Strollercoaster
Dad gives daughter exciting ride in fresh pre-nap tale.
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Matt Ringler's Strollercoaster, illustrated by Raúl the Third and colorist Elaine Bay (¡Vamos! Let's Go to the Market!), shows a resourceful, imaginative dad changing his toddler daughter Sam's cranky mood by taking her outside for a fun ride through their diverse city neighborhood in her stroller. There's loads to look at and identify in the vibrant neighborhood packed with people, parks, stores, and animals, illustrated in a colorful cartoon style filled with emotion, humor, and action. Sam and her dad cue as Latino, and there are many words in Spanish on signs and such, not translated but understandable through context clues in the art.
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What's the Story?
In STROLLERCOASTER, when an attentive dad sees his young daughter Sam getting bored and frustrated indoors, he seeks to change her mood by taking her outside for a ride in her stroller around their diverse city neighborhood. The dad imagines it like a roller coaster ride, going fast, racing up hills, around parks, with lots of twist and turns and fun things to looks at, and going through a dark tunnel at the end. She's tuckered out and falls asleep in her stroller and continues to nap -- with Dad -- on the couch once they return home.
Is It Any Good?
This fast-paced romp begins with a kid in a cranky mood and ends with a peaceful nap thanks to an imaginative dad who knows the power of a change of scenery. Any parent who's driven or walked kids around to get them to sleep will relate to this appealing and creative dad's approach to a familiar challenge. As the unseen narrator says, "There's a time each and every day when the inside feels too small for Sam." Dad turns an ordinary day into an exciting adventure by doing nothing more than exploring their own neighborhood -- with the speed, ups and downs, and twists and turns of a roller coaster, including the "click clack, click clack" sounds of it ascending.
Kids will enjoy spotting all the colorful details in the street scenes by illustrator and colorist Raúl the Third and Elaine Bay. And author Matt Ringler conveys all the warmth, patience, and creativity of an energetic, loving dad.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the neighborhood in Strollercoaster. Does it look like yours? How is it the same or different? What kinds of things do you notice when you're walking or riding around where you live?
The dad in the story pretends the stroller is like a roller coaster. How does he make it feel that way? Do you ever pretend you're in a car or on a motorcycle, boat, skateboard, or surfboard? How does that make what you're doing more exciting? What's fun about going fast?
How do you like the art in Strollercoaster? Does it remind you of a comic book or a cartoon? Do you like how much there is to look at on each page? Try drawing a picture of your neighborhood. What people, animals, and buildings would you include?
Book Details
- Authors: Matt Ringler, Elaine Bay
- Illustrator: Raul the Third
- Genre: Picture Book
- Topics: Great Boy Role Models
- Book type: Fiction
- Publishers: Little, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
- Publication date: June 1, 2021
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 4 - 8
- Number of pages: 32
- Available on: Hardback
- Last updated: January 9, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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¡Vamos! Let's Go to the Market!
Jam-packed, comics-like tale has tons of Spanish vocabulary.
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I Will Take a Nap! An Elephant & Piggie Book
So hysterical that kids will almost forget to hate nap time.
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Bedtime for Sweet Creatures
Lovely, relatable story of toddler delaying going to sleep.
For kids who love bedtime stories and books about dads
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