Traction Man Meets Turbo Dog

Traction Man

by Mini Grey

THAT SQUARE-JAWED CAN-DO action toy, Traction Man, is back in another hilarious adventure. The little boy, Traction Man, and his brave pet, Scrubbing Brush, are inseparable—until the boy’s father throws the “unhygenic” Scrubbing Brush in the trash and replaces it with a “real” toy, the battery-operated TurboDog. It bleeps, speaks, and squeaks—but is not very smart. So Traction Man, wearing his airtight Astro-suit and armed with a bottle of SuperStrong Germo, enters the trash bin and rescues Scrubbing Brush from the Evil Bin Things (pizza crusts, spaghetti, and potato peels with eyes and mouths that hiss “Stay with us”). The Battle of the Bin is not to be missed—nor is the ignominious demise of TurboDog! With this satisfying sequel, Mini Grey has scored another smashing victory for imaginative play.

Genres: Picture Books, Adventure, Childrens, Superheroes, Humor, Fantasy, Dogs

32 pages, Library Binding

First published September 9, 2008

About the author

Mini Grey was given her name after being born in a Mini in a car park in Newport, Wales. She studied for an MA in Sequential Illustration at Brighton under the tutelage of John Vernon Lord. Mini also worked as a primary school teacher in Oxford, where she now lives. Her books includeEgg Drop, The Pea and the Princess (shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal), Biscuit Bear(winner of the Nestlé Children's Book Prize Gold Award), Traction Man is Here (winner of the Boston Horn Book Award and shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal), The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon (winner of the Nestlé Children's Book Prize Bronze Award and winner of the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal), and Traction Man meets Turbodog. Mini Grey is one of the Big Picture's ten Best New Illustrators. (source: https://www.penguin.co.uk/puffin/auth...)

Reviews

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

15 May 2021

Part of my 365 Kids Books challenge. For a fuller explanation see my review for 101 Amazing Facts about Australia You can see all the books on their own shelf.

Turbodog reminds me of K9, who is a charming robot by not a good dog. Scrubbing Brush is an excellent dog. Reading these two back-to-back, I appreciate the Practical Woodworking bit.

***

11 December 2008

It's been so long since Traction Man Is Here! that the Offspring (and I) had kind of forgotten about it, but they both got sucked in pretty quickly. Grey vividly portrays how a child's mind runs when playing, which is fascinating to children and adults. Plus, she's funny. Plus, the art is great. Go, read, laugh.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Traction Man, the action figure extraordinaire who first appeared in Mini Grey's Traction Man Is Here! , returns in this, his second adventure, gaining (as the title suggests) a new companion. Still his little boy's favored plaything, Traction Man continues to explore new worlds - including the back yard's "Mt. Compost Heap", with its ancient (Yoda-like) Potato Guide, and its ring of Mystic Shrooms - with his beloved companion Scrubbing Brush beside him all the way. Then the boy's father, deciding that Scrubbing Brush is "unhygienic," replaces him with the battery-powered, blue plastic Turbo Dog. But can the technologically advanced canine keep up, in the rough and tumble world of Traction Man (and his boy's) imaginary play...?

With the same engaging storytelling, and colorful artwork as its predecessor, Traction Man Meets Turbo Dog is an entertaining read! The idea - implicit in both of these stories - that imagination can transform any location, be it compost heap or sandbox, into the perfect environment for adventure, is very appealing. So too are the non-traditional gender roles apparent here, with the boy's father being a care-giver - there is a copy of a book entitled "Man About the House" in one of the scenes - and his sister obsessed with woodworking. I'm grateful that the first Traction Man title was chosen as one of our December selections, over in The Picture-Book Club to which I belong, where our theme this month is "toys," as I don't think I'd have picked these books up, otherwise. Now I'm looking forward to the forthcoming Traction Man and the Beach Odyssey !

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

When his pal Scrubbing Brush goes missing, Traction Man must search for his whereabouts, all while putting up with the rather annoying and noisy Turbo Dog.



