Cowboy Car

by Jeanie Franz Ransom, Ovi Nedelcu (Illustrator)

Overview

A little car with a big dream…

Ever since Little Car was knee-high to his daddy's hubcaps, he's wanted to be a cowboy. Cowboys get to drive the range, wear big hats, and sleep under the stars. Everyone tells Little Car that cars can't be cowboys, but he can't stop dreaming of rounding up lil' dogies by day and talking around the campfire at night. So Little Car packs his trunk and heads Out West. Vroom! Can he prove he has what it takes to be a true cowboy? Join Little Car as he zooms into the hearts of kids everywhere.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781503950979
Publisher:	Amazon Publishing
Publication date:	04/11/2017
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Jeanie Franz Ransom was a cowgirl growing up. At age nine, she talked her parents into buying her a pony and then a horse, and soon she was showing horses all over the Midwest. She is now an award-winning author. Her recent titles include Big Red and the Little Bitty Wolf, illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin, and There's a Cat in Our Class, illustrated by Bryan Langdo. She divides her time between homes in St. Louis, Missouri, and Northport, Michigan. Learn more about her at www.jeanieransom.com.

Ovi Nedelcu is a character designer for animation as well as an author and illustrator. He's worked on many animated films, including Coraline, The Boxtrolls, and ParaNorman. In 2015, he wrote and illustrated his debut picture book, Just Like Daddy, which School Library Journal called "delightful." He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife, children, and an assortment of animals. Learn more about him at www.ovinedelcu.com.

Editorial Reviews

"A charming read-aloud selection with an empowering message about following one's dreams and never giving up that will appeal to children, parents, and educators." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

07/01/2017
PreS-Gr 1—Little Car has big dreams. He wants to head west and become a cowboy. He wants a big hat, pointy-toed cowboy boots, and the chance to round up cattle and sleep under the stars. His parents want him to stay in the city, encouraging him to choose the life of a taxicab (like his dad) or the life of a family car. Despite being told that cars can't be cowboys, Little Car sets off alone to pursue his dream. Eventually, he finds a ranch and meets a cowboy named Dusty who is willing to give him a chance, even though he can't ride a horse. Throughout the story, Little Car shows resilience and perseverance, eventually earning the respect of Dusty and his parents (along with some MooTube fame). There are several other puns in the story (Little Car does a "brake dance") that will appeal to children and their parents, and Nedelcu's mixed-media illustrations really bring the story to life. Little Car is so darn cute, particularly when he is wearing his giant cowboy hat. VERDICT A charming read-aloud selection with an empowering message about following one's dreams and never giving up that will appeal to children, parents, and educators.—Sally James, South Hillsborough Elementary School, Hillsborough, CA

School Library Journal

2017-05-01
An urban auto finds fulfillment in the not-so-wild west. Little Car is a blue car with big googly eyes and an expressive mouth. He has grown up on crowded city streets full of noise and traffic, but the TV screen has introduced him to another world—that of cowboys and wide, open spaces. Leaving his traditional parents (a father who sees his future as a cab and a mother who wants him to be a family car), he fills his trunk, leaves the tall buildings behind, and sets out on the open road. A somewhat puzzled man sells him a "fifty-gallon hat" (that, mystifyingly, he has on top of his house), and a cowboy at a ranch decides to give him a chance even though Little Car cannot ride a horse. Predictably, there are some jobs that a car cannot do and some that he can do by adapting his particular skills or mechanical assets. At the end of the day, he happily performs a "brake dance." The climax of the tale takes place at a rodeo where Little Car proves that he has both the means and the mettle to save the day. Nedelcu's mixed-media artwork reflects his background working in animation. Cartoon illustrations fill the busy pages with angular-faced livestock and humans, some white and some of color. Go west, young car. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews