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No. 1 Car Spotter #2
The No. 1 Car Spotter and the Firebird
No. 1 is always full of good ideas. He figures out what to do when a leopard is bothering the goats and when Mama Coca-Cola has problems with her house. But what will it take to make the fabulous Firebird stop in the village?
112 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2011
About the author
Atinuke
47 books212 followersAtinuke is a Nigerian-born author who started her career doing traditional oral storytelling. Her books include a Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor Winner, a Notable Book for a Global Society, a Cybils Award Winner, and an Africana Award Winner. She lives in Wales.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
November 24, 2025
Don't read the other reviews as some have spoilers. Just read the book. This boy is so funny, so smart, you'll want to be best friends with him. But you can't be, because he already has a tight friend named Coca-Cola. And he has a village full of cousins, aunties, and other people who all look out for one another even as most men and some women have gone to the city.
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Reread. This is the one in which we learn the advantages of a traditional round house made of clay and thatch.
(Btw, these are avl. on openlbrary.org.)
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Reread. This is the one in which we learn the advantages of a traditional round house made of clay and thatch.
(Btw, these are avl. on openlbrary.org.)
February 14, 2020
Oluwalase Babatunde Benson, better known as the No 1 Car Spotter because of his ability to spot and name the vehicles approaching his small African village, returns in this follow-up to his first chapter-book adventure, the eponymous
The No. 1 Car Spotter
. In this installment of the series, No 1 uses his brain to help out with a number of village problems, including a nighttime leopard who is making off with the villagers' goats, the flood that has stranded the motorists who pass the village, and the disastrous consequences of Mama Coca-Cola's new "modern" house. His creative thinking and problem solving win him a prize he has longed for for some time: a ...
I found The No 1 Car Spotter and the Firebird every bit as engaging and heartwarming as its predecessor, and quite a bit more amusing. I'm not sure why it took me a bit to warm up to this character - perhaps because I was too attached to Atinuke's Anna Hibiscus? - but now that I have, I really appreciate his good heart, eagerness to help, and problem-solving abilities. I continue to appreciate the depiction of No 1's village - how Atinuke captures the hardships sometimes faced, but also manages to show the warmth and community of the people, and the way in which the traditional lifestyle (in this case, the traditional huts used by the villagers) is better suited to the realities of the land. Recommended to anyone who read and enjoyed the first entry in the series. For my part, I hope the next four installments, which have thus far only been published in the UK, make their way stateside!
I found The No 1 Car Spotter and the Firebird every bit as engaging and heartwarming as its predecessor, and quite a bit more amusing. I'm not sure why it took me a bit to warm up to this character - perhaps because I was too attached to Atinuke's Anna Hibiscus? - but now that I have, I really appreciate his good heart, eagerness to help, and problem-solving abilities. I continue to appreciate the depiction of No 1's village - how Atinuke captures the hardships sometimes faced, but also manages to show the warmth and community of the people, and the way in which the traditional lifestyle (in this case, the traditional huts used by the villagers) is better suited to the realities of the land. Recommended to anyone who read and enjoyed the first entry in the series. For my part, I hope the next four installments, which have thus far only been published in the UK, make their way stateside!
May 18, 2013
Atinuke stitches sentences together and word plays that make reading this story aloud irresistible. Goofy, but endearing characters give a taste of African village life in this funny early chapter book. When a leopard attacks the family goats, Oluwalase Babatunde Benson, nickenamed No 1, is called upon to shoot it. "I fire a stone from my slingshot. It hits the wall. It does not even exit the window." His mama screams as the leopard attacks the goat and he fires another round. "A stone shoots from my slingshot and exits the window. Hooray! Then a goat squeals in answer, and Mama snatches the slingshot from me. 'Do you want to join the leopard in killing our goats!' Mama shouts." Seeing the futility of hitting the leopard with a stone, No. 1 comes up with a unique plan to chase it away.
