Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Pedal-to-the-metal graphic novel celebrates Latino culture.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Elirio Malaria, Lupe Impala. and Flapjack Octopus all love working on cars, but they dream of owning their own shop someday. Their best hope of achieving their goal may be the Universal Car Competition, whose winner will receive a carload of cash and a solid-gold steering wheel. But when they add rocket engines to their vehicle, they wind up blasting off for an adventure that takes them to Mars, Pluto, and the sun.
Is It Any Good?
LOWRIDERS IN SPACE roars with high-octane energy, in both the artwork and the prose. The story is far from realistic, but it conveys a well-grounded love of Latino culture, cars, and astronomy. Every panel by artist Raul the Third brims with detail, and author Cathy Camp devises funny dialogue that wittily mixes English and Spanish slang.
Fast, funny, and frenetic, this graphic novel will captivate reluctant readers and leave them hankering for the next volume in the cartoon saga.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how different cultures view automobiles. Are there places in the world where cars are not welcome? What factors might affect a society's attitude toward autos?
What's fun about stories about cars? Which other stories have you read or movies about cars have you seen? What makes the graphic novel a good format for telling a car story?
What is special about lowrider vehicles? How might Mexican society influence how lowriders are built?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Raul the Third
- Genre : Adventure
- Topics : Transportation ( Cars & Trucks ) , Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Chronicle Books
- Publication date : November 4, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 112
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Hardback, Kindle
- Award : ALA Best and Notable Books
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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