The No. 1 Car Spotter

No. 1 Car Spotter #1

by Atinuke, Warwick Johnson-Cadwell (Illustrator)

Oluwalase Babatunde Benson is Number 1. He's the Number 1 car spotter in his village.The Number 1 car spotter in the world! The start of an exciting new series about the irresistible Number 1, whose hobby is car spotting, but who is good at solving all sorts of problems for his village.

Genres: Africa, Chapter Books, Childrens, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Cultural

112 pages, Paperback

First published September 6, 2010

About the author

Atinuke 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.

Reviews

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I discovered the amazing, remarkable, one-of-a-kind, never before seen Anna Hibiscus books by Atinuke last year I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. It just didn't seem possible. A contemporary early chapter book set on the continent of Africa? To understand how rare this was visit your local library sometime. Ask for fiction about Africa that takes place today for early readers. Specify that you'd rather not take out a work of older fiction that's deadly serious, but rather something light and fun. And while you're at it, why don't you ask for the moon as well since you're just as likely to get that as what I've just described unless it's Anna Hibiscus (in America anyway). Now Anna is joined by yet another Atinuke character. No. 1 lives in a rural village with his family and friends and his stories, like those of Anna Hibiscus, linger in your brain long after you've read them.

Meet No. 1. He's what you might call a car spotter. If there's a car driving past his village, you can be sure he'll not only spot it but identify it and long before anyone else. Life in No. 1's village isn't easy, of course. If a cart breaks down then everyone's got to figure out how to get the produce to the market (it's No. 1 who comes up with a brilliant solution). If a woman wants to get lipstick at the market she sometimes will have to send a boy (No. 1 ends up doing the right thing entirely by accident then too). If people need chores done they have to rely on the kids (a problem when No. 1 wants to only help the auntie who makes the best food). And if someone gets seriously sick... well, sometimes it's not always No. 1 who comes up with the solutions to problems. But he's always around to help out.

I adore Atinuke's ear for language. This book just begs to be read aloud as you go through it. Pitch perfect bedtime reading fare, that's what you have here. You get such magnificent lines out of it too. For example, there's the section where No. 1 aids a single particular mama in the hopes of getting some of her delicious akara. At one point the author just writes, "As I was an able-bodied boy in the vicinity of a shouting mama I started to run around as well." Something about the construction of that sentence just pleases me to no end. Later No. 1 explains to Coca-Cola that he can't risk helping him out anymore because he might end up with a name like 7Up. Coca-Cola, visibly upset, points out that his own nickname is from a soft drink. I love No. 1's method of comforting his friend. "That... is because Coca-Cola is the number one soft drink. Some people prefer Fanta. It is true. And some people prefer Sprite. Some people don't touch Coca-Cola. But Coca-Cola is still number one." As pep talks go, I've never heard one entirely based on pop. I love that.

Anna Hisbiscus was great, taking place as it did in a middle class compound in the middle of a big city. One of the joys of the books, in fact, is that the author is not afraid to show that Anna is a relatively privileged girl who has to come to terms with the fact that just outside the walls of her home live children with significantly less. No. 1, in contrast, lives a very poor life in a village. It is exceedingly difficult to write about poor characters without being either horribly depressing or too happy-go-lucky for your own good. Atinuke strikes precisely the right balance here. First off, you have a child character who doesn't go to school, so that's amazing right then and there. Additionally, three of the four stories acknowledge the difficulty of No. 1's life but these problems appear as challenges to overcome. Then the author has the guts to write a story where the hero's can-do spirit faces the simple facts of his situation. His grandmother is sick and there's apparently nothing anyone can do since they haven't the money to pay a doctor. It's a gutsy move on Atinuke's part to include a tale this serious, happy ending or no. When people read early chapter fiction they expect giggles and good times entirely in the Horrid Henry vein. Meaning and reality are unexpected and, as it happens, entirely welcome.

