Superstar entertainer John Cena's second picture book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series features a high-octane story--starring the truck who never gives up, Elbow Grease!
Elbow Grease may be little but he's got grit and gumption to spare--and he's back! It's time for Elbow Grease to face off against the gnarly monster machine Motozilla. Luckily, Elbow Grease can count on his four big brothers to rev their engines and help him try to beat the beast!
From multi-talented mega celebrity John Cena comes this exciting story about the importance of believing in yourself. Full of action-packed illustrations and characters kids will cheer for, this fun and fast-paced book proves that teamwork makes the dream work!---from the publisher
40 pages 978-1524773533 Ages 3-6
Keywords: trucks, determination, monster machine, perseverance, celebrity author, believing in yourself, fun, teamwork, working together, transportation, 3 year old, 4 year old, 5 year old, 6 year old
********** Elbow Grease is the smallest monster truck in the Demolition Derby. Even though his brothers Tank, Flash, Pinball and Crash were tougher, faster, smarter and braver, they didn’t intimidate him nor deter him from racing. Even the fact that he was different because he ran on an lithium-ion battery and needed to be recharged every night did not stop him believing in himself and his ability to keep up with his brothers. Because Elbow Grease had gumption, that mixture of strong will and determination to keep on going even when it seemed all was lost.
But when Elbow Grease has a flash of inspiration and decides that the gnarly monster machine Motozilla that turns trucks into crunch sandwiches has to be beaten, he realises that this is not something done alone. it will need teamwork and all the strengths that each of his brothers possess.
Told with a bare narrative with all the speech in speech bubbles, sometimes the message about teamwork is less than subtle, but young readers will delight in the bright, bold illustrations that carry the expression and the humour. Some who are familiar with WWE competitors might even recognise Cena from that field and be inspired because of that. In an interview, Cena said, “With ‘Elbow Grease’ and the books to follow, I want to offer kids a fun and engaging way to learn about the power of ambition, dedication, and heart. These concepts have been transformative in my life, from my childhood up to now, and it’s so important to me to pass the positivity on and help our youngest generation see that right mindset is key to achievement,”
Monster trucks appeal to so many little boys that even if they don’t absorb Cena’s message at first, at least they will continue to discover the joy of reading as they find books about the topics that interest them.
Recommended by: Barbara Braxton, Teacher Librarian, New South Wales AUSTRALIA
See more of her recommendations:
500 Hats https://500hats.edublogs.org/
The Bottom Shelf https://thebottomshelf.edublogs.org/
