A cute story of a young girl and her push-pedal low-rider car. Also her grandfather makes an appearance showing the value of the older generation to the younger. Teresa loves her car, but neglects to care for it properly and it becomes run down. Her grandfather helps her to fix it up. Spanish words are sprinkled through this version. The illustrations by Pam Paparone are very sweet. ( )

When Teresa receives a little carrito (car) for her birthday, she is ecstatic that she no longer has to sport her trike around. Her car resembled a real low-rider car and made her feel all grown up. Teresa was so proud of her little carrito when she rode it around and everyone stopped to stare. Even adults praised her car. When she took it to the playground car show at school, she took home first prize.
After a while, Teresa no longer took care of her carrito and it began to fall apart. Then, one day, when Teresa was riding down the sidewalk and her car saved her from the dog that was chasing her, she realized how much she loved her car again. She decided she would fix it up. When her grandpa came to visit, he helped her realize that even old things can be fixed up and look new again.
Teresa grew in maturity after the incident with the dog. She was then able to see the importance of taking care of her things. This is a great story to teach young kids to take better care of their toys. ( )

My Little Car was a very sweet book about a girl who receives a small, replica car that resembles a low-rider style car. The car is powered by her feet when she is inside it, but it steers and handles and looks just like a real car. It was a present from her grandfather, and she did not take very good care of the car when she first got it from him. She left it outside in the rain, and let her father almost run it over with his own car backing out of the driveway. One day her grandfather came over to the house and noticed the poor condition of the car he gave his granddaughter. She tells her how to take care of the things you like, and the gifts given to you, and then proceeds to help her fix it like any cool grandfather would. A nice little book that teachers a lesson or two too. ( )

This is one of those books that doesn't feel the need to hammer its point home, and I love the use of language, as when the little girl tells a guy in a fancy car, "I like your bomb!" It also uses the word, "pooped." ( )