One of the criticisms lobbed at Anna Hibiscus was the fact that Atinuke mentions Africa but not the country in which the story takes place. Here in America we have a bit of a time convincing kids (and some adults) that Africa is a continent, not a country. It was pointed out to me that Atinuke is a storyteller and her mentions of Africa (glorious Africa) were made very much in the storytelling tradition. Be that as it may be, The No. 1 Car Spotter begins in a slightly different fashion. "On the continent of Africa, you will find my country." Still no mention of what that country is, but it appeases those adult readers worried that Atinuke's books reinforce unfortunate assumptions. Besides, the fact that the characters eat akara (a Nigerian fried bean cake) is sort of a give away right there. One objection that was lobbed at "No. 1" worth mentioning was the fact that no one in the boy's village seems to have their own name. No. 1 says right off the bat that his real name is Oluwalase Babatunde Benson but that's about the only real name we see. Everyone is Coca-Cola, Nike, Uncle Go-Easy, Auntie Fine-Fine, etc. Traditional names are few and far between. While this is true to a certain extent (though the small children Beke, Bisi, and Bola are mentioned) I wasn't particularly perturbed by it. Nicknames are clearly a part of this village's culture and while it would be nice to see a couple real names thrown in there once in a while, I didn't feel that the book lacked any for the loss.

Warwick Johnson Cadwell is the illustrator for this book, and his contributions prove to be just as important as those of Atinuke herself. A Brit, his style is hard to pin down. All I can say is that his pen and inks in this book have a life of their own. There's energy and movement to this man's style. More than that, the art is better than the usual fare we see. Cadwell seems to have a fondness for a kind of Picasso-esque style where you see the two eyes of a person's face at once, even though their cheek might be facing you. You also sometimes get the feeling that he's reluctant to lift his pen from the page. It's enough to make me suspect that the Etch-a-Sketch inadvertently influenced many a budding artist back in the day since the people in this book often look as though they've been instructed from a single sinuous line.

A village where most of the men go off to work in the city and the women are left home to tend to the crops is a village I can believe in. Kids will believe in it too, but just as importantly they'll want to know more about it. That's the thing about Atinuke. It isn't just that she writes about places and people that no one else does. It's that she makes them interesting and fun. No. 1 is the kind of guy kids are going to want to know more about. Good thing he has more adventures in the pipeline. A great, almost necessary book and one that you'll be delighted to discover.

For ages 7-11.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good companion to Anna Hibiscus, by the same author, of course, but also to the picture-book Galimoto, by Karen Lynn Williams, which was a favorite back when I was teaching. Funny, poignant, just as we've come to expect from the author. But instead of a small girl with good money living with her large family in the city, this is a big boy living in a very poor village community with no money. Just wonderful.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oluwalase Babatunde Benson, known in his tiny village as the "No 1 Car Spotter" because he can spot and identify approaching vehicles before anyone else, introduces us to his world in this first of a series of chapter-books devoted to his doings. In the four stories/chapters found here, we follow along as No 1 finds a solution to a broken market cart, buys the wrong thing when one of his aunties sends him to purchase lipstick at the market, almost loses his name when he begins to help his friend Coca Cola, and inadvertently helps his father to provide a solution, when his grandmother becomes ill and her medical treatment is too expensive...

Having greatly enjoyed expatriate Nigerian author Atinuke's stories about Anna Hibiscus, a little girl living with her extended family in "Amazing Africa," I was curious to see how I would like this new series about a new protagonist. Although not quite equal (at least, not yet) in my estimation to the Anna Hibiscus books - somehow, it just wasn't as amusing - I did find The No. 1 Car Spotter engaging. Anna is a middle-class city girl, whereas No. 1 is a poor village boy, and their experiences are in some ways quite different. On the other hand, the idea of close-knit family groups all working together, the importance of respect for elders, and the warmhearted friendship between young people, were similar in both story-lines. I appreciated the fact that the challenges No. 1 and his village faced, due to poverty, were realistically depicted, but that this wasn't the focus of the story. All in all, a promising beginning to a new series, and more than enough to convince me to carry on to the next title, The No. 1 Car Spotter and the Firebird .

[Mpho Otukile · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is No. 1 in the village, his name is Oluwalase Babatunde Benson. He is the number one car spotter. He can spot cars and tell the make of a car just by listening to their engines sounds. The No. 1 car spotter comes to the rescue when the village cart breaks and there is no way to get products to the market. He uses his knowledge of cars to convert a Corolla to a Cow-rolla.

Reading this book brought back memories of when I was growing up in my village. There weren't many cars in the village and if someone owned one, they were considered rich. If a car was spotted arriving in the village everyone stood to see and it would be the talk of the day. Good old times.

Atinuke did a great job in conveying African village life. She showed the sense of community when villagers get together to help each other. Even though they might be poor (less material things), they are rich in other ways (helping each other and lots of laughter).

