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Lowriders in Space #4
Lowriders to the Rescue
The next books in the acclaimed Lowriders series combines comics, Spanish, mixing cultures, science, superheroes, and first loves for an out-of-this-world graphic novel experience.
A changing planet means new problems—and new friends—for nuestros amigos favoritos!
Meet Lupe, a whip-smart impala with a flair for mechanics
Flapjack, a sweet young octopus who can shine up anything with his eight gleaming tentacles
and Elirio, a thoughtful mosquito who's fascinated with words and determined to become an artist.
What do all three have in common? A love of lowriders—and a passion for solving problems!
Nothing is normal in the little town where the Lowriders live. To start, Flappy can't see a thing! He keeps mistaking fire hydrants for sailors and laundry for love interests. Even more worrying, the Upscale Business Association is determined to make more money than ever by tearing down local shops in favor of a brand-new development for wealthy landowners. Most disconcerting of all, the monarchs who usually migrate through town at this time of year are nowhere to be found. But when Sokar, a beautiful young monarch, bikes into town with a broken wing, she has scary news to A dangerous wildfire is burning fast and hot and nonstop, leaving the monarchs stranded.
Might Sokar and Flappy have more in common than meets the goggles? How can the Lowriders save their town? And exactly how powerful is passion in the face of an overheated planet's furious flames?
Humor, Spanish, and lowriders come together in this rollicking journey through the bumpy terrain of new friends, climate change, and standing up for what you believe in. ¡Vámonos!
ACCLAIMED Books in the Lowriders series have won the Pura Belpré award, and won the hearts of readers and reviewers. Discover why kids—and their adults—love reading about the Lowriders!
PERFECT FOR RELUCTANT Bold illustrated spreads, funny storylines, and lots to look at on every page keep reluctant readers engaged all the way through these delightfully entertaining books.
DIVERSE CAST OF Latinx and Arab cultures are beautifully celebrated in this book, with fascinating facts about these unexpectedly intersecting cultures.
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES FOR These books tackle so many contemporary and relevant issues. Readers will learn about monarch butterfly migrations and sustainable The Lowriders refurbish their car to be solar-powered!
VISUALLY Raúl's unique art style is visually refreshing and extremely engaging for kid readers, especially those who love comics and graphic novels!
Perfect
• Fans of the previous Lowriders books
• Comic and graphic novel lovers
• Reluctant readers
• Educators and librarians looking for diverse books
A changing planet means new problems—and new friends—for nuestros amigos favoritos!
Meet Lupe, a whip-smart impala with a flair for mechanics
Flapjack, a sweet young octopus who can shine up anything with his eight gleaming tentacles
and Elirio, a thoughtful mosquito who's fascinated with words and determined to become an artist.
What do all three have in common? A love of lowriders—and a passion for solving problems!
Nothing is normal in the little town where the Lowriders live. To start, Flappy can't see a thing! He keeps mistaking fire hydrants for sailors and laundry for love interests. Even more worrying, the Upscale Business Association is determined to make more money than ever by tearing down local shops in favor of a brand-new development for wealthy landowners. Most disconcerting of all, the monarchs who usually migrate through town at this time of year are nowhere to be found. But when Sokar, a beautiful young monarch, bikes into town with a broken wing, she has scary news to A dangerous wildfire is burning fast and hot and nonstop, leaving the monarchs stranded.
Might Sokar and Flappy have more in common than meets the goggles? How can the Lowriders save their town? And exactly how powerful is passion in the face of an overheated planet's furious flames?
Humor, Spanish, and lowriders come together in this rollicking journey through the bumpy terrain of new friends, climate change, and standing up for what you believe in. ¡Vámonos!
ACCLAIMED Books in the Lowriders series have won the Pura Belpré award, and won the hearts of readers and reviewers. Discover why kids—and their adults—love reading about the Lowriders!
PERFECT FOR RELUCTANT Bold illustrated spreads, funny storylines, and lots to look at on every page keep reluctant readers engaged all the way through these delightfully entertaining books.
DIVERSE CAST OF Latinx and Arab cultures are beautifully celebrated in this book, with fascinating facts about these unexpectedly intersecting cultures.
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES FOR These books tackle so many contemporary and relevant issues. Readers will learn about monarch butterfly migrations and sustainable The Lowriders refurbish their car to be solar-powered!
VISUALLY Raúl's unique art style is visually refreshing and extremely engaging for kid readers, especially those who love comics and graphic novels!
Perfect
• Fans of the previous Lowriders books
• Comic and graphic novel lovers
• Reluctant readers
• Educators and librarians looking for diverse books
140 pages, Hardcover
First published May 31, 2022
About the author
Cathy Camper
15 books68 followersCathy Camper is the author of the award-winning Lowriders in Space graphic novel series, the picture book Ten Ways to Hear Snow (2020), Bugs Before Time, and a forthcoming 2021 picture book, Arab Arab All Year Long. Lowriders to the Center of the Earth won the Pura Belpre Award for Latino Illustration in 2017. Her art work has been featured in Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People, by Amy Sedaris. She is a graduate of VONA/Voices writing workshops for people of color in Berkeley, California. Cathy’s a librarian in Portland, Oregon, where she does outreach to schools and kids in grades K-12.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
February 2, 2022
Fantastic! One of the few series I’ve ever read that gets better with each new book.
There’s a big focus on environmentalism but it never feels preachy. All the issues raised in the book (pollution, climate change, and so on) are all current and relevant.
Camper’s writing shines, and Raúl the Third’s illustrations are stunning.
There’s a big focus on environmentalism but it never feels preachy. All the issues raised in the book (pollution, climate change, and so on) are all current and relevant.
Camper’s writing shines, and Raúl the Third’s illustrations are stunning.
February 6, 2025
4.5
Loved it!
This is such a great series, each one better than the last. I’m hoping for more! In this installment, our lowrider amigos battle a wildfire, environmentalism, gentrification, cross-cultural connections between Latinx/Arab communities, activism and more.
Things (some serious topics) do get resolved in the story easier than I expected them to but it’s definitely a powerful message of community and change I would love to be reflected in our world, esp during these hellfire times. A lot of heavier topics with lots of joy and friendship to balance it out.
Loved it!
This is such a great series, each one better than the last. I’m hoping for more! In this installment, our lowrider amigos battle a wildfire, environmentalism, gentrification, cross-cultural connections between Latinx/Arab communities, activism and more.
Things (some serious topics) do get resolved in the story easier than I expected them to but it’s definitely a powerful message of community and change I would love to be reflected in our world, esp during these hellfire times. A lot of heavier topics with lots of joy and friendship to balance it out.
January 3, 2022
The Lowriders in Space series is tons of fun, and this entry more than lives up to the very high bar set by the earlier entries. Raul the Third's art is gorgeous and playful, as usual, and Cathy Camper's writing sparkles with equal parts humor, whimsy, multilingual wordplay, and a rigorous political education that kids and adults can benefit from. It's never overly didactic, instead couching its messages about sustainability, acceptance, and grassroots activism and innovation in playful and unexpected ways. Can't wait to buy this for my store and get copies for every young (and young-at-heart) person I know.
July 31, 2022
A progressive and fun kids graphic novel.
December 1, 2022
Lowriders to the Rescue by Cathy Camper and Raúl the Third (Illustrations) (2022) is the fourth book in the Lowriders in Space graphic novel series. This one focuses on cross-culturing, gentrification, migration, and climate change. Sokar is a monarch butterfly who has come out of the mountains looking for help for the other monarchs, trapped by a raging forest fire.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2022/comm...
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2022/comm...
July 24, 2022
I love the Lowriders series for so many reasons. The books are full of humor, heart, and a wealth of information. I always learn something. In this book I learned about the connection between Spanish and Arabic languages. Very cool. I love how Cathy Camper's recent books highlight and embrace her Lebanese ancestry.
When I started reading Lowriders to the Rescue I was thinking that the climate change message might be a little heavy-handed for young readers, but the truth is that right now for many children out-of-control wildfires are a lived experience, and on the day I finished this book the sad news was released that Monarch butterflies are now on the endangered list. I hope that this book inspires a bevy of Greta Thunbergs!
The transformation of the Donald Trump look-alikes from evil developers to community-minded good guys required a big stretch of imagination. Sadly, sometimes the bad guys are just bad guys and need to be vanquished, but then again, one can hope.
I also have to say that Flapjack, the car-washing octopus, makes this Madison, Wisconsin kid's heart sing (and if you grew up in Madison, you know why.)
When I started reading Lowriders to the Rescue I was thinking that the climate change message might be a little heavy-handed for young readers, but the truth is that right now for many children out-of-control wildfires are a lived experience, and on the day I finished this book the sad news was released that Monarch butterflies are now on the endangered list. I hope that this book inspires a bevy of Greta Thunbergs!
The transformation of the Donald Trump look-alikes from evil developers to community-minded good guys required a big stretch of imagination. Sadly, sometimes the bad guys are just bad guys and need to be vanquished, but then again, one can hope.
I also have to say that Flapjack, the car-washing octopus, makes this Madison, Wisconsin kid's heart sing (and if you grew up in Madison, you know why.)
January 20, 2023
Lupe, Flapjack and Elirio, the Lowriders of outer space fame, return to earth in this 2022 graphic novel for young readers. When the automotive detailers of Los Angeles meet a young monarch butterfly named Sokar, they learn that her family is stranded in the wildfires of Northern California. But before going to rescue them, the Lowriders first help Flappy get some new glasses, assist a local shop in danger of going out of business, revitalize the run-down community center and solve the climate crisis!
What really struck me was the artwork! Artist Raul the Third (such a cool name!) uses colored ink pens for the art. That cover of a flying car with flames shooting through the air was just amazing. I really thought that the art was pen but was thinking that it was just a computer program to make it look like it did. Yet at the end of the book writer Cathy Camper (10 Ways to Hear Snow) confirmed that it was the type of pens you might have used in high school that was the medium used here and I was in awe. Now I need to know how they were able to print the book without the inks fading... I must know these print secrets!
A large portion of this book is in different languages. Both Spanish and Arabic is used interchangeably by characters throughout the book. So, there's an educational aspect here. Thankfully, there are translations provided throughout the story. However, I thought on more than one occasion, an erroneous definition was thrown in that I couldn't match up with the dialogue. Maybe use footnotes to help the reader with this next time.
This is the kind of children's graphic novel that Ron DeSantis would not be a fan of. It's got a lot of ideals and lessons that could be considered too liberal. Or just plain woke. I did think stylizing one of the antagonists to be like Donald Trump, all the way from the orange skin to blue suit with red tie was a bit too much. Not because of any sort of fan fare to the former POTUS. But because using Trump to be your villain just seemed to be a bit of a cop out and that the creators of this book just could have done better. And to make him the villain of a children's storybook just sends some sort of wrong message about our elected leaders, no matter how wrong they may be.
I thought a lot of the ideas that the Lowriders used to try to make not only their community but the world as a whole better were pretty clever. The use of the index to explain how similar ideas like a automobile tire made of food byproducts was really interesting. It helped to make many of the fantastic ideas thrown about in this book become more real. Though, I don't see a lot of younger readers engaging in that section of the book as the font is like at a 5 and there's no pictures.
By the way, I'd love to see a soda container made out of an edible material as what Flappy comes up with. I just don't have a clue as to how you'd sell it without cross-contamination of such a thing.
I was rather thrown off by how much time transpires from when the Lowriders meet Sokar to when they actually go to save her family. It's not revealed until later in the book that the heroes' flying car can't operate in smoky conditions. But until that information came to light, I really felt like everyone had kinda put off the urgency to save the butterflies trapped in the wildfires upstate.
As for the wildfires themselves, that opening scene is jarring. There are animals on fire. A rather gruesome looking death, especially for a book recommended for readers aged 9-12. Sokar gets badly injured as well. The opener reminded me of the first 8 minutes of Saving Private Ryan; both of which made me kinda nauseous. I think parents are going to have to be ready to handle a lot of burning questions about the first act than anything else in this book.
Lowriders to the Rescue is multilingual, multicultural and with it's various different plots, multifaceted. The messages of unity, ecology and friendship are quite clear. But the pathways the writer used to get to the solutions felt a bit roadblocked. This book probably will ruffle some feathers with those who feel that such difficult topics should be off limits to younger readers. That wasn't why I rate this book the way I did. I thought the opener was too raw for sensitive readers- to the point of inducing nightmares or possible panic attacks. In regards to that opener, some things that I felt were urgent were left on the back burner. This is the 4th book in the Lowriders in Space series. Perhaps if I had started with book 1, I might have felt differently. Or are those books just as in-your-face as well?
What really struck me was the artwork! Artist Raul the Third (such a cool name!) uses colored ink pens for the art. That cover of a flying car with flames shooting through the air was just amazing. I really thought that the art was pen but was thinking that it was just a computer program to make it look like it did. Yet at the end of the book writer Cathy Camper (10 Ways to Hear Snow) confirmed that it was the type of pens you might have used in high school that was the medium used here and I was in awe. Now I need to know how they were able to print the book without the inks fading... I must know these print secrets!
A large portion of this book is in different languages. Both Spanish and Arabic is used interchangeably by characters throughout the book. So, there's an educational aspect here. Thankfully, there are translations provided throughout the story. However, I thought on more than one occasion, an erroneous definition was thrown in that I couldn't match up with the dialogue. Maybe use footnotes to help the reader with this next time.
This is the kind of children's graphic novel that Ron DeSantis would not be a fan of. It's got a lot of ideals and lessons that could be considered too liberal. Or just plain woke. I did think stylizing one of the antagonists to be like Donald Trump, all the way from the orange skin to blue suit with red tie was a bit too much. Not because of any sort of fan fare to the former POTUS. But because using Trump to be your villain just seemed to be a bit of a cop out and that the creators of this book just could have done better. And to make him the villain of a children's storybook just sends some sort of wrong message about our elected leaders, no matter how wrong they may be.
I thought a lot of the ideas that the Lowriders used to try to make not only their community but the world as a whole better were pretty clever. The use of the index to explain how similar ideas like a automobile tire made of food byproducts was really interesting. It helped to make many of the fantastic ideas thrown about in this book become more real. Though, I don't see a lot of younger readers engaging in that section of the book as the font is like at a 5 and there's no pictures.
By the way, I'd love to see a soda container made out of an edible material as what Flappy comes up with. I just don't have a clue as to how you'd sell it without cross-contamination of such a thing.
I was rather thrown off by how much time transpires from when the Lowriders meet Sokar to when they actually go to save her family. It's not revealed until later in the book that the heroes' flying car can't operate in smoky conditions. But until that information came to light, I really felt like everyone had kinda put off the urgency to save the butterflies trapped in the wildfires upstate.
As for the wildfires themselves, that opening scene is jarring. There are animals on fire. A rather gruesome looking death, especially for a book recommended for readers aged 9-12. Sokar gets badly injured as well. The opener reminded me of the first 8 minutes of Saving Private Ryan; both of which made me kinda nauseous. I think parents are going to have to be ready to handle a lot of burning questions about the first act than anything else in this book.
Lowriders to the Rescue is multilingual, multicultural and with it's various different plots, multifaceted. The messages of unity, ecology and friendship are quite clear. But the pathways the writer used to get to the solutions felt a bit roadblocked. This book probably will ruffle some feathers with those who feel that such difficult topics should be off limits to younger readers. That wasn't why I rate this book the way I did. I thought the opener was too raw for sensitive readers- to the point of inducing nightmares or possible panic attacks. In regards to that opener, some things that I felt were urgent were left on the back burner. This is the 4th book in the Lowriders in Space series. Perhaps if I had started with book 1, I might have felt differently. Or are those books just as in-your-face as well?
March 15, 2022
This is my first Lowriders book, so admittedly there was a lot going on that I really don't feel confident that I understood, but even with that, it was a sweet story of first love (crush), Arab and Latinx joy, humor, social activism, environmentalism, gentrification, and fun. I don't know that the other books in this middle grades series explain the characters or their world any more or less, so I think it can be read as a standalone book, and I think the 140 page detailed illustration filled pages will tempt even the most reluctant readers to give it a try.
SYNOPSIS:
Sokar is an Arab Muslim monarch butterfly, and the fires have taken so many of her family, and cut the survivors off from being able to safely migrate. She comes to town with a broken wing and in desperate need of help, only to find prejudice against her at every corner, until she meets the Lowriders: Lupe, Flapjack, and Elirio. Lupe is an impala, Elirio a mosquito, and Flappy a land octopus with brand new glasses who falls for Sokar at first sight. Sokar, however, has concerns with the environmental impact the lowrider car has knowing that the fires and pollution are all related. Add on that the Upscale Business Association gentrifying the neighborhood, and everyone is going to need to work together to save the monarchs, the neighborhood, the environment, and a tender friendship. As characters find connections between Arab and Latin foods, Arabic and Spanish words, the readers will find similarities from the real world with this crazy one with people, animals, insects, and flying cars.
WHY I LIKE IT:
The author saw my review of Arab Arab All Year Long! and let me know that this book also had Islamic representation, and that I should check it out. I love that there are Islamic phrases (inshaAllah, salam), a possible hijab on Sokar, connections to Moors of Spain, and Arab culture. Part of me doesn't love the love interest, crush thread, but it is between a land octopus and a butterfly and there is only a kiss on the cheek, so, I'm not sure it is that big of a deal. I love that environmental concerns, discrimination and activism are the heart of the story, yet somehow it doesn't read preachy.
The similarities of words, foods, and my favorite throwing of a chancla/throwing of a shabashib are all amazing for readers of all backgrounds to see and be made aware of. I love the teamwork, altruism, and compassion that so many of the characters show, while not sacrificing the humor and quirkiness of it all.
I was a bit concerned with the posters going up everywhere, that seems like a lot of waste and excess, in every other instance they were so mindful: making the car solar powered, reducing plastic in the ocean, etc..
FLAGS:
Racism, discrimination, crush, kiss on the cheek, death, loss, destruction.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I don't think this would work for a full on book club selection, but I think it would be a popular book to give to a kid to read and then chat about it with them when they finish. The book has a lot to discuss and maybe in small groups it would be a good selection. I'm hoping to get it in the library when it releases and I'll come back and report on how it works with reluctant readers, avid readers, and in getting the kids reading, thinking, and laughing.
SYNOPSIS:
Sokar is an Arab Muslim monarch butterfly, and the fires have taken so many of her family, and cut the survivors off from being able to safely migrate. She comes to town with a broken wing and in desperate need of help, only to find prejudice against her at every corner, until she meets the Lowriders: Lupe, Flapjack, and Elirio. Lupe is an impala, Elirio a mosquito, and Flappy a land octopus with brand new glasses who falls for Sokar at first sight. Sokar, however, has concerns with the environmental impact the lowrider car has knowing that the fires and pollution are all related. Add on that the Upscale Business Association gentrifying the neighborhood, and everyone is going to need to work together to save the monarchs, the neighborhood, the environment, and a tender friendship. As characters find connections between Arab and Latin foods, Arabic and Spanish words, the readers will find similarities from the real world with this crazy one with people, animals, insects, and flying cars.
