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Drive

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This high-octane middle-grade graphic novel set in two timelines tells the hidden history of the first female racecar driver to race in the Indy 500 and follows a spunky twelve-year-old mechanic discovering that history while restoring a vintage Jaguar. In an empowering, thrilling story, they navigate sexism and break barriers, showing what can be accomplished with passion, focus, and drive.

START YOUR ENGINES! 

In 1964, Janet Guthrie is about to become one of the most successful female race car drivers in history—the first ever to qualify for and race in the Indianapolis 500. But the road ahead of her will not be easy. She’ll have to drive with broken bones and in rickety cars, while constantly proving to the press and the racing world that she’s every bit as good as the men on the track. 

In 2019, twelve-year-old Alex finds a vintage Jaguar her grandfather never finished restoring. It’s a dream come true for a “car girl,” and she dives into teaching herself how to repair and restore it—with the help of her favorite mechanic’s videos. Alex’s father thinks she’s wasting her time, and the local car community isn’t eager to welcome a girl. But there’s a car show coming up, and Alex is determined to prove her skills. 

No matter what gets in their way, Janet and Alex are passionate trailblazers who know that the only way forward is to keep your foot on the gas. 

272 pages, Paperback

Published January 7, 2025

6 people are currently reading
2700 people want to read

About the author

Cynthia L. Copeland

44 books33 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
Profile Image for Mallory.
1,934 reviews287 followers
June 16, 2025
This middle grade graphic novel was the burst of positivity I needed this weekend. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it is tinged with sexism and unfairness, but it’s about women who don’t give up when faced with those things and I need that fighting spirit these days. This book is told in two timelines, the first is about Janet Guthrie, a woman race car driver before her time.. The second is in a more modern time and centers around Alex who is 12 and very into fixing up cars. Alex and her dad (he gets better I promise) move to her grandparents’ home so her father can write his book and she can be homeschooled. She’s thrilled to find several old cars on the property and immediately starts to fix one up and hopes to enter it into a car show. This book is sweet and full of girl power.
Profile Image for Ms. Yingling.
3,941 reviews608 followers
September 12, 2024
E ARC provided by Netgalley

In alternating timelines, we follow the path of real life aeronautical engineer and race car driver and fictional Alex, who moves to her grandparents' farm with her novelist father. (Sort of a spoiler ahead, but you can tell from the pictures what is happening.) This takes us back to 1962, when young Guthrie is traveling around to compete in as many races as she can find, driving a Jaguar. When the car breaks down, she ends up selling it, and it's Alex's grandfather who buys it. Guthrie has trouble getting a new car, as well as finding sponsors, since the auto racing world is so heavily male centric. Eventually, Rolla Vollstedt agrees to help her, and arranges for her to drive in the Indy 500. While she qualifies, using another driver's car, her vehicle does not. This is just one of many disappointments that she faces in her career. Even though she is a popular media presence, the interviews focus more on what she's wearing than her racing abilities, and the men at the race courses are routinely jerks. She does have the support of her own pit crew and team. She gets the chance to race against another woman in 1976, Arlene Hiss, but Hiss drives poorly and never races again. Things don't really improve that much, but Guthrie perseveres, even driving with a broken wrist at one point.