I wasn't crazy about the names of his family. I would have preferred to see more traditional names instead of Nike, Emergency, Go-Easy, Tuesday, Sunshine or Smile. We know the No. 1 car spotter has a traditional name Oluwalase.His friend Cola Cola used to have a traditional name and we read later in the book how he got his Cola Cola name.

Overall, this book is fun to read and entertaining. I highly recommend it.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clearly, Atinuke is a born storyteller. In this title, she provides plenty of cultural details and follows the adventures of one individual whose daily life is filled with enough noteworthy material to inspire several books. What I particularly like is that her material is drawn from commonplace, everyday occurrences in the lives of ordinary folks such as No. 1. Although his birth name is Oluwalase Babatunde Benson, his family calls him No. 1 because he is good at spotting the cars that head toward their village. He and his friend Coca-Cola pass the time looking for cars, gathering nuts, and bringing cold soft drinks to the customers of Coca-Cola's mother. Even a trip to the village to sell the families' wares can be an adventure especially when they arrive in a new Toyota Cow-rolla, the husk of a car moved by cattle-power. One of the best aspects of the book other than the voice and the rich cultural details concerns two wheelbarrows. It turns out that using the wheelbarrows in the city actually does improve village life, as No. 1 had promised the Non-Government Organization man. This simple but delightful book prompts much reflection while also putting a smile on readers' faces.

[Tanja · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first paragraph made me fall in love with this book right away. It is so important for young readers outside of Africa to hear and read this: "On the continent of Africa, you will find my country. In my country there are many cities, all with skyscrapers, hotels, offices. There are also many smaller towns, all with tap water and electricity and television. Then there is my village, where we only talk about such things." The whole spectrum represented. I love the characters names in all of Atinuke's books: Sunshine, Smile, Coca-Cola, Auntie Fine-Fine, Mama B. - and then of course the protagonist here: Oluwalase Babatunde Benson, called No. 1. I love how these chapter books consist of individual stories, making it a manageable size for readers still new to chapter books.

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four unrelated stories about an African boy, collected into a children's chapter book. Portrays primitive village life in the bush, and the level of foreign poverty, both of which are unfamiliar to American children. So I'm not sure if/how young readers will relate to this book. The unfamiliarity is the book's greatest asset, serving as a window onto a different culture, but possibly also its greatest weakness. The first book in the No 1 Car Spotter series.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

The No 1 Car Spotter (2011) is an early chapter book originally published in the UK. The author, Atinuke, was born in Nigeria and spent her time in both Africa and the UK. The pencil-like illustrations are done by Warwick Johnson Cadwell, and help to bring the story and its meaning together. I found this book through School Library Journal as well as several other books by Atinuke that look promising!

The story centers around life in a rural African village, and the adventures of Oluwalase Bsbatunde Benson, otherwise known as No. 1. No. 1 describes life in a his village, his family, his friends, and the trials of everyday. Atinuke breaks the short book up into four chapters that help depict some cultural universals of life in Africa. However, Atinuke chooses not to identify what country No. 1 lives in, in this way the book serves as a more inclusive representation of life in Africa and those who have life experiences that mirror Oluwalase.

Throughout the story, Atinuke weaves societal expectations, gender roles, collectivism, and the belief that everyone works together to be successful. Atinuke’s insider perspective on African, and more specifically Nigerian culture, lends itself to telling an authentic tale. The story incorporates aspects of Hausa words with English translations built into the sentences. The structure of the story incorporates elements of the oral tradition highlighting the importance of learning from those in previous generations, as No. 1 does from his grandfather.

This would be a great early chapter book for an low-level ESL reader, especially those from Africa, or any child 7-10. The incorporation of food and market vocabulary would allow for a lot of classroom investigation and vocab growth.

This is a very cute read and only the first in a series!

[Shelby Fungone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a boy who lives in a small village in Africa with his family. His name is No.1 because he always spots cars traveling on the main No. 1 road through his village heading towards other villages and eventually to the big cities with tall buildings. His village is described as small, people living there only dream of electricity, and they do a lot of manual labor to make money. You can tell that he and his family are in a lower social and economic status because they aren’t making their money in jobs in the city. They make their money by selling fruits, palm oil, and other goods at a market. While it doesn’t come across as they are unhappily poor and in poverty, you can see the issue that arises when their cart had broken. Because their cart broke, they had no way of transporting their goods to sell at the market and that meant no pencils for the children or sandals for their feet. This story also has very unique language because it is written with words that are native to that African culture. You can read the dialogue between him and his family members and infer that words such as “na-wa-oh!” are from that African culture. The names of characters are also native to that cultural group, with names like Coca-Cola, Auntie Fine-Fine and more.

