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Summary
Summary
An acclaimed, winning tale about losing -- from champion humorist and three-time Geisel-recipient Greg Pizzoli
They're off! Sam is the best race-car driver in history -- he is number one at every race! But when his best friend, Maggie, shows that she has racing talent of her own, Sam doesn't know how to handle coming in second place. Will he learn what it truly means to be a winner? With his signature light touch, Greg Pizzoli's upbeat story about being a good sport is perfect for read-aloud.
* "Another winner from Pizzoli." --- Publisher's Weekly, starred review
* "The simple yet exciting text drives the story forward and will make it a popular choice at storytimes." --- School Library Journal, starred review
Don't miss these other favorites from Greg Pizzoli: The Watermelon Seed Good Night Owl The Book Hog The Twelve Days of Christmas Templeton Gets His Wish This Story is for You
Author Notes
Greg Pizzoli is the creator of the Baloney & Friends series as well as a three-time Theodor Seuss Geisel Award recipient for The Watermelon Seed (Medal winner), The Book Hog (Honor book), and Good Night Owl (Honor book). He is also the author-illustrator of This Story Is for You , The 12 Days of Christmas , Templeton Gets His Wish , and Number One Sam . His nonfiction for children includes the New York Times Best Illustrated Book The Impossible True Story of Tricky Vic: The Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower , and he has also illustrated picture books written by authors such as Mac Barnett, Kelly DiPucchio, Jennifer Adams, and Margaret Wise Brown. He lives in Philadelphia.
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Sam is used to winning everything, including car racing, his sport of choice. His wall of trophies and trinkets show off his talent for success until the day the unthinkable happens: the pup loses the big race because he stops for a group of oblivious chickens in the middle of the track. Then his cheering friends and the chickens let him know that he is still number one with them. Children will be able to relate to Sam's disappointment when he loses while also understanding the concept that winning isn't always everything. Pizzoli's playful, cartoon illustrations perfectly showcase the message in a fun way yet never come off as didactic. Pizzoli's use of four-color art provides an airy, uncluttered vision for his story that will definitely attract children. The simple yet exciting text drives the story forward and will make it a popular choice at storytimes.-Christopher Lassen, Brooklyn Public Library (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Sam the dog is a champion race-car driver, and he has the trophy wall to prove it. But racing isn't just a sport for Sam-it's his whole identity, and when he loses to his best friend Maggie the elephant, he's truly shaken up. "The night before the next race, Sam didn't sleep one wink," writes Geisel Award-winner Pizzoli (The Watermelon Seed). Will Sam do anything to win back his title? What if it means mowing down five oblivious chicks who decide to cross the track at the very moment the race's outcome hangs in the balance? One thing's certain: this is another winner from Pizzoli, who employs the same naif drawing style and four-color spot printing technique that gave his debut a silly sweetness and distinctly artisanal feel. Working with a more straightforward narrative this time, Pizzoli adeptly builds tension and sympathy for Sam, so that even when the story wraps up with a familiar lesson-a little sportsmanship and selflessness go a long way-it feels like everybody really does win. Ages 3-5. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Like many young people today, racecar driver Sam the dog is used to winning. "Sam was number one. / He was number one in speed. / He was number one at turns. / And he was number one at finishing races in the number-one spot." Pizzoli's use of digitally created color lets the young reader know exactly how Sam is feeling at any given time. Sam is complacent in bright primary colors after winning a race, waving to the crowd, the only one covered in confetti, unaware of the sadness on the faces of his friends left in his dust. When he is beaten by Maggie the elephant, the background fades to a grayish aqua as Maggie is hoisted to the shoulders of her friends and Sam is left with a look of consternation on his face. In bed that night, his white wide-eyed insomnia is obvious: he cannot sleep for worrying over how he lost the race and if he is still number one. In the end, he is -- but not for the reason he had planned. Pizzoli's (The Watermelon Seed) talent with color, easy-to-read words, and humor is something to behold. It's not easy to write a book for new readers because everything from the font, to the word choice and repetition, to the plot and page turns has to work within the construct of readability. This one does it all. And Pizzoli fans will be gratified that, with the crocodile from The Watermelon Seed making an appearance here, this may be turning into a bit of a series for new readers. robin l. smith (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
There's more than one way to be the big dog in the little bestiary. Sam is top dog when it comes to zipping his red roadster around the track. "He was number one in speed. / He was number one at turns. // And he was number one at finishing races in the number-one spot." Like Sam, Geisel winner Pizzoli's artwork is crackerjack, too, with pure cupcake colors, French curves, blocks of high-octane negative space and personable animal pals. Then comes the day that Sam doesn't cross the finish line first. Fortunately, Sam proves not to be a poor loser, but his self-confidence sure takes a shellacking. He's a wreck, figuratively. When the next big race comes up, he even forgets to wish his friend Maggie good luck. After a slow start, Sam takes the lead. "Sam would be number one again!" Whoa! Five yellow, bespectacled chicks are on the racetrack. Sam hits the brakes and gathers up the peepsters as his friends steam by to the finish line. No. 1 takes on a whole new meaning. Pizzoli's story is a simple class act. Do the right thingyou can't lose, ever. And most of the time, the right thing is no great philosophical conundrum but as clear as the checkered flag. A polished work, from the words to the finish on the race cars. (Picture book. 3-5)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
They don't make dog racers better than Sam: He was number one in speed. He was number one at turns. And he was number one at finishing races in the number-one spot. On the day of the big race, he is happy and confident and steers his racer (which looks rather like a hot dog) around the track, neck and neck with elephant buddy Maggie. Then, with an effective color shift from bright pastels to moody blues, Sam lost. Young readers will identify with the shock of unexpected failure, as Sam arrives at the next big race quiet and nervous. (Observant sorts will notice the 1 on his race car has been crossed out in favor of 2.) But there are more important things than winning, as Sam gives up the lead to scoop some duckies off the path. Pizzoli's follow-up to the 2014 Geisel Award-winning The Watermelon Seed (the starring crocodile makes a cameo here) again uses cheery Rocky-and-Bullwinkle-style illustrations and sparse text to pull off a far more emotional feat than you'd expect.--Kraus, Daniel Copyright 2010 Booklist
