Lowriders to the Rescue

by Cathy Camper, Raul the Third (Illustrator)

Overview

The next books in the acclaimed Lowriders series combines comics, Spanish, mixing cultures, science, superheroes, and first loves for an out-of-this-world graphic novel experience.

A changing planet means new problems—and new friends—for nuestros amigos favoritos!

Meet Lupe, a whip-smart impala with a flair for mechanics
Flapjack, a sweet young octopus who can shine up anything with his eight gleaming tentacles and Elirio, a thoughtful mosquito who's fascinated with words and determined to become an artist.

What do all three have in common? A love of lowriders—and a passion for solving problems!

Nothing is normal in the little town where the Lowriders live. To start, Flappy can't see a thing! He keeps mistaking fire hydrants for sailors and laundry for love interests. Even more worrying, the Upscale Business Association is determined to make more money than ever by tearing down local shops in favor of a brand-new development for wealthy landowners. Most disconcerting of all, the monarchs who usually migrate through town at this time of year are nowhere to be found. But when Sokar, a beautiful young monarch, bikes into town with a broken wing, she has scary news to report: A dangerous wildfire is burning fast and hot and nonstop, leaving the monarchs stranded.

Might Sokar and Flappy have more in common than meets the goggles? How can the Lowriders save their town? And exactly how powerful is passion in the face of an overheated planet's furious flames?

Humor, Spanish, and lowriders come together in this rollicking journey through the bumpy terrain of new friends, climate change, and standing up for what you believe in. ¡Vámonos!

ACCLAIMED SERIES: Books in the Lowriders series have won the Pura Belpré award, and won the hearts of readers and reviewers. Discover why kids—and their adults—love reading about the Lowriders!

PERFECT FOR RELUCTANT READERS: Bold illustrated spreads, funny storylines, and lots to look at on every page keep reluctant readers engaged all the way through these delightfully entertaining books.

DIVERSE CAST OF CHARACTERS: Latinx and Arab cultures are beautifully celebrated in this book, with fascinating facts about these unexpectedly intersecting cultures.

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES FOR KIDS: These books tackle so many contemporary and relevant issues. Readers will learn about monarch butterfly migrations and sustainable energy: The Lowriders refurbish their car to be solar-powered!

VISUALLY DYNAMIC: Raúl's unique art style is visually refreshing and extremely engaging for kid readers, especially those who love comics and graphic novels!

Perfect for:

• Fans of the previous Lowriders books
• Comic and graphic novel lovers
• Reluctant readers
• Educators and librarians looking for diverse books

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781452179483
Publisher:	Chronicle Books
Publication date:	05/31/2022
Pages:	140
Product dimensions:	7.65(w) x 9.55(h) x 0.85(d)
Lexile:	GN550L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Cathy Camper is the author of several books, including Bugs Before Time, Ten Ways to Hear Snow, and the Lowriders series. She also writes zines, including Sugar Needle, and is a founding member of the Portland Women of Color zine collective. A graduate of VONA/Voices writing workshops for people of color, Cathy is a librarian in Portland, Oregon, where she does outreach to schools, working with kids in grades K–12.

Raúl the Third is the Pura Belpré Award-winning artist of Lowriders to the Center of the Earth. Raúl visits classrooms throughout the country, where he spreads his love of drawing and comic books to students of all ages. He was born in the desert city of El Paso, Texas, under the watchful eye of the Thunderbird on the mountain. He was raised to love reading and drawing when his mother Olga took him and his brothers to the library. He discovered comic books all by his lonesome at the local 7-Eleven.

Editorial Reviews

If you’re wondering if Cathy Camper and Raúl the Third can make a bad book, well . . . the answer is, no. They can’t. As long as there are-and I never thought I’d say this-impalas, mosquitos, octopuses, and of course, lowriders involved, these two can do no wrong. I’d even go as far as to say they’re one of the most creative (and funny!) duos working today.” -Jason Reynolds, National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature

“[T]he message is a good one [and] the inspired art will entice readers. . . . Vibrant visuals will draw kids into a story with an optimistic message about standing up to injustice.”-Kirkus Reviews

“Cultures, technologies, and families unite in this rallying cry for eco-friendly change. . . . [T]he textured illustrations are vibrant and expressive. . . . This bursting medley of community and planetary mindfulness is as colorful as it is inventive.”-School Library Journal

From the Publisher

03/01/2022

Gr 4–7—Cultures, technologies, and families unite in this rallying cry for eco-friendly change. When a forest fire endangers a family of anthropomorphic Arabic monarch butterflies, daughter Sokar escapes to the nearby city to find help. She encounters the Latinx lowriders—an impala, a mosquito, and an octopus who all adore cars—and they take her in. They learn about each other's culture, including food, aesthetics, and language. English translations for Spanish and Arabic words appear at the bottom of each page and in an appended glossary. The lowriders deploy a series of technological marvels to solve ecological and economic issues. Beaming faces and effortless solutions threaten to turn the book's optimistic attitude into parody, though younger readers will appreciate seeing positive changes take place so soon, and there is much to learn about science and Latinx and Arabic culture. Rendered in ballpoint pen, the textured illustrations are vibrant and expressive. Back matter includes personal, historical, and scientific notes about the many inspirations behind the story. VERDICT This bursting medley of community and planetary mindfulness is as colorful as it is inventive. Best experienced after the earlier books.

School Library Journal

2022-05-11
When fires hit right in the middle of the monarch migration, a butterfly named Sokar flees to the city to find help for her family.

After a dramatic opening in which Sokar’s father is killed, the book shifts gears to the Lowriders in Space garage, where we see Lupe Impala, Elirio Malaria, and El Chavo Flapjack Octopus del Mar Junior. In town to get El Chavo glasses, the Lowriders meet Sokar and offer to help her. Readers learn how climate change and pollution are impacting the environment, leading to wildfires, and that much of it is due to the influence of big business taking over the neighborhood. Lupe, Elirio, and El Chavo have their eyes opened by Sokar and come up with a plan to save the neighborhood and the monarchs. Though the message is a good one, at times it feels heavy-handed. However, the inspired art will entice readers. The black-ink outlines pop against a warm palette of reds and oranges, and the illustrations have a vintage comic book vibe. The Lowriders are Latinx, while Sokar and her family are Arab and Muslim (Sokar, who resembles a human with wings, wears a hijab), and at one point the new friends discuss similarities between Arabic and Spanish.

Vibrant visuals will draw kids into a story with an optimistic message about standing up to injustice. (glossary of Spanish and Arabic words, author’s note) (Graphic novel. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews