Traction Man Meets Turbo Dog (Hardcover)

~ Mini Grey (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 3—The ruggedly handsome action figure introduced in Traction Man Is Here! (Knopf, 2005) has returned, accompanied by his faithful pet, Scrubbing Brush. In high-energy, mixed-media panels and full-bleed spreads, the hero and his sidekick ascend a compost heap and pass through the "ring of Mystic Shrooms," directed by a Yoda-like potato: "Bow low you must." On their return to civilization, Scrubbing Brush is sucked into the muddy quagmire near the backyard pond. While the dynamic duo's owner is resting, his father does what well-meaning parents do—replaces the filthy brush with the shiny new plastic Turbodog. Soon enough boy and man tire of the flashing wannabe pet. Hearing cries from the "Underworld of the [Trash] Bin," Traction Man dons his Astro-Suit and arms himself with a spray bottle of SuperStrong Germo. After a successful mission and a good, long soak, all of the characters share a candlelit campfire, complete with marshmallows, courtesy of Dad. Grey is clearly in tune with the fun to be had with an alter ego and a pile of dirt, a mountain of laundry, and the "Grand Sofa Canyon." Her inventive scenes celebrate the joy in equipping a doll for adventure and re-envisioning the everyday. The perspectives shift in order to give readers a bird's-eye view of the boy and the terrain of his yard or close-ups of the imagined world. Brimming with tongue-in-cheek humor, delicious language, and ideas sure to propel viewers to their toy boxes, Grey proves that one doesn't need batteries to have a rollicking good time.—Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library
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From Booklist

*Starred Review* In this sequel to Traction Man Is Here (2005), the boy who plays with his action figure Traction Man receives a present: Turbodog, advertised as “Traction Man’s Faithful New Companion,” a battery-run, robotic dog that speaks the same two phrases over and over. Traction Man already has a sidekick, a trusty scrubbing brush that accompanies him on his adventures, even venturing up smelly Mt. Compost Heap and across “the swampy marshes“ in the backyard. When Scrubbing Brush goes missing (the boy’s father finds the brush extremely unhygienic), Turbodog’s deficiencies soon become apparent. Grey’s colorful, imaginative paintings offer more than a reflection of the text. Beyond the narrative and illustration of Traction Man’s adventures, observant children will sense the boy’s consciousness in guiding his play and, beyond that, his father’s interference at one point and unspoken apology at another. Children can enjoy the book as a good adventure reflecting the way they play, while those who put the visual clues together will also see real-world cause and effect in the boy’s make-believe alternative world. Parents can infer the relative values of imagination versus cleanliness in their children’s lives. Created with wit and finesse, this picture book is fun for reading aloud and rewarding on many levels. Preschool-Grade 2. --Carolyn Phelan

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (September 9, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375855831
• ISBN-13: 978-0375855832
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #127,506 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Traction Man to the Rescue!, September 26, 2008

By	K. Coombs (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    (VINE VOICE)

Amazon Verified Purchase

Like its predecessor--Traction Man Is Here!--this book is really, really funny partly because of its deadpan "show don't tell" delivery, typified by Traction Man's stoic yet somehow ironic facial expression. The Robin to Traction Man's Batman is his faithful pet Scrubbing Brush, but when Dad decides Scrubbing Brush is too dirty to keep, he doesn't bother telling his son (Traction Man's owner) about his decision.

A fancy new battery-powered gizmo called Turbodog appears to replace Scrubbing Brush, but he's more hype than help. His bark really IS worse than his bite, in fact. Just where is Scrubbing Brush? wonders Traction Man.

The brilliant blow-by-blow, comic strip-style descriptions of Traction Man and Scrubbing Brush's adventures are followed by the parallel, yet less successful, adventures of Traction Man and Turbodog. Ultimately, this book turns into a quest for the missing Scrubbing Brush (who manages to look like a dog while still being a scrubbing brush--yay, Mini!).

I can't even begin to list the myriad little in-jokes in this book, but a couple of them are hidden under the bed and between the couch cushions. Traction Man's quest builds up to his climactic exploration of the dreaded Bin and his rescue of Scrubbing Brush. I will not recount Turbodog's fate here...

Suffice it to say that the two Traction Man books are hilarious and appealing, dare I say tour de forces? (Yep, I guess I do dare!) What's more, they remind us that true play doesn't come with an instruction book. If I were in charge of the world, I'd give these books a Caldecott or two. Since I'm not, I'll settle for giving them each a Badge of Cleanness!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scrubbing Brush is saved!, October 30, 2008

By	S. Bakkila "Sue B" (Grand Rapids, MI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

In a world of battery operated toys, great to see a story that allows the simple household object to be the beloved toy because of imagination. A great continuation of Traction Man is Here. Fun and engaging.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Traction Man to the rescue!!, October 9, 2008

By	Page Turner "wavemaker" (hampton, nh) - See all my reviews

My five year old son ADORES this book. We have the first book, Traction Man is Here! and couldn't wait for Mini Grey to come out with the follow up. As a parent it is fun to read - just use that comic strip narrator voice and you'll have you kids begging for you to read it again and again.

I really like how the story has the boy skeptical about the fancy new toy, Turbo dog as he sets out on a quest to find his dirty but ever-faithful dog scrubbing brush. The lesson of using your imagination with found objects and not always needing the newest toy that has all the lights, bells, and whistles to provide the creativity and entertainment.

My son has started using found objects around the house to recreate some of the story as well as create his own treacherous world for his "traction man" to do battle with.

Also recommend Ginger Bear which is also great fun and filled with fabulous illustrations.