Bound To Stay Bound

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 Tweedles go electric
 Author: Kulling, Monica

 Publisher:  Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press (2014)

 Classification: Easy
 Physical Description: [32] p., col. ill., 26 cm.

 BTSB No: 534242 ISBN: 9781554981670
 Ages: 6-8 Grades: 1-3

 Subjects:
 Humorous fiction
 Family life -- Fiction
 Electric automobiles -- Fiction

Price: $6.50

Summary:
Frances is the only member of her eccentric family who is not delighted when Papa decides they need an electric car. She knows that cars go fast, which can only lead to trouble. She is even less impressed when the family takes possession of the car and faces ridicule from more conventional citizens. But when Mr. Hamm is unable to get to the hospital because his car has run out of gas, Frances saves the day--and falls in love with automobile travel at the same time.

 Illustrator: Lafrance, Marie

Reviews:
   Kirkus Reviews (+) (02/15/14)
   School Library Journal (06/01/14)
   Booklist (06/01/14)
 The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (06/14)

Full Text Reviews:

Bulletin for the Center... - 06/01/2014 It’s 1903 and Mr. Tweedle has decided to roll with the times, purchasing a brand new automobile for his bicycle-riding family. But a noisy, gasoline-powered contraption doesn’t suit this freethinking crew; instead, they roll through town in their electric car, excitedly proclaiming its virtues (“It’s green!”; “It’s smart!”) to their fellow motorists. At least, Papa, Mama, and eight-year-old Frankie do, though twelve-year-old Frances barely glances from her books to acknowledge the car “with an electric heart.” When an emergency forces her into the driver’s seat, quite literally, Frances finds that not only can she operate the car, but she loves doing so-and doesn’t even get a nosebleed speeding along at ten miles per hour. This charming portrayal of the eccentric, unselfconscious Tweedles winks at its audience through both its sly text and playful pictures, where Lafrance’s graphite and mixed-media drawings in a fitting palette of greens and yellows capture the family’s quaint but rapidly expanding world. The characters’ expressive features and body language, coupled with the authentic-feeling language and dialogue, make this perfect for a classroom readaloud, where the Tweedles can demonstrate not only the merits of environmental stewardship but also the beauty of daring to be different. AA - Copyright 2014 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

Booklist - 06/01/2014 The Tweedles—Mama, Papa, Francis, and Frances—are behind the times. It’s 1903, and they still prefer bicycles and horse-drawn carts to the new gas-guzzling cars. Progress waits for no one, however, and soon the Tweedles want a car, too. Ever the iconoclast, Papa Tweedle decides to buy an electric car, and they find a real beauty—shiny, green like Mama’s eyes, and not a puff of acrid smoke to be found. Their neighbors are not impressed: “Get a real car,” they shout. “It’s green,” Mama Tweedle replies, in a subtle nod to contemporary arguments about electric cars. Soon, though, everyone comes around, except for Papa Tweedle, who prefers his bike. Kulling (Lumpito and the Painter from Spain, 2013) tells a jaunty and enthusiastic story that’s helped along by Lafrance’s loopy illustrations in warm earth tones and stylized figures. The Tweedles seem to bounce with flouncy movement, and detailed renderings of early cars appear on almost every page. Fans of autos and budding environmentalists (what a combo!) should get a kick out of this. - Copyright 2014 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 06/01/2014 Gr 1–3—This tale set in 1903 is filled with playful language, quirky humor, and contemporary allusions. The Tweedle family does not own a car. And so, they are ridiculed and seen as odd because of their "behind the times" ways. Then one day, Mr. Tweedle decides that family will go modern and buy an electric car. All along, Mama has secretly always wanted a car, and she dances with joy. Eight-year-old Frankie is ecstatic; he loves wheels of any kind. Franny, 12, on the other hand, prefers to keep her nose in a book. The truth is, she is fearful of speed and nervous about getting lost. When they ask the car salesman why there is only one electric car to choose from, he says, "People …want noise. They want smoke….They want a car to sound and smell like a car." Papa's choice ("'We're electric. We're green! We're smart!'") is all well and good, but once out on the road, "the traffic is helter-skelter and every whichaway. There are no signs or lines." He decides that he needs time to get used to owning a car and goes back to riding his bike to work. Shortly after, neighbors come asking for help, and Franny comes to the rescue and drives them to the doctor. She finds the adventure exhilarating and realizes that she actually likes driving. Mama eventually learns to drive, but Papa still rides his bike to work. The graphite-on-paper and mixed-media-collage illustrations are dynamic and engaging and provide a fun look at life at the turn of the 20th century. A charming addition to most collections.—H. Islam, Brooklyn Public Library - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

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