Traction Man and the Beach Odyssey

That redoubtable action-figure Traction Man returns in this third picture-book devoted to his adventures, enjoying a day at the beach with his faithful companion, Scrubbing Brush. Exploring a secluded rock pool, defending the family's picnic lunch from an over-eager puppy, and being washed out to sea on a plastic bottle - it's all in a day's work for Traction Man. When the action-figure/scrubbing-brush duo are rescued by a young girl and her dog, they find themselves ensconced in a crumbling sand castle, as the unwilling guests of Beachtime Brenda and her pal. Initially plotting their escape, they end up sticking around instead when the castle is destroyed, helping the dolls to rebuild, and excavating a hole to the center of the earth.

As with its two predecessors, Traction Man Is Here! and Traction Man Meets Turbo Dog, I enjoyed this imaginative tale from Mini Grey, appreciating the zany, madcap feeling of the story, and the colorful, amusing illustrations. Traction Man's expressions here are often particularly droll: his face, when "wearing" a mane of seaweed, was priceless, as was the look he exchanges with Scrubbing Brush, when they are first meeting the dolls. It's interesting that Traction Man spends some time away from his human boy, who is the implied creator of his adventures, but then, his wanderings bring the boy into contact with the girl, just as they bring him into contact with her toys, in the form of Beachtime Brenda. I liked the fact that Grey avoids stereotypes with her story, having the "girly" dolls help Traction Man and Scrubbing Brush escape the destruction of the castle, and then showing them all - action-men and dollies - working together at the end. With so much emphasis put on children playing with the "right" kind of toys - the very fact that we have to call a male doll an "action-figure" to avoid giving offense, or making people feel insecure - it was good to see her demonstrate (without didacticism) that it is all very much the same thing, for imaginative young children. ( )

Aquatic adventures with Traction Man. Lively and fun. ( )

The illustrations in this book are fabulous, with tremendous amounts of detail. Every page has so much to look at and discover. The book ends with the Dollies and Traction Man working together toward safety and rebuilding of the castle. While the gender stereotypes for boy/girl toys are heavy, the gender equality is also emphasized, showing that girls and boys can do the same things. The Beach-Time Brenda ads are hilarious and intriguing. Are these real toys?
Age range: 5 - 8 Years (B&N) ( )

I am new to the Traction Man series, but really liked this take on the common story of toys that are "alive." ( )