When others tease him about his slingshot skills and the weird way he got rid of the leopard, Grandfather responds, "There is no need to be good with slingshot... when you have a No. 1 brain!" He's proud of him using his noggin. The praise causes No. 1 to smile "my No. 1 smile. I am No. 0 at slingshot, but I am the No. 1 car spotter. I am No. 1 at chasing away leopards too!" Unlike the other supporting characters that complain and put down each other, Grandpa always supports his grandson pointing out what he is good at and challenging him to come up with different solutions to problems when the need arises. Ah... that every child could have a champion that builds confidence and encourages problem-solving!
Atinuke is "cleva-cleva" with language creating a rhythm through unusual wordplays capturing African culture. One example of the author mixing up conventions is taking a phrase such as, "He has his eyes shut tight" and reversing some words to "He has his eyes tight shut." She also adds "-o" to the end of words that were funny and create interesting alliterations and colloquialisms: "My goats will die-o", "The water will quench my engine-o", "There is something wrong-o with you". Just when I thought she might be going overboard she restrains herself and uses a different writing technique. She also shows a village of people who are poor economically but rich in relationships. When Mama Coca-Cola needs a new house, the entire village pitches in to build her one. When the roof originally leaks, the whole village offers buckets to help her, even though they need the buckets for cooking. While they complain when she wants to keep them, their actions are generous and collective at solving her leaky-roof problem.
Nicknames in No 1's village remind me of the Nigerians at a church we went to in Europe who had some nontraditional names such as Baptism and Baby. No. 1 lives with Nike, Coca-Cola, Emergency, Tuesday, to name a few. Auntie Fine-Fine and Uncle Go-Easy made me do a double-take, but that's okay. I need to slow down my reading speed. It might bother some readers, but I think it adds the right flavor in reflecting a different culture. It reinforces the message of tolerance in cultures and that each person is unique and different.
No. 1 loves cars so much he can yell out what the car it is by the sound of the engine. His favorite is the Pontiac Firebird that passes through his village but never stops. He knows a professor drives it and he is eager to impress him. When the river floods and No. 1 comes up with a solution to cross the road, he's more interested in the professor than praise from others. The professor and his car represent a different economic status. While the villagers are poor the tone is not depressing as so often found in books with poor characters and this is one thing I truly enjoyed in this story. No. 1 doesn't feel sorry for himself and he is joyful with the life he leads. He might say, "O-ya! That's life in the "hot-hot bush."
I accidentally bought book 2. I didn't feel that I had to read book 1 to figure out the characters or plot in this one. After finishing it, I went ordered book 1 & 3. I wish I could find a book like this set in Asia. One that captures the culture and day-to-day living but is an early chapter book. That level book is just hard to "find-find."
When others tease him about his slingshot skills and the weird way he got rid of the leopard, Grandfather responds, "There is no need to be good with slingshot... when you have a No. 1 brain!" He's proud of him using his noggin. The praise causes No. 1 to smile "my No. 1 smile. I am No. 0 at slingshot, but I am the No. 1 car spotter. I am No. 1 at chasing away leopards too!" Unlike the other supporting characters that complain and put down each other, Grandpa always supports his grandson pointing out what he is good at and challenging him to come up with different solutions to problems when the need arises. Ah... that every child could have a champion that builds confidence and encourages problem-solving!
Atinuke is "cleva-cleva" with language creating a rhythm through unusual wordplays capturing African culture. One example of the author mixing up conventions is taking a phrase such as, "He has his eyes shut tight" and reversing some words to "He has his eyes tight shut." She also adds "-o" to the end of words that were funny and create interesting alliterations and colloquialisms: "My goats will die-o", "The water will quench my engine-o", "There is something wrong-o with you". Just when I thought she might be going overboard she restrains herself and uses a different writing technique. She also shows a village of people who are poor economically but rich in relationships. When Mama Coca-Cola needs a new house, the entire village pitches in to build her one. When the roof originally leaks, the whole village offers buckets to help her, even though they need the buckets for cooking. While they complain when she wants to keep them, their actions are generous and collective at solving her leaky-roof problem.
