Mrs. Armitage: Queen of the Road [Hardcover]

Quentin Blake (Author, Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-Another delightful adventure about a quirky woman and her loyal canine companion. When Mrs. Armitage receives an old jalopy from her Uncle Cosmo, who has purchased a motorcycle, she tells her dog Breakspear, "It doesn't look very exciting-. But we'll give it a try." She encounters all sorts of road hazards, some because she is simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, but others due to her own cheerful carelessness. The automobile is slowly and humorously stripped down, losing its hubcaps, fenders, bumpers, and roof in a ride around the city. When Mrs. Armitage drives out to the country, the car's trunk and doors disappear as well. By the time she bumps into Uncle Cosmo and his motorcycle buddies, the vehicle has been transformed into one impressive lean machine. The gang dresses Mrs. Armitage and Breakspear in leather and they roar off to the Crazy Duck Cafe. The woman's fun-loving nature and her willingness to keep on traveling in the face of adversity make her a wonderful character. Blake's characteristic watercolor cartoons pair perfectly with the silly text, creating another marvelous story about this eccentric but lovable lady.
Shelley B. Sutherland, Niles Public Library District, IL
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. Tough, cheerful Mrs. Armitage, last seen in Mrs. Armitage and the Big Wave (1998), returns in another story that transforms calamity into fun adventure. Mrs. Armitage is thrilled when she inherits a new car from her uncle Cosmo (he's decided to stick to motorcycles), until the car begins to break apart: first the hubcaps pop off, then the fender scrapes loose, and so on. "Who needs it?" Mrs. Armitage says as she takes each loss in stride, even when the seats, the steering wheel, engine, and the wheels are all that remains. Then Mrs. Armitage runs into Uncle Cosmo and his motorcycle gang, who delight in her broken car ("a fantastic machine") and name her "Queen of the Road." Blake's text is as spare and full of momentum as Mrs. Armitage's car. The well-paced, humorous language is filled with sound effects that will charm story hour crowds, and Blake's lively, scribbled, color-washed sketches find the humor in the chaotic action and create a winning character in resourceful, always upbeat Mrs. Armitage. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Peachtree Publishers (September 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0224070185
• ISBN-13: 978-1561452873
• ASIN: 1561452874
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #464,992 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.