg