Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude

February 21, 2005
Three artists with distinct styles combine efforts for this rollicking story, which takes on the topic of gender differences with humor and insight. O'Malley's (Cinder Edna
) cartoon-like boy and girl, their words appearing in thought balloons, present a library project. "I'll begin the story," says the girl. "My beginning is better, but go ahead," the boy responds, hinting at the book's tensions from the get-go. Heyer (The First Easter
) illustrates the girl's story of Princess Tenderheart in flowing purple and pink robes, as she plays with her "eight beautiful ponies" (e.g., Jasmie, Nimble, Sophie, etc.). Her favorite was Buttercup, the girl reports from the bottom left-hand corner of the framed illustration; the boy, on the opposite corner, chagrined and somewhat panicked, says, "Please... don't call him Buttercup. Call him Ralph or something." After a giant steals the ponies and the weeping princess spins straw into gold, the boy directs the proceedings ("That's it... I can't take it anymore," says he). Goto's (Heat Wave
) full-bleed spreads in garish hues signal a change in tone: "One day this really cool muscle dude rides up to the castle on his motorcycle." Naturally, the girl objects to this line of development. The story then becomes a collaborative effort (all three artists' styles appear on each page), as the two resist confining their characters to stereotypes. Entertaining and sophisticated, this book would make a great conversation starter about issues of gender stereotyping, and the benefits of teamwork. Ages 6-10.

March 15, 2005
Gr. 3-5. A girl and a boy create a fairy tale in this lively picture book. The girl starts first, with a story about a princess and her eight ponies, while the boy interjects comments: "Please . . . don't call [the pony] Buttercup." When the boy has had enough, he steps in with a sword-wielding, motorcycle-riding hero who battles a giant, while the princess is assigned the boring job of making thread. Fed up with these developments, the girl delivers the final plot twist, turning her princess into a warrior who sends the giant scurrying back to his cave. The fun in this picture book comes in the contrasting styles of the illustrations, which include contributions from Carol Heyer and Scott Goto. The girl's story features bright colors, flowers, and long golden locks, while the boy's story is done in the dark, taut-muscled style of comic books. Throughout, O'Malley depicts the girl and the boyreacting to the twists of the plot. A funny take on the age-old battle of the sexes, with an ending suited for the new millennium.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2005
A girl and a boy can't agree on a favorite fairy tale, so together they contrive one that alternately stars a princess ( "her" passion) and a motorcycle dude (his). The format is innovative--the kids address the reader while standing before their fantasy images--but the three artists' styles compete, and the sexist premise is awfully glib.

(Copyright 2005 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)