DRIVE

Two independent spirits—a tween from 2019 and a young woman from the second half of the 20th century—share a passion for cars and racing that drives their stories toward an exciting intersection.

Twelve-year-old Alex fixes up old cars by watching videos posted online by a beloved Black woman mechanic and influencer. Meanwhile, in 1976, real-life racing legend Janet Guthrie (who appears here in a fictionalized portrait) becomes the first woman to compete in the Indianapolis 500. Both protagonists present white, both have fathers who don’t always support their ambitions, and both show resilience as they work toward their goals, finding allies and overcoming obstacles in their sexist, male-dominated environments. Guthrie faces funding issues, broken bones, and incessant harassment—and even decades later, toxic masculinity affects Alex’s journey. This juxtaposition affords readers an opportunity to put each character’s achievements into context and consider historical and present-day movements for gender equity. Pattison effectively uses different color palettes to distinguish the two timelines, but inconsistencies in Copeland’s draftsmanship and a lack of fluidity in the illustrations detract from the visuals: The racing scenes feel more static than speedy, and shifts in Alex’s appearance between panels make her expressions difficult to read. Still, the emotive pull of the story is strong, and when the characters ultimately meet in a scene set in 2019, the book’s galvanizing throughline—“onward!”—comes across clearly and movingly.

An inspirational, information-packed tale inspired by a real feminist trailblazer.