Module 1-Introduction to Children's Literature

Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude

O'Malley, K. (2005). Once upon a cool motorcycle dude.  New York: Walker Publishing.

Summary

A boy and a girl are given an assignment in which they have tell about their favorite fairy tale.  They can't agree on one, so they decide to write their own.  The two students have very different ideas about what makes for a good fairy tale, and their imaginations clash as the story unfolds.  A beautiful princess and an awesome motorcycle rider end up battling a giant together in their version of a perfect story.

Impression

This is a fun story that students can relate to.  Girls see fairy tales as happily ever after and boys see them as a waste of time!  By showing each character's point of view, the author draws both boys and girls in and everything works out for everyone (except the giant).

Review

Gr. 3-5. A girl and a boy create a fairy tale in this lively picture book. The girl starts first, with a story about a princess and her eight ponies, while the boy interjects comments: "Please . . . don't call [the pony] Buttercup." When the boy has had enough, he steps in with a sword-wielding, motorcycle-riding hero who battles a giant, while the princess is assigned the boring job of making thread. Fed up with these developments, the girl delivers the final plot twist, turning her princess into a warrior who sends the giant scurrying back to his cave. The fun in this picture book comes in the contrasting styles of the illustrations, which include contributions from Carol Heyer and Scott Goto. The girl's story features bright colors, flowers, and long golden locks, while the boy's story is done in the dark, taut-muscled style of comic books. Throughout, O'Malley depicts the girl and the boy^B

reacting to the twists of the plot. A funny take on the age-old battle of the sexes, with an ending suited for the new millennium.

Morning, T. (2005, March 15).  [Review of the book Once upon a cool motorcycle dude].  Booklist 1(14).

Library Use

This book would be a great with a lesson on teaching voice in writing.  The two students have very different qualities in the way they write and you can really "see" their characters come out.