Alex is struggling a bit with moving in 2019; her father is so intent on writing his novel that he completely ignores his daughter, who seems to have no other support since both grandparents have passed away and there is no other family in the picture. Using her grandfather's notes, she starts to restore the Jaguar. Heading in to town to consult some books at the library, she does find an ally in a local librarian who gives her magazines. Alex thinks that the woman is bringing dinner to the house to try to date her dad, but later in the book we find out that it's really in order to support Alex. Alex finds some parts that she needs, and eventually unearths some paperwork from the garage that leads her down the Janet Guthrie rabbit hole. Armed with this new information and a renewed sense of purpose, Alex enters a local car competition, but the judges and participants are not welcoming or helpful. Her father comes through, and she does manage to meet the female internet mechanic whose tips she has found useful.
Strengths: Car racing was certainly something I never followed as a tween, so there were many things that I learned and that suprised me in this book. First of all, why was there even car racing going on in the 1970s? There was a gas crisis! The name Janet Guthrie sounded familiar, but I couldn't have told you the first thing about her. The interweaving of the two story lines works well, especially since Alex meets her own problems with sexism at the car show. This will hopefully encourage young readers to investigate family history while their grandparents are still around!
Weaknesses: I need to see a final copy of this; the illustrations seemed very different from the author's other work, and some of the people were hard to tell apart, but this might have been because I saw an earlier draft of the pictures.
What I really think: I will definitely purchase this, and would love to see more graphic novels with feminist themes set in the 1960s and 70s. There are plenty of memoir type graphic novels set in the 90s, but they are all more whiny instrospective. Of course, women in the 60s and 70s weren't really thinking about their "problems", because there was always someone to remind us about how hard things were during the war or the Great Depression, and there was work to be done! (See Copeland's Cub for another look at the way girls were treated back in the day.)
Profile Image for Stephanie Heasley.
96 reviews5 followers
June 17, 2025
Thank you Goodreads and Cynthia Copeland for sending me a physical copy of this amazing graphic novel to read. I want to read it with my 11 year old niece. My favorite part is how each individual character has a dream they are aspiring to reach and it might give my niece a positive perspective of things us women can accomplish by believing in ourselves and striving to reach our goals.
Profile Image for Kim.
1,606 reviews36 followers
May 14, 2025
I wasn't familiar with Janet Guthrie before I read this graphic novel, but I love how Copeland introduces readers to her groundbreaking 1970s races at the Indianapolis 500 and at NASCAR races. We get to know Janet through a somewhat fictionalized story arc. Intertwined with Janet's frustrations as she runs into one good-ol'-boy wall after another in her attempts to be taken seriously as a race car driver, we meet Alex, a 12-year-old fan of classic car repair who deals with her own share of misogyny. The alternating chapters between Janet (past) and Alex (present), along with the graphic format, work well. They also underscore that while we've seen progress over the past decades, there is still a lot of misogyny in the world of motor sports.
Copeland writes in her note at the end, "Janet Guthrie's narrative is important because recognizing the accomplishments of women throughout history creates a foundation for the generations that follow. Girls can stand on the shoulders of those who came before them only if they know their stories."
While the author's note differentiates between fact and fiction in the story, the inclusion of some recommended reading about Janet Guthrie and other women in racing would have brought this to a 5-star for me.
Profile Image for Cherlynn | cherreading.
2,128 reviews1,006 followers
July 12, 2025
This graphic novel about car racing gave me as much of an adrenaline rush as the sport itself. Not that I have ever been a racer (lol), but you get the idea. Got me all worked up, in both good and bad ways.

The author does a wonderful job delving into sexism, misogyny and the odds stacked against women in male-dominated industries. Both timelines were engaging; I loved all the characters, the sense of community, and how Alex's dad not only came around eventually but even went one step further for her.

The text-to-image ratio, colours, art and font all worked together perfectly to elevate the reading experience. Not sure if the story was just too good, but I found the ending a little abrupt and was left wanting more.

A compelling and illuminating read that I definitely recommend!
Profile Image for Carli.
1,454 reviews25 followers
April 13, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this split-timeline, feminist power graphic novel. One timeline follows the story of engineer and driver Janet Guthrie during her journey in the 1960s and 1970s to become the first woman to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, and the barriers she faced along the way. The other story follows fictional character Alex in 2019, as she and her father move into her grandparents’ old home in rural New England for her father to work on his novel. Alex loves old cars and is thrilled to find her grandfather’s old Jaguar in the barn. As she sets to work restoring it, she discovers its history and runs into her own gender-related bumps along the way. Recommended for readers in grades 7+. #yalit #librarian #librariansofinstagram #middleschoollibrarian
Profile Image for Villain E.
4,005 reviews19 followers
February 13, 2025
A YA historical fiction graphic novel which bounces between the present, which is entirely fictional, and the past, which follows real person Janet Guthrie, the first woman to race in the Indy 500.

The present follows a 12-year-old girl as she restores an old car of her grandfather's. She gets a lot of information from a female youtuber who restores cars. There are a lot of sexist comments online. The girl we follow is dismissed a lot, but no one makes overtly sexist comments to her.

Janet Guthrie, however deals with a lot of sexism. She doesn't set out to be a pioneer or an advocate, she just wants to drive, but it's an uphill battle to get any kind of respect.

The art is not good. The figure drawing is weak. It can be difficult to tell the characters apart, and they have no personality. The cars are drawn pretty well though. The choice to make the past two-tone yellow and blue was unpleasant. I get that it's a visual separation of past and present, but I didn't like it. However, I will say that the art does tell the story.

