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From Kirkus

July 15, 2019
Who needs sanity when you've got family? The title character of Elbow Grease (2018) and his family of Demolition Derby trucks return to face an all-new competitor. Once again, 'Bo is feeling inadequate next to his fan-favorite brothers. Despite Mel the Mechanic's encouragement--he's "the best at getting better"--he wants to be noticed. But instead, he notices someone unavoidable. Motozilla, the monster machine that turns trucks "into crunch sandwiches," is currently undefeated. Trouble is, you'd need a truck with an array of skills to take him down. Thinking fast, 'Bo makes the wild and somewhat improbable suggestion that he and his brothers join together to form a single supertruck. Will it be enough to take down this bully? Quips, jests, and teamwork are the name of the game as pro wrestler Cena improves on his writing in this second outing, which demonstrates that individual glory falls in the face of concentrated cooperation. Rollicking, radical art portrays the battle in all its gritty glory, mud and twisted metal galore. Human crowds show a diverse range of races and genders, and the trucks' keeper, Mel, has light-brown skin and wears glasses. Engines won't be the only thing roaring their approval when this book hits storytime. (Picture book. 3-6)

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

From Publisher's Weekly

October 22, 2018
In his children's book debut, professional wrestler Cena kicks off a series about a family of monster trucks. Elbow Greaseâ€"'Bo for shortâ€"is the smallest truck in the entire Demolition Derby, and he has a battery that needs to be recharged daily. When the gumptious little blue monster truck decides he's all in for the big win, he's far away from the nearest plug. It would take a miracle to save the day at the big rallyâ€"but maybe a bolt from the blue will suffice? Cena hits the positivity and self-esteem messages too squarely ("He always tried his best and never, ever gave up"; "If you only stick with what you're good at, you'll never learn anything"), but jaunty back-and-forth banter among the brothers should please boisterous truck enthusiasts. McWilliams's detailed characters appeal without being overly cutesyâ€"readers can see every groove in those humongous tires. Ages 3â€"7.

From Kirkus

August 15, 2018
If it first you don't succeed, try getting hit by lightning. The smallest of his four brothers, Elbow Grease is an electric-powered monster truck with big dreams. Each one of his brothers is tougher, faster, smarter, or braver than he is, but at least he's got enough "gumption" to spare. That comes in handy when he rushes off to join a Grand Prix in a fit of pique. And while in the end he doesn't win, he does at least finish thanks to a conveniently placed lightning bolt. That inspires the true winner of the race (Elbow Grease's hero, Big Wheels McGee) to declare that it's gumption that's the true mark of a winner. With his emphasis on trying new things, even if you fail, Cena, a professional wrestler and celebrity, earnestly offers a legitimately inspiring message even if his writing borders on the pedestrian. Fortunately McWilliam's illustrations give a great deal of life, emotion, action, and mud splatters to the middling text. Humans are few and far between, but the trucks' keeper, Mel the mechanic, is pictured as a brown-skinned woman with glasses. Visual fun overrides textual inadequacies, making this an enjoyable read with an inarguably valuable message. (Picture book. 4-7)

COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.