Okay, I confess, at this moment I'm on page 56 and not finished reading this book yet. I'm pausing because its length merits a pause. Also, I'm feeling confident enough to get my review started and give it a rating.
I'm giving this book 5 stars. Although, if half-stars were available, I'd give "How to Build a Car: A high-speed adventure of mechanics, teamwork, and friendship" a 4.5. Why? Mostly due to the length of the book. I appreciate that it definitely is a picture book - just about every other page is without text (has only illustrations). But, it's still pretty long. Otherwise, I give it a high rating because it's very thorough, well-focused and extremely kid-friendly. It's also very creative and gives excellent insight into real parts of real automobiles.
Okay, I digress, and plan to conclude the book now ...
Alright, I just finished it out. The book is 64 pages. It is very well-structured and organized. I definitely stick with my 5-star rating. And this is coming from someone who is not a "gearhead" or auto enthusiast.
On a side note, though, I think it's a wonderful book and one I will suggest to my local auto shop. My local auto shop has a kid's area within it's waiting area. In this area is a TV, a super Nintendo, a couple chairs and a few books. I think this book would be a wonderful fit for this auto shop. Honestly, I think adult customers would enjoy reading this book while they wait to have their autos fixed.
Overall, I think this is a fun, creative, informative book and kids could enjoy reading it. However, I would absolutely NOT read this book to preschoolers. Why? Mostly due to its length, but also some of the vocabulary used (the level) and auto jargon.
Some details I noticed include:
* The illustrations (provided by Martin Sodomka) are very well done. I imagine this book's illustrator had to spend a very, very, very long time creating the images and graphics of this book. The illustrations are very clear and concise, yet often times very complex as well.
* The book appears to have had a lot of planning involved. It's very structured and organized. I like that it begins with a brief introduction of the story's three characters. Then, you can see the three character's personalities carefully revealed throughout the story.
* The book's author, Saskia Lacey, just has to be a car lover. He just has to! ... Okay, if he or she's not, the author was at least very thorough with the amount of research that went into this book.