Nicknames in No 1's village remind me of the Nigerians at a church we went to in Europe who had some nontraditional names such as Baptism and Baby. No. 1 lives with Nike, Coca-Cola, Emergency, Tuesday, to name a few. Auntie Fine-Fine and Uncle Go-Easy made me do a double-take, but that's okay. I need to slow down my reading speed. It might bother some readers, but I think it adds the right flavor in reflecting a different culture. It reinforces the message of tolerance in cultures and that each person is unique and different.
No. 1 loves cars so much he can yell out what the car it is by the sound of the engine. His favorite is the Pontiac Firebird that passes through his village but never stops. He knows a professor drives it and he is eager to impress him. When the river floods and No. 1 comes up with a solution to cross the road, he's more interested in the professor than praise from others. The professor and his car represent a different economic status. While the villagers are poor the tone is not depressing as so often found in books with poor characters and this is one thing I truly enjoyed in this story. No. 1 doesn't feel sorry for himself and he is joyful with the life he leads. He might say, "O-ya! That's life in the "hot-hot bush."
I accidentally bought book 2. I didn't feel that I had to read book 1 to figure out the characters or plot in this one. After finishing it, I went ordered book 1 & 3. I wish I could find a book like this set in Asia. One that captures the culture and day-to-day living but is an early chapter book. That level book is just hard to "find-find."
July 11, 2020
2020- I read this to Eve and I’m going to make Kai read it. It’s just fun. No 1 solves problems in the village. He learns he doesn’t have to be good at things other people are good at. He works hard. Everyone is supportive of and loyal to their families and the village. And readers get a little insight into life in an African village.
2016- This book is SO GREAT! I really wish it had a different cover because I never thought it looked appealing. I'm so glad I picked it up anyways. It is about a boy in an African village who can identify cars by listening to them drive by. Everyone is good at something. This is what he is No 1 at. He thinks that it's not an important skill and that he is not as good as the rest of the people in his village. But in each chapter he has a chance to problem solve and find success. Each chapter is a different short story about a situation he is in, from saving the family goats to helping visitors cross a washed out road. He is a cleaver boy and a fun character. And the books is a fun read because you get a glimpse inside a village. I love books that take you to another world. And that teach lessons. This does both in a fabulous way. I recommend it to everyone!
2016- This book is SO GREAT! I really wish it had a different cover because I never thought it looked appealing. I'm so glad I picked it up anyways. It is about a boy in an African village who can identify cars by listening to them drive by. Everyone is good at something. This is what he is No 1 at. He thinks that it's not an important skill and that he is not as good as the rest of the people in his village. But in each chapter he has a chance to problem solve and find success. Each chapter is a different short story about a situation he is in, from saving the family goats to helping visitors cross a washed out road. He is a cleaver boy and a fun character. And the books is a fun read because you get a glimpse inside a village. I love books that take you to another world. And that teach lessons. This does both in a fabulous way. I recommend it to everyone!
August 3, 2016
One Sentence Review: Just as good as the previous book and still smart as a whip, retaining its position as one of the best early chapter books series out there.
December 23, 2024
I thought we had hit the jackpot when we found this series for our library, a series focused on a young African boy who loves cars. I thought we had found the perfect series to engage lower elementary reluctant readers.
My colleague read aloud this book to our class of third and fourth graders, and since then, the entire series has been consistently checked out.
The book did offer glimpses into a very different culture, but I was disappointed by the way the African characters are portrayed, with their limited English dialog, and almost childlike interactions with each other. I'd feel like dimensions of my personality and thought processes would be missing if somebody put me into a book and the only language coming out of my mouth would be my very limited Spanish. I don't know how an author should solve this problem and I have only read/listened to the one book in the series.
My colleague read aloud this book to our class of third and fourth graders, and since then, the entire series has been consistently checked out.
