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Summary
Summary
THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
From superstar entertainer John Cena comes a new picture-book series all about perseverance and believing in yourself, featuring a little monster truck named Elbow Grease!
Meet Elbow Grease, a little monster truck with a big problem! He's smaller than his four brothers, but wants to prove that he has the guts and the grit to do big things. He decides that entering the Demolition Derby is the perfect way to show everyone that what he lacks in horsepower he makes up for in gumption. From multi-talented mega celebrity John Cena comes this exciting story about the importance of believing in yourself and never giving up. Full of high-octane illustrations and a new character kids will cheer for, this fun and fast-paced book proves that a little Elbow Grease . . . can go a long way!!
As Featured On:
The Today Show
Entertainment Tonight
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon
Author Notes
JOHN CENA is a beloved entertainer and dedicated philanthropist. His films include Ferdinand (2017) and the upcoming Transformers spin-off Bumblebee in 2018. Inspired by Richard Scarry--one of his favorite children's book creators--John has brought kids Elbow Grease, a story for young readers inspired by his own experiences growing up with four brothers, and one that shares his inspiring personal credo: hustle, loyalty, and respect.
Visit him at wwe.com/superstars/john-cena
HOWARD McWILLIAM is the illustrator of eight picture books. His first, I Need My Monster , won seven state young readers' prizes, and has been translated into five languages. His other works include the popular What if You Had series; Hey, That's My Monster ; Schmelf the Hanukkah Elf; and When a Dragon Moves In. He lives in the UK with his wife and three young sons.
Reviews (2)
Publisher's Weekly Review
In his children's book debut, professional wrestler Cena kicks off a series about a family of monster trucks. Elbow Grease-'Bo for short-is the smallest truck in the entire Demolition Derby, and he has a battery that needs to be recharged daily. When the gumptious little blue monster truck decides he's all in for the big win, he's far away from the nearest plug. It would take a miracle to save the day at the big rally-but maybe a bolt from the blue will suffice? Cena hits the positivity and self-esteem messages too squarely ("He always tried his best and never, ever gave up"; "If you only stick with what you're good at, you'll never learn anything"), but jaunty back-and-forth banter among the brothers should please boisterous truck enthusiasts. McWilliams's detailed characters appeal without being overly cutesy-readers can see every groove in those humongous tires. Ages 3-7. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
If it first you don't succeed, try getting hit by lightning. The smallest of his four brothers, Elbow Grease is an electric-powered monster truck with big dreams. Each one of his brothers is tougher, faster, smarter, or braver than he is, but at least he's got enough "gumption" to spare. That comes in handy when he rushes off to join a Grand Prix in a fit of pique. And while in the end he doesn't win, he does at least finish thanks to a conveniently placed lightning bolt. That inspires the true winner of the race (Elbow Grease's hero, Big Wheels McGee) to declare that it's gumption that's the true mark of a winner. With his emphasis on trying new things, even if you fail, Cena, a professional wrestler and celebrity, earnestly offers a legitimately inspiring message even if his writing borders on the pedestrian. Fortunately McWilliam's illustrations give a great deal of life, emotion, action, and mud splatters to the middling text. Humans are few and far between, but the trucks' keeper, Mel the mechanic, is pictured as a brown-skinned woman with glasses. Visual fun overrides textual inadequacies, making this an enjoyable read with an inarguably valuable message. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
