Cars (the book of the film)

Books based on films are not my favourite form of writing but this adaptation has a life of its own.

Basically, the tale is a collection of movie plot clichés. The hero, Lightning McQueen, en route to California, hopes to become the first rookie driver to win the Piston Cup, gets stranded in Radiator Springs, a small town the interstate has by-passed and whose inhabitants won't let him go until he repairs the road out of the town.

There are all the stock characters: the heroine who had fled life in Los Angeles, the gooda-natured Italian, the old grumpy Doc seeking anonymity after winning three Piston Cups, and a host of other recognisable types.

When the race starts Lightning, in the tradition of such tales, sacrifices victory to help an older contestant and returns to Radiator Springs and Sally, his one true love.

And all the characters are motor cars as I had to remind myself by looking at the coloured pages of scenes from the movie.

Adult car junkies will get a kick from the splendid verbal jokes. Readers, who have seen the movie, will surely want the book.

Others will want to catch the movie to see how it works on screen (How do cars kiss?).

Cars (the book of the film). Adapted by Lisa Papademetriou. Paragon €4.99. Age 9 plus