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.
My review was first published in the November 2017 issue of School Library Journal, p. 68.
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