Full Throttle. (Redline Racing Series). Anthony Hampshire. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2005. 131 pp., pbk., $8.95. ISBN 1-55041-564-6. Subject Heading: Automobile racing-Juvenile fiction. Grades 3-7 / Ages 8-12. Review by Ellie Contursi. *** /4

excerpt:

Rick stood dripping and breathless. "Herb... Allan... you've got to read it...we've got a sponsor...we can do it... the team...the season...," he sputtered. Herb held up his hand for quiet as he read it. Then he stood slowliy, put one burly arm around Rick's shoulder and yelled, "YES!"

Then he pushed us both in the pool.

You never know how things are going to go in this sport. We had started at the bottom of the ladder with a homebuilt car, hoping to get enough experience so we could move up to a professional formula racing series some day. "Some day" had arrived.

Thrills, action, speed... what more could a reader ask for in a novel about racing cars? Full Throttle zooms readers into the world of formula car racing and what it takes to build a winning team.

     Eddie Stewart is a young, semi-successful race car driver who is surrounded by a very supportive team including: his aunt Sophia, their team manager Caroline Grant, crew chief Herb MacDonald, and race engineer Rick Grant. It is Eddie's dream to enter the Formula Atlantic Race in Milwaukee. So far in Eddie’s life, this dream seemed far-fetched, but then the best thing Eddie could ask for walks into his life and onto his team, a man named Allan Tanner, a race engineer like no other. Together with Rick and Herb, this dream team can build and repair any car!

     When a formula race car that needs substantial repair falls into Eddie's hands, he is confident that they can make it to Milwaukee with the race only two short weeks away. And indeed, make it they do. They may not place first this time around, but success is definitely in their future. A close second place lands them a nice sum of money and sponsorship for future races.

     Author Anthony Hampshire does a fantastic job of making the world of racing easily understood even by a racing novice like myself. Not only does he explain the language of the sport as the story unfolds, but he also includes a glossary of terms at the end of the novel. What a brilliant idea! Another bonus is that he includes a few black and white photos in the story. I found this refreshing even though the picture quality was somewhat poor.

     For those hard to reach young male readers, Full Throttle is a must-have for your collection. Full Throttle is a welcome addition to school and public libraries alike!

Recommended.

Ellie Contursi is a Children's Librarian at the London Public Library in London, ON.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

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Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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