Another fresh, funny chapter book for newly independent readers from author Atinuke returns to the African village of Oluwalase Babatunde Benson, a.k.a. the No. 1 Car Spotter. His nickname comes from his ability to identify any make and model of car, often by the sound of the engine alone. But it’s his skill as a thinker and problem solver that really make this boy stand out. He may not be very good with a slingshot like his sister and other children in the village, but that doesn’t mean he can’t protect the family’s goats with a little ingenuity—and hot chili pepper soup. (What would be the point of everyone being good at the same thing? his grandfather consoles when No. 1 proves yet again he can’t shoot a stone.) And when Mama Coca-Cola’s new concrete-block house almost becomes her ruin, No. 1 comes up with the perfect solution, one that saves the small business she was too tired to maintain after trying to keep a house with corners clean by day and sweltering under its hot tin roof at night. Atinuke creates warm, distinctive characters and a strong sense of community, as well as plot and setting, with a minimum of words and an abundance of humor. The story is set in an unnamed but specific African country. (Ages 6–9)

Oluwalase Babatunde Benson is No. 1. He's the No. 1 car spotter in his village - probably the No. 1 car spotter in the world!No. 1 is always full of good ideas. He figures out what to do when a leopard is bothering the goats and when Mama Coca-Cola has problems with her house. But what will it take to make the fabulous Firebird stop in the village?This is the second book in this series about the irresistible No. 1, whose hobby is car spotting but who is also good at solving all sorts of problems for his village.