Title:
The No. 1 Car Spotter
Author: Atinuke
Publisher: Walker Books
Number of pages: 111
Type of Book: Fiction
Age: 8 and above
Available here: Terrakulture Victoria Island, Lagos
Price: N1200
MY SUMMARY (without the ending):
This book, the first in the series, introduces the bubbly and cheerful Oluwalase Babatunde Benson as No 1.
No. 1 lives in a village where car spotting, a game involving spotting cars sometimes just by hearing the sound of the engine, is a major hobby for the men. He’s the number 1 car spotter in his village, maybe in the world!
This book contains four ‘complete’ stories in which No 1 saves the day by providing an innovative solution to the problem of the village market cart, goes to the market with the village, buys ‘lipstick’ for Aunty Fine-Fine, runs the risk of losing his hard-earned nickname and helps to save his grandma and improve village life.
The
No. 1 Car Spotter series details the fun and frolics of a young boy in a village in an African country (which isn’t mentioned).
THUMBS UP AND DOWN
UP: Reading this book is easy-peasy and the illustrations scattered all over make it even more fun!
DOWN: Well, it may be a weeeeeee bit slow.
RATING
3.5 stars
TRIVIA
1. The name of the car manufactured by No. 1 and Wale and his crew:
The Toyota Cow-rolla.
2. Car spotting is a hobby for the _____________ in No. 1’s village:
Men
3. What did Aunty Fine-Fine send No. 1 to buy from the shop with many small-small bottles and containers and many girls:
Lipstick
4. What did No. 1 buy instead:
Nail Polish
5. As far as No. 1 is concerned, without __________, there is no such thing as good food.
Palm Oil
6. The 10 pink Porsche convertibles that stirred up dust when No.1 and Coca Cola were returning to the village from the market:
Aunty Fine-Fine’s toenails painted with bright hibiscus pink nail polish.
CHALLENGE: The No. 1 Car Spotter
Are you a car spotter? How well do you know cars? Can you list 26 types of cars using the 26 letters of the alphabet?
e.g A-Aston Martin, B-Bentley, C-Cadillac (these examples can not be submitted as answers)
The first correct entry will be announced on Connect Nigeria and will win a copy of this book.
Answers must be submitted before 12:00 noon on Wednesday, June 17th.
Next Book of the Week:
Mouth Almighty by Salilah Agbaje
About the Writer: Ugochinyelu Anidi is a lawyer and a children’s literature enthusiast. She blogs at
ugochinyeluanidi.wordpress.com and tweets @UgochinyeluA
