Sparky's Electrifying Tale

by Janelle London, Matthew Metz

Overview

Tina and Rory would like to go green,
but it's hard when their family car burns gasoline.
Their new hamster Sparky's a little bizarre.
Just wait 'til you see what he does with the car!

What can two children and a hamster do about climate change and air pollution? Tina and Rory follow gasoline’s trail from the age of the dinosaurs to the family car and beyond, their journey illuminated by the vivid imagination of their new pet hamster, Sparky. Just when Rory has had it with gasoline, Sparky magically finds a solution.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781645438601
Publisher:	Mascot Books
Publication date:	08/31/2021
Pages:	38
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Janelle London, her husband, and two daughters live in a small town in Northern California, where Janelle is recognized by strangers because she walks everywhere. Her daughters, although teenagers, continue to allow Janelle to read aloud to them. Matthew Metz has three kids and lives in Seattle with his wife, daughter, and dog Coco. He drives an electric car and loves never having to go to a gas station.

Janelle and Matthew lead Coltura, a nonprofit working to accelerate the switch from gasoline to cleaner alternatives by changing policy and culture. Both are former attorneys who are dedicating their lives to protecting the planet.

Editorial Reviews

2021-09-03
With the assistance of a magical critter, siblings discuss the harmful impact of gasoline in London and Metz’s picture book.

When Rory playfully places his hamster, Sparky, in a car’s tailpipe, his sister, Tina, warns, “The tailpipe is full of black soot and bad air….It hurts lungs and brains.” She describes how gas “starts as oil from dead plants and dinosaurs, squished in the soil.” Tina notes, inaccurately, that automobiles “use way too much carbon dioxide to power our rides.” She does, however, rightly explain that CO2 “traps the sun’s heat,” contributing to the planet’s warming. The dark-haired kids discuss alternative forms of transportation, like bicycles. After Rory wonders how to travel long distances without resorting to a gas guzzler, “a lightning bolt FLASHED blinding light…a big sudden jolt came a thunderclap: BOOM!” The siblings are shocked to find Sparky perched on a new electric car! Tina explains that it uses electricity from the wind and the sun, and Dad joyfully takes the car for a spin. Through jaunty rhymes (“Refineries boil oil to make gasoline, which trucks take to gas stations—very unclean!” etc.), the work accessibly demonstrates how fossil fuels contribute to climate change and pollution. They also depict how electric cars operate, using simple explanations ideal for young readers. Fortuna’s atmospheric illustrations include details like swirls, lightning bolts, and sparkles. The colors used cleverly correspond with the mood of the scenes. For example, the gloomy gas station features muted hues, and cheerful sights incorporate bright tones.

This visually layered, informative tale uses a whimsical storyline to inspire eco-awareness.

Kirkus Reviews