The Fantastic Electric Mash-up Machines: Obstacle Attack! by Tyler Byrd and N.S Blackman – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: Cars, racing, action, engineering, friendship.
Children’s book title: The Fantastic Electric Mash-up Machines: Obstacle Attack!.
Children’s authors: Tyler Byrd and N.S Blackman.
Genre: Graphic novel.
Published by: Dinosaur Books.
ISBN: 9781999336325.
Recommended for children aged: 7-10 year-olds.
First published: Paperback July 2023.
This children’s book is ideal for: KS2 motorsport fans.
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Our review:
Dear racers,
Welcome to the world’s most wild and thrilling race competition.
Teams from around the world are competing to be crowned this year’s Mash-Up Champs!
Twelve-year-old Jace Tanna loves the annual Mash-Up Machines Challenge on Rumblemore Island. It’s a daring road race full of recycled cars made up of scrap metal and spare parts. The race is tightly controlled by grumpy race track manager Mr Murcan who is a stickler for the rules but not above putting a few ‘interesting’ obstacles in the way of the teams of drivers.
This year for the first time, Jace is able to do more than just watch the race. He’s been hired for the summer as a helper in the race workshop. Normally relegated to sweeping up, chief mechanic Maya offers Jace the chance to work on Team Hippo’s run-down blue racer The Dexybel. Jace has just two days to get the spare parts and fix the wreck in order to become a full member of the Mash-Up Machines crew.
Team Hippo’s crew are supportive of Jace’s efforts, especially their young navigator Lexie. However some of the other teams are not as welcoming, especially arrogant Deesol Dragg, the famous racing driver, who is not above a little sabotage to ensure he emerges as champion.
With the help of the garage robot Cherry Pip, Jace does a brilliant job on The Dexybel and Team Hippo proudly join the starting line as the race begins. But Deesol Dragg is not about to let a little up-start wreck of a car ruin his chances of winning…
The Dexybel roared into life. Jace felt himself being pressed back into his seat – wwwwoooooaaaahh!! – and the machine flew onto the circuit.
The Fantastic Electric Mash-up Machines is a fast-paced, action-packed racing story. The cartoon-style drawings, large print and off-white paper make the book particularly accessible for emergent and struggling readers, in the style of the Barrington Stoke dyslexia-friendly series. The details of the various cars and the race track obstacles will appeal to motorsport fans and racing enthusiasts.
Further books in the series are planned. The Fantastic Electric Eash-up Eachines will appeal to fans of Dav Pilkey and Adam Blade.
Many thanks to Dinosaur Books for the review copy.
If you like The Fantastic Electric Mash-up Machines: Obstacle Attack! by Tyler Byrd and N.S Blackman you might also like: our reviews of The World’s Most Magnificent Machines by David Long, Last Girl In by Cheryl Diane Parkinson, The Young Cyclist’s Companion by Peter Drinkell, 101 Awesome Women Who Transformed Scienceby Claired Philip and A Trip to the Future by Moira Butterfield.
Browse our list of graphic novels for KS2.
