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Tie in a group of friends, with a stranger needing help, and discovering a threat to their community. What do you expect the Lowriders in Space to do? And thus, we get the inception of Lowriders to the Rescue! Exhibiting a depth of concern for each other and the people around them, we also see them discovering a deep concern for the world itself.
The Facts about Lowriders to the Rescue
I received a hardcover with a dustcover copy of Lowriders to the Rescue for my review from Raincoast Books. You will find this graphic novel to be written with youth 9-12 years old in mind. It runs at 140 pages and has been published by Chronicle Books. It will be available at the end of May 2022.
Throughout you will find spanish/latino words as well as the odd arabic phrase. Lowriders to the rescue is I think that fourth in the Lowriders series.
Cathy Camper, the author of the Lowriders series, is not only an author but libarian and artist. Illustrations are completed by Raul the Third, an award winning artist.
Looking More Closely
As I mentioned earlier, you will discover spanish/latino phrases throughout. The first time they are used they will be asterisked and you’ll find the definition at the bottom of the page. Each additional word on the same page will have a growing number of asterisk’s following them. If you can’t remember what a word means you can always go to the dictionary at the close of this graphic novel.
You will find, for the most part, very likeable characters. They cover the gambit of personalities from funny, to serious, thoughtful to impulsive. But you will always find them wanting to help each other, and to improve the world we all live in, human and animal alike. Sometimes their motives for doing so are a bit selfish, but overall, they want to do what’s right for everyone.
You’ll discover easy to text that is surrounded by cartoon art. I have to admit, I found the art work to be too busy for my liking, but it did fit the story well. Raul the Third made good use of colour and action to fill out this graphic novel.
Add it to your shelves?
The busyness of the artwork would probably stop me from picking Lowriders to the Rescue up to purchase it, but I wouldn’t be opposed to my lad reading it (or any other child for that matter). The story itself is worth reading.
Themes include: taking care of the earth, being mindful of pollutants, caring for others, learning a new language, the history of languages, and community activism.
I was introduced to a new animal, the Flapjack Octopus, who to me, doesn’t really look like the character in the book, but one can expect creative license! 🙂
Don’t you just love books that teach you something as well as being enjoyable to read? And when a book finishes with a happy ending, all the better eh?
What a strange book. I agree – I don’t care for the busy illustrations or the red on them. That is too stressing for me to enjoy a book like this. Also… Why lowriders? That is an idea that has a negative connotation to me due to how those folks acted when I was young. I would avoid this book for that very reason. Isn’t it strange how our experiences influence things we never imagined they would?
I don’t understand the lowriders reference so I really can’t speak to it. But some aspects of the book were good, but not one I’d take a second look at if seeing it on the shelves the first time.