The book did offer glimpses into a very different culture, but I was disappointed by the way the African characters are portrayed, with their limited English dialog, and almost childlike interactions with each other. I'd feel like dimensions of my personality and thought processes would be missing if somebody put me into a book and the only language coming out of my mouth would be my very limited Spanish. I don't know how an author should solve this problem and I have only read/listened to the one book in the series.
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August 23, 2017This is the second book in a planned series. In the previous book, we were introduced to village life in Africa through the eyes of a youthful, inventive, courageous boy, called No. 1. This book has a similar format of four stories with one leading into the next.
In the first story, No. 1 and the Catapult, we learn about village dangers when a leopard enters the village at night to steal goats. No. 1, who is ridiculed by friends and even family for not being able to use a catapult to help defend the family’s property, uses his noggin once again to come up with a clever, spicy idea which rids the village of the predator.
In the second story, No 1 and the Flood, a small flood in the region halts traffic that runs past the village. Once again, No 1 comes to save the day when he brings the Cow-rolla (from Book 1) to help transport people from one side of the road to the other. This story lightly touches upon class tensions. I did enjoy when Grandfather responded to the rich people “we only have public transport solutions here. People with private cars and aeroplanes have to find their own way. Unless you want to take the bus?“
The third and fourth stories seemed like one larger story. Mama Coca-Cola’s traditional mud hut has a leaky roof and is in need of a new house. She jumps at No 1′s suggestion of building a modern concrete house. It seems that neither Mama Coca-Cola nor No 1 really understand everything about modern houses and concrete. No 1 almost gets stuck in the concrete when he tries to help out. Mama Coca-Cola realizes there are some unexpected downsides to having an iron roof and a four-cornered house, maybe Grandmother was right about traditional huts. Not to worry as No 1 figures out how to help Mama Coca-Cola and help her become the No 1 Chop House (restaurant).
In the end No 1 does get his dream come true when the university professor stops at the Chop House and wants to hear all about No 1′s ideas and gives him a ride in the famous red Firebird. What child doesn’t want to be discovered.
Overall the stories were entertaining, but I had a harder time relating to some of the situations. For instance the first story with the leopard, I felt that the villagers should have been more scared. Also, in the last story Mama Coca-Cola complains about flies liking the concrete house which is why her babies keep getting bitten at night. Why are the flies not an issue later when the house is used as a chop house (restaurant) instead of living quarters. In this book, I had a lot more questions like this and found it harder to just go with the flow of the story. Still a good book, and a series I would recommend.
Click here for the original review at Flowering Minds.
In the first story, No. 1 and the Catapult, we learn about village dangers when a leopard enters the village at night to steal goats. No. 1, who is ridiculed by friends and even family for not being able to use a catapult to help defend the family’s property, uses his noggin once again to come up with a clever, spicy idea which rids the village of the predator.
In the second story, No 1 and the Flood, a small flood in the region halts traffic that runs past the village. Once again, No 1 comes to save the day when he brings the Cow-rolla (from Book 1) to help transport people from one side of the road to the other. This story lightly touches upon class tensions. I did enjoy when Grandfather responded to the rich people “we only have public transport solutions here. People with private cars and aeroplanes have to find their own way. Unless you want to take the bus?“
The third and fourth stories seemed like one larger story. Mama Coca-Cola’s traditional mud hut has a leaky roof and is in need of a new house. She jumps at No 1′s suggestion of building a modern concrete house. It seems that neither Mama Coca-Cola nor No 1 really understand everything about modern houses and concrete. No 1 almost gets stuck in the concrete when he tries to help out. Mama Coca-Cola realizes there are some unexpected downsides to having an iron roof and a four-cornered house, maybe Grandmother was right about traditional huts. Not to worry as No 1 figures out how to help Mama Coca-Cola and help her become the No 1 Chop House (restaurant).
In the end No 1 does get his dream come true when the university professor stops at the Chop House and wants to hear all about No 1′s ideas and gives him a ride in the famous red Firebird. What child doesn’t want to be discovered.