WHY I LIKE IT:
The author saw my review of Arab Arab All Year Long! and let me know that this book also had Islamic representation, and that I should check it out. I love that there are Islamic phrases (inshaAllah, salam), a possible hijab on Sokar, connections to Moors of Spain, and Arab culture. Part of me doesn't love the love interest, crush thread, but it is between a land octopus and a butterfly and there is only a kiss on the cheek, so, I'm not sure it is that big of a deal. I love that environmental concerns, discrimination and activism are the heart of the story, yet somehow it doesn't read preachy.
The similarities of words, foods, and my favorite throwing of a chancla/throwing of a shabashib are all amazing for readers of all backgrounds to see and be made aware of. I love the teamwork, altruism, and compassion that so many of the characters show, while not sacrificing the humor and quirkiness of it all.
I was a bit concerned with the posters going up everywhere, that seems like a lot of waste and excess, in every other instance they were so mindful: making the car solar powered, reducing plastic in the ocean, etc..
FLAGS:
Racism, discrimination, crush, kiss on the cheek, death, loss, destruction.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I don't think this would work for a full on book club selection, but I think it would be a popular book to give to a kid to read and then chat about it with them when they finish. The book has a lot to discuss and maybe in small groups it would be a good selection. I'm hoping to get it in the library when it releases and I'll come back and report on how it works with reluctant readers, avid readers, and in getting the kids reading, thinking, and laughing.
January 23, 2022
From the fun storylines that feature friends working together to overcome some sort of problem to the amazing pen and paper illustrations from Raul the Third, there is nothing that I don't love about the Lowrider books.
Lowriders to the Rescue is no different. In the newest edition of the Lowriders saga, our favorite friends are up against a bevy of problems. Flapjack can't see (and keeps mistaking fire hydrants for potential love interests), the Upscale Business Association is threatening the neighborhood with gentrification and pollution, and the Monarch butterflies that usually migrate through town are nowhere to be seen.
When Sokar, a young monarch with a damaged wing arrives in town, the Lowriders learn that a wildfire burning hot and fast has trapped the monarchs. Can the Lowriders help Sokar and save the neighborhood all at the same time?
While this story tackles a lot of issues (gentrification, pollution, migration patterns, green energy, xenophobia, and more) it doesn't come across as heavy handed and gives readers a good overview of the importance of taking care of your neighborhood, making greener choices, and being kind to people who are different than you.
The illustrations, as always, are fantastic. The limited color palette only adds to the charm of Raul the Third's work and greatly enhances Camper's storytelling.
Lowriders to the Rescue is no different. In the newest edition of the Lowriders saga, our favorite friends are up against a bevy of problems. Flapjack can't see (and keeps mistaking fire hydrants for potential love interests), the Upscale Business Association is threatening the neighborhood with gentrification and pollution, and the Monarch butterflies that usually migrate through town are nowhere to be seen.
When Sokar, a young monarch with a damaged wing arrives in town, the Lowriders learn that a wildfire burning hot and fast has trapped the monarchs. Can the Lowriders help Sokar and save the neighborhood all at the same time?
While this story tackles a lot of issues (gentrification, pollution, migration patterns, green energy, xenophobia, and more) it doesn't come across as heavy handed and gives readers a good overview of the importance of taking care of your neighborhood, making greener choices, and being kind to people who are different than you.
The illustrations, as always, are fantastic. The limited color palette only adds to the charm of Raul the Third's work and greatly enhances Camper's storytelling.
June 18, 2022
Even though Cathy is a friend of mine, it doesn't affect my opinion and the opinion is that Lowriders to the Rescue is awesome! This series just grows and it's so thoughtful. In this fourth part Camper adds her own cultural background to the story and we have both Latinx and Arab American cultures mixed in a delicious way. Our Lowriders meet with monarchs, who try to flee from forest fires. Sokar asks our friend group for help and they of course help one another in the process! There's environmental activism, community caring and friendship beautifully wrapped in together with an interesting and multifaceted plot. We get to learn both Spanish and Arabic now and this approach is so wonderful. We so need comics like this for kids that are fun and intriguing and at the same time teach about so many things without preaching.
