Review by Booklist Review
In this exercise in persistence, James and Danny are intent on getting a silver race car out of a gum machine at a local store. They go through eight of their nine quarters without scoring the coveted prize. The ninth is James' lucky Canadian quarter, so he hesitates, inadvertently drops it in the machine, and causes chaos in the store when all of the gum shoots out. The boys negotiate for the car and all ends well. In this hybrid picture book-easy reader, the lengthy text carefully describes each step as the duo try for the prize. Willard utilizes playful alliteration (Something small and still slides Something round and raucous runs) and much repetition (I want my quarter back!' He wants his quarter back,' says Danny), which is helpful for readers mastering the art. There are some full-page illustrations, but most are brightly colored sketches of the main characters, the gum machine, and its contents surrounded by ample white space. Although small in scope, this will give readers plenty to chew on.--Enos, Randall Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The late Willard's powers of observation make this story a delight. She starts at the crack of dawn, when James approaches his parents' bed to ask for his allowance. "What can you do with five quarters at six in the morning?" his mother asks. "I can look at them," James replies. James's friend Danny has some quarters, too, and both boys are after the sleek silver race car sitting at the bottom of the gum-ball machine at Mr. Wright's store. The shrewdness with which James and Danny discuss their situation and strategies ("I bet if you jiggled the machine, that racer would go plunk on the floor") will endear them to readers. Newman's vintage-y ink illustrations convey energy and tension as suspense mounts-suspense that dissipates when James's "lucky" Canadian quarter causes the machine to jettison its contents in a spray of candy and toys. Willard treats the boys and their plan with dignity, and the minute-by-minute narrative-more chapter book than picture book text-lets readers savor the details. Ages 4-8. Author's agency: Jean V. Naggar Literary. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-Two friends on a quest for a silver racer have nine quarters to reach their goal. Danny and James feed their coins into the gumball machine hoping each time that the small toy car will emerge. But even the Canadian quarter James brought may not be lucky enough. The descriptions of what the gumball machine delivers after each quarter show the author's clever word usage. Suspense builds as "something tumbles out," "something clatters out," "something small and still slides" out, and finally "something round and raucous runs" out of the spout. Each time readers will wait with anticipation to see if the silver racer has finally been won. The inked illustrations are reminiscent of the style used in the CBS Storybreak shows from the 1980s. Some fill a page, like the picture of the boys' faces seen through the glass of the gumball machine. Others offer small vignettes scattered across the page showing the reactions of Danny and James. Large spreads are used sparingly, like the opening scene with James standing by his parents' bed and asking for his allowance while the soft blue background perfectly captures the "six in the morning" stillness. VERDICT Perfect for a humorous read-aloud; the retro feel and the hilarious results of the boys' determination will keep readers and listeners riveted and rooting for their success.-Suzanne Costner, Fairview Elementary School, Maryville, TN © Copyright 2017. 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
Using their weekly allowances of five quarters each, James and Danny try for the lone silver racer inside the gumball machine at Mr. Wright's store. Newman's ink illustrations, with strong swaths of gumball-bright colors and loose black outlines, create a retro feel. The nostalgic book harkens back to a time adults will understand, but the late author's dialogue-driven text also speaks to today's kids. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Two white boys ply the gumball machine with their quarters, pursuing the elusive silver racer toy in this picture book. It's 6 a.m., and James would like his allowance of five quarters. His mother, still in bed, counts them out for him. One quarter is a Canadian quarter, and when James asks if it's "lucky," his mother replies "Oh, yes." After school James meets up with Danny at Mr. Wright's store, where there is a gumball machine with a silver racer toy in it among the gumballs. One by one they insert their quarters. Many gumballs and other prizes come out, but no silver racer. Finally, all that is left is James' lucky Canadian quarter. Newman's angular illustrations excel at expressions and postures and have a retro look: the boys are snub-nosed and wholesome-looking, the women wear perky ponytails, the shopkeeper is beefy, and everyone in the story is white except for one black man, who is a customer at the store. Willard's present-tense narrative has a pace and cadence that never swerve as it smoothly brings readers to the conclusion of whether the Canadian quarter was a lucky one or not. A clever, polished story whose lively illustrations reinforce the retro theme. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