Overall the stories were entertaining, but I had a harder time relating to some of the situations. For instance the first story with the leopard, I felt that the villagers should have been more scared. Also, in the last story Mama Coca-Cola complains about flies liking the concrete house which is why her babies keep getting bitten at night. Why are the flies not an issue later when the house is used as a chop house (restaurant) instead of living quarters. In this book, I had a lot more questions like this and found it harder to just go with the flow of the story. Still a good book, and a series I would recommend.
Click here for the original review at Flowering Minds.
May 30, 2014
Oluwalse Babatunde Benson can identify cars by the sound of their engine before he sees them drive past his village. That is why everyone calls him No. 1--because he is the No. 1 car spotter. Now there is a professor driving a Pontiac Firebird passed the village and No. 1 can hardly contain his excitement. Even as he contends with leopards, floods, construction accidents, and his family, No. 1 dreams of the Firebird. Will he ever get to see his dream car up close?
Atinuke's depiction of village life in an unnamed part of Africa is delightful in its simplicity and rare in its authenticity. The antics of No. 1 and his friends will have young readers laughing out loud, and the book is fun to read aloud to less confident readers.
I would have given this book more stars if it weren't for the blatantly sexist remarks sprinkled throughout the text. While I understand that men and women have different roles in many cultures, and that therefore it is to be expected that the women in No. 1's family will cook and do laundry while the men....um....sit under the iroko tree? (There are only two grown men in the story--grandfather, who gets to sit in the shade due to his advanced age and Uncle Go-Easy who is only mentioned a few times). What I am getting at is that I am fine with an honest depiction of the different spheres men and women occupy in some African villages.
The off-hand comments about how women and girls have no interest in and cannot possibly understand car spotting bother me more. This book is aimed at children who are still young enough to be forming their ideas about differences and similarities between different types of people, and remarks like "But they are girls. What do they know?" are unnecessary to the story.
Atinuke's depiction of village life in an unnamed part of Africa is delightful in its simplicity and rare in its authenticity. The antics of No. 1 and his friends will have young readers laughing out loud, and the book is fun to read aloud to less confident readers.
I would have given this book more stars if it weren't for the blatantly sexist remarks sprinkled throughout the text. While I understand that men and women have different roles in many cultures, and that therefore it is to be expected that the women in No. 1's family will cook and do laundry while the men....um....sit under the iroko tree? (There are only two grown men in the story--grandfather, who gets to sit in the shade due to his advanced age and Uncle Go-Easy who is only mentioned a few times). What I am getting at is that I am fine with an honest depiction of the different spheres men and women occupy in some African villages.
The off-hand comments about how women and girls have no interest in and cannot possibly understand car spotting bother me more. This book is aimed at children who are still young enough to be forming their ideas about differences and similarities between different types of people, and remarks like "But they are girls. What do they know?" are unnecessary to the story.
October 19, 2012
I loved this book! I'm a big fan of Atinuke's Anna Hibiscus and sequels, and I'm now a fan of No 1!
No 1 is a little boy living in the countryside of an unnamed African country- though No 1's real name is Oluwalase Babatunde Benson, so I assume he lives in Nigeria. No 1's nickname (and all his family have nicknames!) comes from his knowledge of cars- he's the best car spotter around! And this is the premise for the story.
No 1 spends a lot of his time spotting cars when he should be picking palm nuts. When he spots the cars, he shouts, and Mama Coca-Cola turns up the heat under her cooking, and the delicious smells make the drivers stop and eat! (she then charges them more than the people from the village.) However, three times No 1 spots thieves stealing the cars- for which Mama Coca-Cola gets the blame. No 1 tries different ideas for foiling the thieves, as Mama's sales are suffering, but his sister and uncle get hurt. Then, on a trip to the city, No 1 gets involved and unwittingly becomes the instrument for catching the thieves.