The art is once again amazing and Raúl is so extremely talented! The art is refreshing and works so well with the story that I must applaud. I wish we'd get the series in Finnish, since there's so much wonderful culture to learn from this and Lowriders to the Rescue is such a great comic in every way. I wish this was mandatory in schools even.
The art is once again amazing and Raúl is so extremely talented! The art is refreshing and works so well with the story that I must applaud. I wish we'd get the series in Finnish, since there's so much wonderful culture to learn from this and Lowriders to the Rescue is such a great comic in every way. I wish this was mandatory in schools even.
September 7, 2024
I really loved the art and the love of Spanish culture but it bugged me (no pun?) so much that the monarch butterflies were Arab immigrants… like on one hand I get that monarch butterflies migrate and the use of Arabic characters were meant to draw comparisons to real life people who migrate… to insects that migrate? But monarch butterflies are native to Mexico and Arabic people are native to the Arabian Peninsula and I feel like using an actual Native nation/tribe to represent them would have made more sense? Obviously, you would not want to use an invasive species to represent human communities! I know I’m going at this way too logically but it was just wait jarring - /why/ would Mexican characters hate monarch butterflies and attack them when real life Mexican people hold monarch butterflies in a really positive light??? Like, out of context it’s Mexican people attacking Arab immigrants but with the Arabic characters represented by monarch butterflies… it was just strange . Like monarch butterflies are importantly to the culture… they are tired to the Day of the Dead… again I realize i am taking this so literally but I just struggled with the parable.
February 25, 2022
Humor, Spanish, and lowriders come together in this journey through the bumpy terrain of new friends, climate change and standing up for what you believe in.
Three dedicated activists against Todo El Munro. - Meet Lupe, a whip-smart impala with a flair for mechanics. Flapjack, a sweet young octopus who can shine up anything with his eight gleanimg tentacles. And Elrio, a mosquito who’s fascinated with words and determined to become an artist. All three share a love of lowriders and a knack for solving problems.
How can the Lowriders save their town and exactly how powerful is passion in the face of an overheated planet’s furious flames?
Coming in May 2022, readers are going to love the artwork and the activism of the three lowrider friends who are determined to find a better way to solve problems and save the planet.
Three dedicated activists against Todo El Munro. - Meet Lupe, a whip-smart impala with a flair for mechanics. Flapjack, a sweet young octopus who can shine up anything with his eight gleanimg tentacles. And Elrio, a mosquito who’s fascinated with words and determined to become an artist. All three share a love of lowriders and a knack for solving problems.
How can the Lowriders save their town and exactly how powerful is passion in the face of an overheated planet’s furious flames?
Coming in May 2022, readers are going to love the artwork and the activism of the three lowrider friends who are determined to find a better way to solve problems and save the planet.
July 14, 2022
Can you turn a gas guzzling low ride into a totally green machine? The crew at the Lowriders in Space Garage: Lupe, Elrio, and Flapjack have their work cut out for them doing their part to combat climate change. But first they need do something about Flapjack’s vision problem. That’s easily solved by a trip to the eye doctor, but it will take more than a new set of glasses: rescuing immigrant monarch butterflies from a forest fire, saving the public recreation center from being torn down to be replaced by a luxury high rise by the Upscale Business Association, reclaiming the town beach, and not incidentally overcoming prejudice against new immigrants.
January 24, 2023
The lowriders are at it again this time trying to help a Monarch butterfly named Sokar rescue her family that is trapped by a forest fire, but the lowriders are also dealing with a local business association that wants to tear down the rec center and some other businesses to put up apartments. The story is nothing new but the Lowrider series lets young readers experience Latino culture. Spanish words are footnoted with their English translation. Sokar and her family are middle eastern. Recommended for 2nd-4th graders who like contemporary issues blended with humor.
January 8, 2025
This book was disappointing. I really enjoyed the others more.
The story got long and drawn out and kind of boring. I got this book for my kids and they got bored with it and stopped reading it.