I'm here for the message of the book. The execution was pretty weak.
Profile Image for Mikayla Young.
Author 3 books9 followers
July 17, 2024
Thank You to Netgalley, author, and publisher for sending me a digital e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The cover of the graphic novel is beautifully illustrated, captivating, and effectively conveys the essence of the story. All the characters are intricately developed and possess unique qualities. Each character harbors a dream they aspire to achieve. By skillfully employing two distinct color schemes, the author enables readers to easily discern between the female characters, time periods, and narratives being followed. Janet Guthrie is not merely a fictional character within the narrative; she is a real-life female race driver and a 2024 NASCAR Hall of Famer. The readers gain a profound understanding of Janet Guthrie's triumphs and challenges throughout her racing career. Copeland masterfully weaves Janet's story into the graphic novel, providing readers with insight into Janet as an individual, a racer, and a trailblazer who inspires and motivates female racers and car enthusiasts. Alex, the 12-year-old aspiring to become a future car mechanic, is a relatable, inspirational, and motivational character in her own right.

The writing is so well-crafted that it leaves the reader wanting more, reluctant for the story to conclude. The author adeptly transitions between the two timelines, ensuring a seamless flow that keeps readers engaged with both female characters' narratives. The illustrations are exquisite, effectively capturing the settings, actions, and moods, immersing readers further into the story alongside the narrative. The plot is captivating, well-paced, and developed, promising to captivate young readers. The connections drawn between Janet and Alex by the author in both characters' timelines are seamlessly executed, offering rich details and establishing links between the past and present. The graphic novel delicately addresses the challenges faced by female drivers like Janet, as well as those encountered by female car enthusiasts and mechanics like Alex in contemporary times. Themes such as bullying, gender stereotypes, media and societal pressures are thoughtfully handled, providing readers with insights into these issues without detracting from the narrative or characters. As a female racing enthusiast, I found great pleasure in exploring the history of female racers and mechanics through the stories of Janet Guthrie and Alex in this graphic novel. "Drive" by Cynthia L. Copeland is a middle-grade graphic novel that adeptly intertwines the past, present, and future of female racers, car enthusiasts, and mechanics in a single narrative while effectively addressing the theme of equality within racing and car communities. It is highly recommended for fans of vibrant graphic novels featuring dual timelines, racing, cars, and the historical contributions of women who have paved the way for current and future female racers and car enthusiasts.
Profile Image for Sesana.
6,284 reviews329 followers
September 7, 2025
Dual narrative graphic novel. Half of the book is a biography of groundbreaking female driver Janet Guthrie, the first woman to qualify for the Indy 500. Her story is deeply fascinating, frustrating, and inspiring. The other half of the book is a fictional story about Alex, a modern girl who loves cars. The biggest roadblock in her life is her self-absorbed father's disinterest. He doesn't discourage her interest in cars because he's sexist, but because he doesn't value any interest he doesn't share, and because he doesn't really have time for her in general. Interestingly, at no point does Alex feel discouraged by him, nor does she do much to get him to turn around. There is a somewhat unrealistically supportive adult who does intervene a bit, and there's an implausible connection with Guthrie that I really could have done without, but the father does most of this work on his own. Alex does see modern sexism in the car hobby, but directed at a youtuber she follows instead of herself.

Taken seperately, each half of this book is really good. The Guthrie bio and Alex's story are equally absorbing reads, and both are very likable characters that readers are going to want to see succeed. Combining the two stories in one book gives the author room to say "the more things change..." in clear story beats instead of the less effective tactic of just plainly stating it. The art is a little on the simple side, which can make some of the characters look too much like each other. Otherwise, this is a great read.
511 reviews7 followers
October 2, 2025
It is the 1960s, and all Janet Guthrie wants to do is fly. Since commercial airlines and the military won't accept female pilots, she becomes and aerospace engineer and does the next best thing, spending her spare time racing cars. Eventually, Guthrie's quest to drive takes her to some of the US's most prestigious races, where as the first serious female racers, she endures taunts and criicism from other drivers and racing fans alike, as well as from sportscasters, commentators, and sponsors who fund lesser drivers because they are men. Fast forward to 2019, Alex moves with her dad to the old family house in New Hampshire so her dad can focus on his debut novel. Although her dad relies on Alex to keep the family vehicle running, he dismisses her interest in cars as a hobby that will go nowhere. Alex finds a classic Jaguar in the barn and begins restoring it with the help of books from the helpful local librarian and Youtube videos posted by a female mechanic. Although Alex is a fictional character, Guthrie and her exploits are factual. Guthrie's and Alex's twin drives for cars and racing parallel each other in interesting ways, but also diverge in interesting ways.
Profile Image for Ande Davidson.
433 reviews3 followers
July 21, 2024
I really enjoyed this middle grade graphic novel! Drive focuses on a girl in 2019 who is fixing her grandfather's old car & Janet Guthrie, one of the most successful female race car drivers. I loved that their stories were told in alternating sections, and it was super interesting to see how they intersected at the end.

