Speed

Clement sticks with the vehicular theme of his previous picture books, Drive and Job Site, with a tribute to the excitement of stock-car racing. Dozens of cars sit behind the starting line as the race is set to begin, and the announcer’s opening remarks make it clear that this is the age of Danica Patrick: “Ladies and gentlemen, start—your—engines!” (Additionally, the pace car driver, one of the few drivers visible behind the wheel, is a woman.) The crisp digital artwork captures the gleam of the cars’ bright paint jobs and the glare off their windshields; sparks erupt like a spray of orange static when two cars get too close (“The yellow flag signals danger! Don’t pass!”). The clipped prose reflects the speed and drama of the race, though it doesn’t generate much tension as the last lap approaches. The penultimate spread reveals, yes, who the winner of the race is, but also that the speedway setting isn’t quite what readers have been led to believe. A good pick for both NASCAR and Matchbox fans. Ages 5–up. (Apr.)