I didn't find this one quite as enjoyable as the first go-round. Maybe it was the lack of interaction between Traction Man and his owner?

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Traction Man and Scrubbing Brush have moved to the yard to scale Mount Compost! Led by an old potato guide they finally reach the summit. Alas, Scrubbing Brush is deemed unhygienic by the parents of the little boy. Scrubbing Brush enters the land of the trash bin! dun dun dun... As a consolation the boy gets Turbo Dog (batteries not included). Turbo Dog walks, talks and can have adventures but he isn't as much fun as Scrubbing Brush. Where, oh where is Scrubbing Brush? Traction Man aims to find out.

This is another hilarious adventure of a small boy and his beloved toy! I smiled the whole time I read it. I absolutely love the message that the electronic toy that likes to watch TV is not as much fun as a simple scrubbing brush that runs on imagination! As with the first installment, adults will get a kick out of the details in the illustrations and especially the potato guide on Mount Compost. I especially liked the sister in her wood shed. Way to go sister! I did not enjoy the naked dollies or how the only female toys end up as caregivers and not fellow explorers. For this I give the book only 4 stars.

I can't wait to read this to my nephews!

[Hamish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Traction man meets Turbo dog is an exciting comic inspired picture book.

Best bits

It looks like a comic and shares comic book features.
There are detailed illustrations that show you how Traction Man completes each mission.
You get to meet ancient potato and can make links with his character and Yoda from Star Wars.
You find out that Scrubbing Brush is a loyal pet and companion to Traction Man.
We can clearly see how Traction Man is feeling and his emotional journey (happiness, joy, despair, worry, concern, excitement, confusion...)
You meet amazing and different background characters in different scenes (bin things, handbag dwellers, the lone sock partner)
You get to see how Traction Man defeats the creepy, smelly, sneaky bin things to rescue Scrubbing Brush.
The joyful moment when Traction Man and Scrubbing Brush finally find each other.

Things To consider

- Making Turbo dog a better companion or finding the right superhero for him to collaborate with.
- Making sure Scrubbing Brush is always clean and tidy after missions.
- Making sure the boy listens carefully to his grown ups.

[MRS K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Traction man meets Turbo Dog is a great comic-style book by Mini Grey. It's full of fun adventures and excitement from beginning to end!

I love this book because...

It has exciting and detailed illustrations showing different adventures and unusual characters (Bin things and Ancient potato).
Mini grey uses colour and perspective in the pictures to change your mood. Sometimes you feel excited, happy, nervous and shocked.
Traction Man's sidekick Scrubbing Brush is a loyal and funny companion who sometimes gets a bit too over excited...
It has a happy ending where Traction man saves the day (read the book to find out how!).
Happy reading!

[Dalton Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This installment of the Traction Man series is a lot of fun for any reader. The use of everyday objects as living characters ignites the imagination of the reader. The story may not send a clear message to teach young readers, but the adventure Traction Man takes is sure to entertain the reader no matter their age. I thought the story was impressively creative and would not hesitate to show it to a young reader.

[Lindsey Rojem · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for the "A Genre You Don't Normally Care For" part of my 2020 reading challenge. This was a story of the action figure Traction Man working with Turbodog to find Scrubbing Brush. Scrubbing Brush was adorable, but the rest of the artwork and the story didn't really grab me.

[Gabriella Carvell-Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, not as much as traction man is here!

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The amazing Traction Man returns and along with his trusty friend Scrubbing Brush brave the Northwest Slope of Mt. Compost Heap. Unfortunately, on the journey, Scrubbing Brush is caught in the Sinking Mud of the Pond and gets caked in dirt. While they are resting after their adventure, Scrubbing Brush is replaced by the beeping, talking TurboDog. However, TurboDog really isn't up for the sorts of adventures Traction Man has. He gets sand in his gears, isn't any good at stealth missions, and only likes to watch himself on TV. But Scrubbing Brush has disappeared and can't be found anywhere. Traction Man is despondent until he hears a very faint bark coming from The Dark and Terrible Underworld of the Bin. No one has ever survived the garbage bin. Now it is up to Traction Man to see if he is brave and skilled enough to meet this horror and save his friend.