The story got PC in a way and I got bored as well. I don’t blame my kids at all. I blame the book. Also, the drawings got sloppy and hurried. It looks like they used a computer for these drawings unlike the others. The lack of care for this book really shows.
Super unfortunate for this series. If you read this series avoid this book.
The story got long and drawn out and kind of boring. I got this book for my kids and they got bored with it and stopped reading it.
The story got PC in a way and I got bored as well. I don’t blame my kids at all. I blame the book. Also, the drawings got sloppy and hurried. It looks like they used a computer for these drawings unlike the others. The lack of care for this book really shows.
Super unfortunate for this series. If you read this series avoid this book.
May 1, 2022
complimentary copy through raincoast books
reviewing a hardcover with dust cover.
I found the artwork to be too busy for my liking.
I loved the theme of caring for the earth and how the characters cared deeply not only for their friends, but for others that came into their sphere of influence.
reviewing a hardcover with dust cover.
I found the artwork to be too busy for my liking.
I loved the theme of caring for the earth and how the characters cared deeply not only for their friends, but for others that came into their sphere of influence.
August 18, 2022
The Lowriders in Space gang take on several projects to help a new friend and their community. Love the environmentalism, community activism, and the Arab representation with the monarch butterflies. Always something fun to see in the illustration details. author note gives lots more information on the themes presented in the book. Love the ending for Flappy!
July 31, 2023
Reliably good--especially the artwork. It's multicultural, and an interesting side note, it's the 2nd book I've read recently that included Monarch butterflies--they must be trendy.
The book has a "cool" factor, and I appreciate the incorporation of Spanish. It included good information about Monarchs as well as creating an awareness of the importance of environmental stewardship.
The book has a "cool" factor, and I appreciate the incorporation of Spanish. It included good information about Monarchs as well as creating an awareness of the importance of environmental stewardship.
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July 10, 2023 A great read for fans of graphic novels. I loved the blend of Latinx and Middle Eastern cultures in the story and the message of improving your community. As always, Raul the Third's illustrations are beautiful.
July 24, 2022
Loved the solarpunk bent on this one. The love story was kinda weird though...
July 26, 2022
What. A. Blast.
Flapjack has my heart!
Flapjack has my heart!
October 3, 2022
Loved this series!!!! All illustrations are
amazing!!
amazing!!
February 7, 2023
4.5 stars
April 17, 2023
It's always impressive to see what this duo comes up with in the Lowriders series. This time they tackle climate change, gentrification, and the surprising similarities between two seemingly different cultures. Not to mention there's an octopus who has poor eyesight and starts falling in love with inanimate objects.
June 20, 2023
I love this series, and this episode was my favorite!
September 17, 2023
I have kiddos waiting on this book. They’ve loved this series this year. Excited to pass this one on tomorrow.
February 16, 2023
As Sokar's monarch butterfly flock (kaleidoscope) heads south from Canada, they are overcome by a huge fire, which is also destroying there food source, milkweed. Despite her broken wing, she continues on in hopes of finding help. In the town Sokar faces rejection and is told to go away, but the Lowriders in Space group take her in, and then she educates them on the pollution that is destroying not only the needs of the monarch butterflies, but that of all living things. Always ready to take on a challenge, they take up her cause, and it translates into a Green Technology Plan for the town, which includes solar parts for the group's cars. Loud and clear message about the importance of protecting the environment by preserving natural resources and utilizing renewable energy sources while also revitalizing the area.
The book features translations of Spanish and Arabic words on both the bottom of the pages and in a glossary, as well as wonderful back matter.Once again the collaboration between author Cathy Camper and illustrator Raul the Third hits the sweet spot of entertainment and information.
Thank you to Chronicle and Netgalley for the digital arc.
The book features translations of Spanish and Arabic words on both the bottom of the pages and in a glossary, as well as wonderful back matter.Once again the collaboration between author Cathy Camper and illustrator Raul the Third hits the sweet spot of entertainment and information.
Thank you to Chronicle and Netgalley for the digital arc.
November 11, 2023
aburrida
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