[Phoebe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Atinuke is the author of the excellent Anna Hibiscus series, but while sweet, I believe this title will have less appeal to children in the United States. The beginning chapter is all right, but then the author delves too deeply into dialect and culture without a bridge for those of us who need a helping hand. I could figure out what was going on or what was meant by a particular turn of phrase but your average 7 or 8-year-old reader will have a harder time. The story is a series of connected adventures that Oluwalase Babatunde Benson has in his small village. His role in the village is as the No. 1 Car Spotter, and he can tell what kind of a car is coming just by the sound of the engine. He is an endearing little boy and full of energy. Kids will enjoy the range of nicknames (Coca-Cola, Nike, Emergency, Uncle Go-Easy) and the general sense of love and well-being. Transitional reader, for grades 2-3.

[Deanna Day · Rating 3 out of 5]

Realistic fiction, global, Nigeria, family, easy reading novel for grades 2-3

Number 1 spots every vehicle that enters his village. He knows every make and model from Audi to Ford to Toyota. Each of his family members have nick names that portray their talents from his cousin Coca Cola who quickly collects soft drinks from the river (where they are cooling) for tourists to Auntie fine fine who is fine and No. 1 because he spots the tourists or visitors to their compound so quickly.

This would be a great novel for children to learn about the world.

[Carlienka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Four tender stories of life in a modern-day African village, where family, hard work, creative problem-solving, and access to the main road are all important.
Narrated by the main character, a young boy, these stories communicate the challenges of village life in a gentle, accessible style with a lovely lilt of African-English language, including some wonderful character nicknames: Mama Coca-Cola and Aunty Fine-Fine, Cousin Overtime and the teenagers Tuesday and Emergency, among others.
No. 1 and his community crept into my heart, and I'm glad to see there are at least three more No.1 Car Spotter books available.

[Danielle {halfdesertedstreets} · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m teaching a unit on African writing with my junior students this term, and they absolutely lapped up this own voices novel with just the right amount of funny and poignant. A joy.

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

The boys were sad that this book was over so soon and that we don't own the rest of the series. Lots of fun, and does a great job of showing the life of a modern African boy as different from theirs, but not less than.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book to read aloud! Especially for late elementary aged kids who will get the nuanced jokes!

[Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

No. 1 Car Spotter is an amazing story written about the life of African American boy named Oluwalase Babatunde Benson living his life with his family in a smaller and poor compound in Africa. People call him No. 1 because he is the number one car spotter in the village which is a skill he was taught from his grandfather who also taught him his ABCs and 123s. As No. 1 grew up he learned how to name off the make and model of a car just from how the engine rumbled and back fired. No. 1 is not only good at car spotting but also helpful in finding ways to make his families lives easier. Throughout the book No. 1 always takes the initiative to help his family members out where they need him most. I think this is a great multicultural book because it talks about the African culture. It touches on what it’s like to live in the poorer areas of Africa from the point of view of a young boy. It incorporates native language and illustrated the real clothes of what people wear in the area, which looks a lot like what we wear here. This book would be great in the classroom to rid student’s stereotype of the African culture and teach about what it’s really like.

[Kris]

This is a chapter book set in a very small African village. The story is narrated by a boy who is called No. 1 because he is the best car spotter in the little community. His father works in the city and is not able to come home frequently; the same is true of most men in the community. The women raise large gardens and maintain palm trees from which they process palm oil. They support themselves by taking fruits, vegetables, and palm oil to a weekly market up the road. Through No. 1's eyes, the stories describe daily village activities, market days, and creative problem solving. Humorous yet grounded in the reality of rural African families today. I imagine this book would be well-liked by both boys and girls who are at the chapter book level of reading.

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has been on my To-Read list for years. Finally, I spotted it at an Usborne Book Fair. For anyone who is looking for a multicultural story, this is perfect. No. 1 lives in a village in Nigeria (I believe) which is in Africa. This little chapter book is made up of four different stories about his extended family and their problems.
Along with The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cotell Boyce which takes place in Great Britian, but is about two boys from Mongolia, this would make a great class read-aloud.

