Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Everyone knows the outcome of the famed race-slow and steady, and all that. But until now, no one has considered what happened afterward. Losing a race to a tortoise is humiliating; every bunny everywhere feels free to laugh. Even the hare's mother is unsympathetic. Surprisingly, life is none too good for the tortoise, either. In addition to the turtle parades, which take an average of six weeks to complete, young turtles constantly challenge him to race. Finally, tortoise and hare schedule a rematch. Although the hare has learned little over time, the tortoise has developed a scheme to ensure that once the race is over, he can live in blissful, anonymous peace. Puns and humorous references pepper the lively story, and Glass's illustrations complement the tale's zany tone. The sketchy quality of the art conveys energy and a slightly unfinished feel reinforced by a watercolor wash that adds blocks of soft color. Glass's rabbit looks like an unsavory but endearing deadbeat; the tortoise is cagey and a tad grumpy. Combine this book with Caroline Repchuk's The Race (Chronicle, 2002) and a traditional retelling for a zippy storytime.-Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland, OR (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
After their first fabled race, the tortoise dislikes fame, and the hare's reputation is ruined, so they decide to race once more. The hare seems destined to fail again--until the tortoise dons a motorized costume and crosses the finish line disguised as his opponent. The illustrations for this comical rematch give the pot-bellied hare and crafty tortoise plenty of personality. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Glass's scenes of disheveled-looking animals in rumpled clothing create an appropriately comic setting for this Aesopian sequel. As Hare is subject to continual dissing from Pete R. Rabbit, lucky Rabbit Foote, Rabbit E. Lee and others for losing a race to a tortoise, and retiring, peace-loving Tortoise is discovering that being voted "Most Admired Reptile" isn't all it's cracked up to be, the two agree to a rematch. Rightly suspecting that even the second time around, Hare won't be able to stay on task, Tortoise concocts a motorized bunny suit, which he dons as soon as he's passed his snoozing opponent and zooms across the finish line. Later, groggily accepting congratulations for a win that he doesn't quite remember, Hare declares himself a racing machine, coming closer to the truth than he supposes. Readers who enjoy such remakes of the original as Margery Cuyler's Road Signs: A Harey Race with a Tortoise (2000), illustrated by Steve Haskamp, or Caroline Repchuk's The Race (2001), illustrated by Alison Jay, will line up for this amusing spin-off. (Picture book. 6-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