I think that this book is probably for a slightly older audience than Anna Hibiscus- maybe 7+? I would recommend it particularly for reluctant readers for a guided reading text- its fast pace and the mystery element would really engage children.
No 1 is a little boy living in the countryside of an unnamed African country- though No 1's real name is Oluwalase Babatunde Benson, so I assume he lives in Nigeria. No 1's nickname (and all his family have nicknames!) comes from his knowledge of cars- he's the best car spotter around! And this is the premise for the story.
No 1 spends a lot of his time spotting cars when he should be picking palm nuts. When he spots the cars, he shouts, and Mama Coca-Cola turns up the heat under her cooking, and the delicious smells make the drivers stop and eat! (she then charges them more than the people from the village.) However, three times No 1 spots thieves stealing the cars- for which Mama Coca-Cola gets the blame. No 1 tries different ideas for foiling the thieves, as Mama's sales are suffering, but his sister and uncle get hurt. Then, on a trip to the city, No 1 gets involved and unwittingly becomes the instrument for catching the thieves.
I think that this book is probably for a slightly older audience than Anna Hibiscus- maybe 7+? I would recommend it particularly for reluctant readers for a guided reading text- its fast pace and the mystery element would really engage children.
October 29, 2015
This book contains lots of little stories all revolving around one boy (Oluwalase Babatunde Benson aka No.1) and his village set in South Africa (though it is not officially said), for example of the stories is about No.1 and his friends trying to scare a Leopard away from their goat herd.
I found this an OK book to read, however I can see why younger children will like to read this type of book because of the similarities to the popular 'Horrid Henry' series, where there are distinctive characters and different stories following on form another.
The language used within this book is very child friendly and the actual speech language is written in a way that if read aloud, could sound like you are in South Africa, which to a child can be fun/entertaining because they are in fact experiencing another culture because of the problems they face which built up cities (for example) may not face for example floods or Leopards trying to steal a herd of goats.
The only main negative is that the book title and cover give the impression that it is going to be one story and about cars, however I was very mistaken, on the other hand this was an enjoyable read.
7/10
I found this an OK book to read, however I can see why younger children will like to read this type of book because of the similarities to the popular 'Horrid Henry' series, where there are distinctive characters and different stories following on form another.
The language used within this book is very child friendly and the actual speech language is written in a way that if read aloud, could sound like you are in South Africa, which to a child can be fun/entertaining because they are in fact experiencing another culture because of the problems they face which built up cities (for example) may not face for example floods or Leopards trying to steal a herd of goats.
The only main negative is that the book title and cover give the impression that it is going to be one story and about cars, however I was very mistaken, on the other hand this was an enjoyable read.
7/10
November 6, 2012
This short chapter book featuring the No. 1 Car Spotter in the village is just as delightful as the first one. Although No. 1's ideas often meet with resistance at first, eventually they turn out to be creative solutions that end up working out just fine. For example, when a leopard preys on the villagers' goats, No. 1 is unable to use a slingshot skillfully enough to frighten the goat, but he coats a shirt with chili pepper soup and wraps in around the goat. When the leopard gets a taste of the hot stuff, he runs away with a burning taste in his mouth. One of the hilarious aspects of the story has to do with his suggestion that Mama Coca-Cola build a house made of cement with results that are totally unexpected. Family affection and a love for the land are threaded through every page of this title. I hope the author plans to write more.
July 1, 2015
4 chapters again.
Lots of repetitive phrasing, that gives a lilting rhythm.
Chapter 1: Problem: Leopard attacking goats and No 1 doesn't know how to use his slingshot. Solution: Uses pepper soup.
Chapter 2: Problem: River floods, and people need to cross to a party. No 1 uses his cow-rolla to help transport, and they must pay.
Chapter 3: Problem: Mama needs a new house. No 1 suggests cement, but has trouble helping.
Chapter 4: Problem: Mama thinks her new house is too hot, and she wants a restaurant. No 1 suggests she turn her home into restaurant. He gets the attention of the prof and his Firebird.
