In alternating timelines, we follow the path of real life aeronautical engineer and race car driver and fictional Alex, who moves to her grandparents' farm with her novelist father. (Sort of a spoiler ahead, but you can tell from the pictures what is happening.) This takes us back to 1962, when young Guthrie is traveling around to compete in as many races as she can find, driving a Jaguar. When the car breaks down, she ends up selling it, and it's Alex's grandfather who buys it. Guthrie has trouble getting a new car, as well as finding sponsors, since the auto racing world is so heavily male centric. Eventually, Rolla Vollstedt agrees to help her, and arranges for her to drive in the Indy 500. While she qualifies, using another driver's car, her vehicle does not. This is just one of many disappointments that she faces in her career. Even though she is a popular media presence, the interviews focus more on what she's wearing than her racing abilities, and the men at the race courses are routinely jerks. She does have the support of her own pit crew and team. She gets the chance to race against another woman in 1976, Arlene Hiss, but Hiss drives poorly and never races again. Things don't really improve that much, but Guthrie perseveres, even driving with a broken wrist at one point.

Alex is struggling a bit with moving in 2019; her father is so intent on writing his novel that he completely ignores his daughter, who seems to have no other support since both grandparents have passed away and there is no other family in the picture. Using her grandfather's notes, she starts to restore the Jaguar. Heading in to town to consult some books at the library, she does find an ally in a local librarian who gives her magazines. Alex thinks that the woman is bringing dinner to the house to try to date her dad, but later in the book we find out that it's really in order to support Alex. Alex finds some parts that she needs, and eventually unearths some paperwork from the garage that leads her down the Janet Guthrie rabbit hole. Armed with this new information and a renewed sense of purpose, Alex enters a local car competition, but the judges and participants are not welcoming or helpful. Her father comes through, and she does manage to meet the female internet mechanic whose tips she has found useful.
Strengths: Car racing was certainly something I never followed as a tween, so there were many things that I learned and that suprised me in this book. First of all, why was there even car racing going on in the 1970s? There was a gas crisis! The name Janet Guthrie sounded familiar, but I couldn't have told you the first thing about her. The interweaving of the two story lines works well, especially since Alex meets her own problems with sexism at the car show. This will hopefully encourage young readers to investigate family history while their grandparents are still around!
Weaknesses: I need to see a final copy of this; the illustrations seemed very different from the author's other work, and some of the people were hard to tell apart, but this might have been because I saw an earlier draft of the pictures.
What I really think: I will definitely purchase this, and would love to see more graphic novels with feminist themes set in the 1960s and 70s. There are plenty of memoir type graphic novels set in the 90s, but they are all more whiny instrospective. Of course, women in the 60s and 70s weren't really thinking about their "problems", because there was always someone to remind us about how hard things were during the war or the Great Depression, and there was work to be done! (See Copeland's Cub for another look at the way girls were treated back in the day.)

I really enjoyed this middle grade graphic novel. Love the focus on a girl fixing a car. The stories were told in alternating perspectives which made the story very engaging. It was a fun and interesting story. Will recommend.

I enjoyed this insightful and engaging graphic novel and would recommend to adults as well as younger readers!

It takes place over two timelines in which we learn about the real racing driver Janet Guthrie and how her story influences and converges with present day young mechanic Alex.

A great way to represent women and girls in a male-dominated field.

I really enjoyed this middle grade graphic novel! Drive focuses on a girl in 2019 who is fixing her grandfather's old car & Janet Guthrie, one of the most successful female race car drivers. I loved that their stories were told in alternating sections, and it was super interesting to see how they intersected at the end.

My only complaint was how misogynistic the main character's father was. I would have like more character growth from that story line, because there was not enough! Overall though, this was a fun read about women's history in race car driving and women's rights overall. Thanks to NetGalley, Cynthia Copeland, and Algonquin Young Readers for the chance to read and review! My opinions are my own.

The cover of the graphic novel is beautifully illustrated, captivating, and effectively conveys the essence of the story. All the characters are intricately developed and possess unique qualities. Each character harbors a dream they aspire to achieve. By skillfully employing two distinct color schemes, the author enables readers to easily discern between the female characters, time periods, and narratives being followed. Janet Guthrie is not merely a fictional character within the narrative; she is a real-life female race driver and a 2024 NASCAR Hall of Famer. The readers gain a profound understanding of Janet Guthrie's triumphs and challenges throughout her racing career. Copeland masterfully weaves Janet's story into the graphic novel, providing readers with insight into Janet as an individual, a racer, and a trailblazer who inspires and motivates female racers and car enthusiasts. Alex, the 12-year-old aspiring to become a future car mechanic, is a relatable, inspirational, and motivational character in her own right.
The writing is so well-crafted that it leaves the reader wanting more, reluctant for the story to conclude. The author adeptly transitions between the two timelines, ensuring a seamless flow that keeps readers engaged with both female characters' narratives. The illustrations are exquisite, effectively capturing the settings, actions, and moods, immersing readers further into the story alongside the narrative. The plot is captivating, well-paced, and developed, promising to captivate young readers. The connections drawn between Janet and Alex by the author in both characters' timelines are seamlessly executed, offering rich details and establishing links between the past and present. The graphic novel delicately addresses the challenges faced by female drivers like Janet, as well as those encountered by female car enthusiasts and mechanics like Alex in contemporary times. Themes such as bullying, gender stereotypes, media and societal pressures are thoughtfully handled, providing readers with insights into these issues without detracting from the narrative or characters. As a female racing enthusiast, I found great pleasure in exploring the history of female racers and mechanics through the stories of Janet Guthrie and Alex in this graphic novel. "Drive" by Cynthia L. Copeland is a middle-grade graphic novel that adeptly intertwines the past, present, and future of female racers, car enthusiasts, and mechanics in a single narrative while effectively addressing the theme of equality within racing and car communities. It is highly recommended for fans of vibrant graphic novels featuring dual timelines, racing, cars, and the historical contributions of women who have paved the way for current and future female racers and car enthusiasts.