Vroom! by Barbara McClintock

Racing fans will be delighted with this new book by Barbara McClintock. I often think of her picture books as tending towards historical fiction and more Victorian-esque design, but the clean lines and brisk story of this book jumps right out at the reader.

Red hair exploding in curls, Annie puts on a white racing helmet with a red stripe and a white jumpsuit and hops into a shiny race car. She's off! Annie races out the window and across the country, through the desert, the city and finally on to a race track. A little tired after all that fast driving, she turns onto a familiar street and zooms into bed for a story before sleep.

The simple, rhythmic text is classic in the best sense, creating a story that's perfect for soothing bedtime reading or a car-themed storytime. Annie, shown throughout most of the book as a bundle of bright red curls hunched over her wheel, is clearly a racing fan, as seen in her black checkered curtains and the decor of her room, not to mention her choice of bedtime reading.

Verdict: Read this to all genders, showing that everyone can like going fast, fast, fast! A great read-aloud and bedtime story. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781626722170; Published July 2019 by Farrar Straus Giroux; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Purchased for the library