Lots of repetitive phrasing, that gives a lilting rhythm.
Chapter 1: Problem: Leopard attacking goats and No 1 doesn't know how to use his slingshot. Solution: Uses pepper soup.
Chapter 2: Problem: River floods, and people need to cross to a party. No 1 uses his cow-rolla to help transport, and they must pay.
Chapter 3: Problem: Mama needs a new house. No 1 suggests cement, but has trouble helping.
Chapter 4: Problem: Mama thinks her new house is too hot, and she wants a restaurant. No 1 suggests she turn her home into restaurant. He gets the attention of the prof and his Firebird.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2016
I will have to find the other titles in the series. I quite liked the humor of No. 1's wildly dramatic family. No. 1 himself is an agreeable and optimistic boy, and while he's not perfect, he never gets too down on himself before finding a way to bounce back again with a clever idea. If you can approximate a Nigerian accent, this would be a fun read-aloud for young children. But even if you can't, it's still a great book for sharing or reading independently.
May 8, 2013
No. 1 is number one at spotting cars in the village. He is also number one at coming up with ideas to help others.
Themes: Africa, family, friends, cars, inventiveness,
Characters: No. 1 (Oluwalase Babatunde Benson) and his family, Coca-Cola an his family
Artwork: black and white drawings
Author's Note: n/a just brief bios of author and illustrator
Reviewed from a library copy.
Themes: Africa, family, friends, cars, inventiveness,
Characters: No. 1 (Oluwalase Babatunde Benson) and his family, Coca-Cola an his family
Artwork: black and white drawings
Author's Note: n/a just brief bios of author and illustrator
Reviewed from a library copy.
August 2, 2014
If you want a genuine African story this is great. Great for African kids or to expose non-African kids to African life & story telling. Great for teaching problem and solution. It's also a series so kids who like it can read more. Needs a lot of background building so non-African kids can connect. Personally, I thought it was fun.
January 16, 2017
As others have noted, I wish the cover was different. Once you get into the stories, it's a fun read set in Nigeria. The main character is a resourceful character who uses his unique skills (including car spotting) to solve a variety of problems besetting his friends and families in their small rural village.
November 23, 2012
I like the No. 1 books for their authentic portrayal of modern African village life. Fun and engaging stories.
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April 8, 2015550L
February 8, 2018
It will be fun to have all of these to help kids in my classroom consider a different life and way to make a living.
August 14, 2020
What a neat book! I got it to pass on to my daughter who teaches 5th grade in the Bronx, but on a whim, decided to read it to my six year old granddaughter. We did so in three sessions and she loved it.
March 28, 2022
Read aloud with Louie. I didn't realize this wasn't the first installment but we really enjoyed it nonetheless. I love Atinuke's writing style. Sadly, our library doesn't have any of this series or the Anna Hibiscus series. I would like to own them all.
April 26, 2022
I particularly liked this one -- because it really hits the message that it's ok not to be good at everything, and that the strength of a village is in working together to solve problems. Poor Mama Coca-cola! So many trials with her home. So glad that No. 1 turns out with more good ideas as well.
January 13, 2019
Loved this book as much as the first - wonderful characters, beautiful storytelling and insight to a world very different from Violet’s own. We both loved how No 1 solved the leopard problem!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2019
Fun early reader book about a boy in a village whose kids are all #1 in something. This boy is #1 at spotting cars and is clever fixing things.
September 22, 2019
my 9 yr old daughter absolutely loved Anna Hibiscus series and so naturally she wanted to read this series. She told me the books have been great.
August 5, 2022
I liked this book because it was funny mainly because of some names like coca cola. It was also interesting. For me it described a bit of the life of poor people. That made me a bit sad.
October 15, 2022
Good book. I would like to try akara.
March 17, 2023
Heartwarming
March 24, 2024
Life in an African village, using wits to solve a problem, family life
February 14, 2026
I like this book because it is about an African village boy who loves to spot cars and it also describes village life.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews