Builder Brothers: Better Together

The identical twin brothers from the HGTV series Property Brothers are back in their second picture book, and this time they are building race cars for the local soap box derby coming to town. Although their mom wants them to work together to build one car, “Team work makes dream work,” she says, they cannot agree on the size, weight, or look of the car, and so they each build their own car for the race. On race day, problems ensue, and it’s not until they figure out a solution together that they are able to cross the finish line. There is a surprise ending because the brothers do not win first place, but they do win a medal and learn they are “better together”.

The Adobe Photoshop illustrations show the boys living in a small town with an ice cream shop and magic store. It’s the summer, and people are out walking with their families and buying supplies with their kids for the race. There is a bit of humour to be found on several pages if children look closely at the “found dog” sign and the design of the race cars. Some of the cars look like food; others like animals. And the found dog is not a dog! Readers can identify the brothers by matching what they wear in the story to their photograph on the back of the book. Back material includes one page of instructions to make a mini race car out of a toilet paper roll.