It’s time for the Small Rodents Competitive Cycling Championship Classic, otherwise known as the SRCCCC. While Cornbread is just looking to do his best and have a good time, competitive Poppy is focused on winning. She especially wants to beat Gerald (“Ugh, Gerald”), a cocky fellow who has won the race the last four years. Poppy has purchased the best gear—tight pants—for herself and, to his dismay, for Cornbread; and she has a “Master Plan,” a strategy that involves going “fast-but-not-too-fast” for all but the final lap of the race, when they will “punch it” and secure themselves a win. Race time arrives, and the various small rodent competitors are off. Mishaps befall several racers, putting Cornbread, Poppy, and Gerald in the lead until disaster strikes. Those cycling pants? Perhaps too tight. A dramatic pile-up leaves Poppy in the clear but Gerald on the ground. How can she leave him behind? After all, “friends matter more” than winning a race. Cordell’s expressive, scribbly illustrations underscore the humor in this action-packed, suspenseful, and empathetic tale.