[tarun · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have been a very busy with the regular, complex and hectic schedule of your city life, it is right time to read this book. The no1 car spotter encourages you to appreciate the simple things in your busy life. Simple things that could bring happiness, but often go unnoticed.

The no1 car spotter is an easy feel good kind of a read. You will enjoy writer's beautiful and funny style of writing. If you are planning to watch a movie or episode of comedy show after a long day, would recommend to read this short story instead.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fun book! Oluwalase Babatunde Benson, or No. 1 as he likes to be called, is full of life. He loves to watch from cars as does his grandfather. Other characters also have unique names like Coca Cola and Emergency and Tuesday. I don't know if all of the names are explained later in the series, but they make me wonder.

The village works together and is a tight group. It's neat to see the way they work together.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As much as I enjoy Atinuke's Anna Hibiscus books, this one is even better! Well, it's a better start to a new series (hint, hint!! Hope so!!) than the first Anna book was. It's got great cultural details, good characterization, terrific insight into family relations--and all in an easy, early-chapter-book format. Atinuke's storytelling skills come through clearly; this book will make a great read aloud as well as an independent read for early elementary students.

[A.m. Layet · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the first sentence we were transported from a messy, boys bedroom, somewhere in the UK, to the hot, dusty plains of Africa. By the second sentence we had discovered a central character we could recognise and like. By the third, we were no longer noticing sentences. I thought this book was wonderful. The characters so true to life, adults and children both, and the setting and culture so rich. My son loved it too. Tomorrow he wants to google a 'firebird', to see what they really look like.

[Xander Kennedy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun (youth oriented) glimpse into the lives of rural Africans. No. 1 is a good protagonist because he remains identifiable to people all over the world even if the things he is dealing with are outside of our normal experiences. I read this aloud to Kai and Keeley. They didn't soak it up as much as they have some of the Dahl books we've read, but there were still times when they seemed to be enjoying it, and that's enough for me.

[Steve Shea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Charming and light, with good pacing, interesting illustrations and lively page design. This would be a fun read-aloud for a K-1 classroom or a good independent read for a 2nd or 3rd grader who's pretty confident. Moderate vocab difficulty for that level (a sprinkling of harder, low-frequency words like "beckon" and "kerosene"), but a spirited introduction to a life unfamiliar to most Americans - an introduction that makes the unfamiliar much less so.

[Yapha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great slice of life in modern, rural Nigeria. The No. 1 (whose real name is Oluwalase Babatunde Benson) is hard working, fun loving, and really good at car spotting. He is clever and kind and loves a good meal like most boys his age. Pair this with the author's Anna Hibicus series for a well rounded introduction to life in current day Africa that most American kids will be able to relate to. Highly recommended for grades 2 & up.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am anxious to get the others in the series and see who in our classroom will read them to understand rural life in Nigeria. The book begins in a way that will help my class rethink what they know: "On the continent of Africa, you will find my country. In my country there are many cities, all with skyscrapers, hotels, offices. There are also many smaller towns, all with tap water and electricity and television. Then there is my village, where we only talk about such things."

[Seawood · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fell in love with No.1 very quickly; he has a cheeky, chirpy, happy voice which tumbles off the page like an enthusiastic puppy desperate to share his lovely home and family with you. It's a brilliant book for demonstrating that kids are kids all over the world, making that connection and just honestly having a great story. I bet Atinuke is amazing to listen to! I'll definitely be looking for more of these books - it's hard to find early/easier readers which are so much fun.

[Emily Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very fun book by the author of the Anna Hibiscus Series. I read this to my boys at bedtime. My eldest enjoyed it so much after the first night that he had to read ahead & finish it first! A great way to introduce my kids to the similarities and differences of their life and a boy their age in a rural village in Africa.

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

A short middle grade book featuring several stories from a modern African village about a boy named No. 1 Car Spotter. It's written in that broken English style and while the stories were quirky and interesting, it wasn't very captivating. My kids tend to like whatever I read out loud to them and they never got into this one.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a average book, the names in it were very creative and interesting. I think the author was trying to make the reader feel the emotions the character felt, I think Atinuke could of done a better job of that. But I still think that it was a very interesting and creative book, the author also did a good job of the first part of the book pulling the reader in.