This second Traction Man book is just as charming as the first. Grey's small touches in the illustrations make the world she creates all the more alive and interesting. Her text begs to be read aloud with a great strong Traction Man voice. Humor is at the heart of the book, directed at gimmicky sales and not the world of imagination, making the book all the more effective.

Highly recommended, this book is great fun and guaranteed to have children listening intently and laughing along. Appropriate for ages 4-7.

[Jack · Rating 1 out of 5]

Are my wife and I the only people who see this book as sexually offensive and totally inappropriate for kids???? Heavens! It has a toy robot dog that has "insert batteries here" pointing at its anus, while it cries out "Intruder alert!". It finishes with a disgusting picture of the dog with an open blood-stained anus, with naked girls caressing it! On top of this, dirty sandwiches are eaten in a compost heap. Later Germo Ammonia is played with as a toy. Also, a child unsupervised dries his toys in front of an electric fire (which he leaves on and falls asleep in front of it). The list goes on. It is a book which does no educational good for a child's awareness of health and safety. It is also deeply offensive with its vulgar sexual innuendo. It should be banned from further release to children. These are my personal opinions.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every wonder what a kid goes through when their parent throws away something dear to them, just because to the unitiated eye the thing looks gross and/or potentially dangerous?? Traction Man meets Turbo Dog can help to answer that question. Scrubbing Brush, Traction Man's loyal sidkick, has been thrown in The Bin. TM dives in, armed with a loaded bottle of Germo (with Ammonia) and will deliver his friend safe from harm. Readers, kids and parents alike, will appreciate the humor and wonderful illustrations in this heroic story.

[Emily]

My poor boy who loved the first Traction Man book almost as much as I did just didn't get this one. He didn't realize that the point was that Turbo Dog was so sophisticated and had so many bells and whistles that he stifled imagination and real, glorious, play. All my son perceived was that there was a really cool toy, and it got broken. It's very, very, bad when cool toys get broken, apparently.

[Michael Bratchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I taught this book to a Year 1 class who fell in love with this book (and so did I). The creative and inventive characters inspired drama and roll play. The sensational detailed illustrations lead to children crafting their first ever pieces of descriptive writing. Traction Man's journey through the house, with his newly found sidekick turbo dog; is fun and entertaining narrative which really engaged children. It was a perfect resource for testing reader comprehension; as the plot is not overly complicated. Children could reflect on characters thoughts, feelings and decisions.

[Francesca Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Traction man and scrubbing brush are in the garden of a compost when they discover turbo dog; a robotic dog. Once again, they are on a cleaning adventure. Turbo dog wants to join them in the bath tub but traction man warns him he can’t because of the electricity. He still does and sparks appear!

[Glynnis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little Man's library book for the week.
He is obsessed.
I was a little confused - we definitely are missing some context since this seems to be one in a series.

[Natalie Neiffer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like the way this book is set up is pretty unigue! The illustrations are really cool but they are kind of overwhelming.

[Sarah Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is fully of action and color. It's very fun and entertaining to follow the adventures of Traction Man and see what they discover.

[Tosin Adebayo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book didn't move my world but I can see where it would appeal to some children. There is a lot of adventuring which for some children would really draw them in. The thing I did like was at the end where there was a link to science in regards to electricity. It was also a very moralistic story with lessons on the importance of friendship and cleanliness.

Summary
The story followed a little boy's action figure and his pet, the scrubbing brush, on a series of adventures. The brush was disposed of by the boy's parents because it was filthy and replaced with an electronic dog. The new pet had many downsides compared to the simple brush that had been his friend. Thinking his pet was just lost, Tractionman ventured on a quest to find him, locating him inside a bin and rescing him. Once together again, Turbodog dove into a bath tub and was never the same.