My only complaint was how misogynistic the main character's father was. I would have like more character growth from that story line, because there was not enough! Overall though, this was a fun read about women's history in race car driving and women's rights overall. Thanks to NetGalley, Cynthia Copeland, and Algonquin Young Readers for the chance to read and review! My opinions are my own.
1 review
December 28, 2024
This graphic novel hit so close to home and was so inspirational. I read this with my teenage nieces and we were all captivated by the story, I couldn't put it down. We tore through it in 2 days. It actually brought me to tears several times. I'm a car enthusiast, but I never knew the story of Janet Guthrie, and this book inspired me to learn more about her story. The book is surprisingly historically accurate and I learned a ton from reading this, and I found myself relating to every one of the characters, including the father who becomes hyper-focused on his own project. I highly recommend this for teens and adults alike!!
574 reviews2 followers
March 6, 2025
I love this middle grade graphic novel! It is historical fiction, but parts of the novel are about Janet Guthrie, who loved racing. She was the first female to qualify for the Indy 500 and the Daytona 500. the hitorical parts of the book are done in blue and gold tones. The historical part is interspersed with the story of Alex, a twelve year old girl who is fascinated by cars and is a talented mechanic. Alex's story is told in full color.

Drive doesn't hesitate to also show the sexism faced by women who are mechanics or in the sport of auto racing. I love how Janet just kept focusing on what her driving and what she could do.
Profile Image for Karen.
1,718 reviews13 followers
April 28, 2025
This graphic novel tells two alternating automotive stories. Janet Guthrie was the first woman to drive in the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500 and had to fight sexism the entire time. Modern-day Alex is obsessed with restoring cars and comes across Janet Guthrie’s jaguar in her grandfather’s barn. Alas, her father does not support and appreciate his daughter until a supportive librarian helps. Women, start your engines!
150 reviews1 follower
June 11, 2025
4.5⭐️

Why do these graphic novels always make me cry!?

I saw this book when I took my daughter to the library and knew it was right in our wheelhouse as a car loving family. I was not ready!

I love the blend of fiction and nonfiction and the color grading with the separate stories. So freaking inspiring and awesome. Definitely enjoyed and look forward to reading with my kiddo over and over again!
418 reviews
March 27, 2025
Great story. Had never heard of Janet Guthrie, unfortunately, and all the other famous race women mentioned. It is important history however.
Sucks Alex's dad was so shit too, like she was his housemaid basically. It was nice of Cecília to step in and help her but geez, she should've just adopted her.
Profile Image for Cindy.
147 reviews
June 12, 2025
This book was truly inspirational! (It was also entertaining, educational, and a non-stop page-turner!) The story of this book needed to be told, and it was told in an amazing way! Everyone should read Drive! I look forward to reading this book again and again. (Yes, it's truly that good!)
Profile Image for Alyssa DeLeon.
463 reviews
October 25, 2025
This was a very cool book. Fascinating to explore the journey of real-life driver Janet Guthrie. Excellent weaving of two stories. Any race fan or car enthusiast kid will love this book. While it is mostly easy to read, some of the pages are a little dense and lost my interest. But well-worth getting through. Really good story.
5 reviews
December 30, 2024
A quick and wonderful historical fiction graphic novel. Beautiful illustrations to support the storyline. I received an ARC of this book and cannot wait for it to be released for readers of many ages to enjoy!
Profile Image for McKenzy Hupke.
313 reviews3 followers
August 5, 2025
This brings great memories of going to races with my grandpa as a child, and always watching Nascar with him at our house. Missing him a little extra now.

We love the women representation, though I'd certainly wish it continued or went deeper!
Profile Image for Margaret McGuire.
241 reviews10 followers
September 7, 2025
A great mix of real facts and a fictional main character. I appreciated the author's note at the end regarding the mix of fact and fiction. Fun Fact: my 90 year old MIL drove race cars around the same time as Janet Guthrie
Profile Image for Stephanie.
768 reviews5 followers
November 12, 2024
So interesting! The present day story made me more interested in the historical part. It was needed!
189 reviews
April 3, 2025
The art was beautiful but I really couldn't get into this one I was really disappointed because I love her first one about a journalist
Profile Image for Vanessa.
899 reviews36 followers
July 23, 2025
A good story. The dual timelines really helps keep things going. The art is mid at best but inoffensive and doesn't deter from the reading. Overall, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would.
Profile Image for Joe Bertelloni.
50 reviews
August 11, 2025
Really great book about a girl and her dad and a woman and the rest of the world. Well written with great illustrations
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews

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