Visualising
The scene where Tractionman enters the bin was the most visual for me. "The dark and terrible underworld of the bin" sets a scene in my head of darkness and potential violence. When the author goes on to say the atmosphere 'may be deadly poisonous' it makes me feel as though he's venturing into hell and might not come back.

A passage of interest
"I don't think that's a good idea - water and electricity don't mix' This to me is a very interesting scene which teaches children a little science and will happen if they get toys like turbodog wet. It also makes me think the book could be used as a precursor to a science lesson

Character profiling
Tractionman is a very loyal friend who enjoys his adventures. He doesn't resent turbodog even when he can't do what the scrubbing brush could, he just misses his friend. The world that he sees also encourages children to use their imaginations to see the adventure in the every day.

[Greg]

This book is very humorous. The illustrations of this book really present a quality reading package. In the book there is Traction Man and his sidekick Scrubbing brush. One day the dad decides Scrubbing Brush is too dirty to keep, he doesn’t bother telling his son, Traction Man’s owner, about his decision. In the story a new toy is introduced as a replacement for Scrubbing Brush, Turbodog. On the outside Turbodog appears to be a cutting edge robotic pet, but on the inside Turbodog is just a bunch of nuts and bolts and can’t do nearly the things that Scrubbing Brush was able to do. Throughout the story, Traction Man goes on a quest to find Scrubbing Brush.

What I really enjoyed about this story is the fact that it is in comic book form. It seems rare to find quality reading in this form. This book has a high reading interest level and also touches on many important themes. Some themes present in this story are, you can’t replace an oldie and a goodie, with something that is new and technical. We see the theme of devotion when Traction Man goes to the depth of the evil garbage land to save Scrubbing Brush. This is an excellent book with excellent illustrations.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

K-4th Grade
Mini Grey’s comic book inspired illustrations have a reader looking for every detail in this Superhero story about Traction Man losing his trusted sidekick Scrubbing Brush. This story is written and illustrated to show that this adventure is being played out in the imagination of the young boy that owns this super hero. When his Dad throws out the very dirty Scrubbing Brush and attempts to replace with a shiny new Turbo Dog, the boys’ imagination and curiosity allows him to find Traction Man’s sidekick and create more adventures for Traction Man to be involved with. Kids will enjoy the humor and get caught up in the superhero adventures even though they all occur at the child’s’ home.
Science- this story shows a family recycling and composting waste, this can be an opportunity to have lessons around the environment and sustainability.

[Peacegal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Traction Man is Here!, and this sequel is just as awesome as the original.

In this story, the intrepid action figure Traction Man loses his beloved (albeit germ-harboring) pet Scrubbing Brush, when the boy’s parents toss him into the garbage. They think they can replace Scrubbing Brush by buying their son a shiny new Turbo Dog, a battery-powered toy canine with his own cartoon series. (Shades of Toy Story here.)

However, Traction Man is not impressed by this scrap of tin and endeavors to rescue his companion from the depths of the “bin”! The creatures inhabiting this smelly underworld are wildly creative, such as zombie pizza slices and French fries.

A wonderful book about the power of imaginative play, which in this world of cell phones and iPods, we could certainly use more of.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've come to expect the unexpected from Mini Grey, but this is perhaps the strangest book of hers that I have read. I wonder if I've missed something by not having read the first in the series- Traction Man is Here? Possibly. Traction Man is a favoured toy of a young boy. Both the boy and Traction Man appear to enjoy playing in the mud, or the compost heap most of all. Traction Man has his own pet (a Scrubbing Brush dog), and they have lots of fun getting rather dirty. The boys father decides that Scrubbing Brush is too dirty to stay in the house any more, and throws him out. Scrubbing Brush is replaced by Traction Dog (and believe me you'll never look at battery placement in toys the same way again after reading this book!), a clean, robotic toy dog. Of course replacing a treasured toy, no matter how grubby, with a new one just because of parental squeamishness never works well.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of Traction Man Is Here! will love this latest Mini Grey title. Traction Man is off on more adventures, this time with his faithful pet, Scrubbing Brush. They explore the backyard and when Traction Man returns, he finds the all new Turbodog is here to be his new pet. Traction Man quickly realizes that the new electronic pet is more trouble than it's worth. Unfortunately, Scrubbing Brush goes missing and Traction Man is faced to brave the Bin (trash can) to save his trusty friend.

Whew! There's a lot packed into this fun and full of imagination story. While I know my younger students will love this longer picture book, I think it will fit best with second and third grade boys.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Traction Man series by Mini Grey. It's a fun continuation of the story, with a dirty scrubbing brush pet being replaced by a battery-powered TurboDog. I love how this story shows that toys that are made or repurposed from other things can be just as loved (or more so) than store-bought toys. It's a fun story, with plenty of excitement and fun illustrations. We really enjoyed reading this story together and we look forward to reading the next book: Traction Man and the Beach Odyssey.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Traction Man returns with trusty sidekick Scrubbing Brush in this sequel to "Traction Man Is Here."

After an adventure up Mt. Compost Heap Scrubbing Brush is thrown in the Bin! Oh, no! Traction Man is presented with Turbo Dog to be his new sidekick. However, after several adventures, Traction Man seriously misses Scrubbing Brush. Where is he?

So the hunt is on! Traction Man looks everywhere but cannot find Scrubbing Brush. Then he hears him. Finally! Faint cries from the Bin. Traction Man heads in armed with Germo spray to ward off the creepy crawlies in the Bin.

Safe and clean at last, Scrubbing Brush is home with Traction Man.

This tale is a bit hard to follow as the pictures are very busy. Not a good read-aloud but great for one-on-one and independent reading.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Action figure hero Traction Man has incredible adventures with his faithful pal Srubbing Brush until Turbo Dog appears and Scrubbing Brush mysteriously vanishes. Turbo Dog is an acceptable sidekick, but not quite up to Srubbing Brush's level. So Traction Man searches high and low until he finds his old friend.

A great celebration of imagination. The various fantastic adventures of Traction Man all happen within one house and yard, but the places are called things like the Grand Sofa Canyon (crack between sofa cushions). And the fact that a fancy, flashy new toy cannot outdo an old scrub brush is a tribute to all the boxes, papers, and other odds and ends kids have played with over the years.

[Kate Coombs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warning: Traction Man Meets Turbo Dog is a children's picture book! Read it together with the first book, Traction Man Is Here! These books are really funny in a tongue-in-cheek way, Toy Story for a new generation. Traction Man and his faithful pet, Scrubbing Brush, are off on their usual adventures (the details of which are hilarious), but SB gets so dirty that the boy's dad gets rid of him. The replacement, Turbodog, is NOT Traction Man's idea of a loyal sidekick. Eventually TM sets out on a quest to find his missing pet. Be sure to look carefully under the bed and between the couch cushions.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Traction Man returns and has to rescue his faithful friend, Scrubbing Brush, after the clueless parents throw him in the garbage bin! Turbo Dog, a battery operated electronic toy is a clear disappointment and Traction Man must embark on a rescue operation, clad appopriately of course.

The first book, Traction Man, is one of my grandsons' all-time favorite books and this new adventure delights them completely. There is lots of fun for the sharp-eyed reader, including appearences from characters from The Dish and the Spoon and Scrubbing Brush's revenge. This wins the Read-It-Again-and-Again seal of approval.

[Rian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary: In this comic-book inspired story, Traction Man loses his sidekick, Scrubbing Brush, and tries out a new sidekick, Turbo Dog.

Response: My kids have been talking about this book and were thrilled to find out I was going to read it for "homework." It was as delightful to read this story as it was to have it so highly recommended by them. My daughter, who doesn't seem the least interested in comics and superheroes, loves this book, and so does my son. It is so fun to read it and share it with them and to know they were so pleased to share it with me. It is clever and delightful, and I really enjoyed it.