I’m at an age where, even though I’m not planning on having children, many people I know are — and I’m always looking for cute race car-themed gifts to celebrate a new addition to a family. Andy Amendola of Red Racer Books has published two new books that are now my go-tos: ABCs of Racing: My First Guide to Formula 1 Racing and All About Race Cars: A Guide to Formula 1 Race Cars, illustrated by Wei Ren.
These books have been circling my general social media sphere for a while, so I finally took the plunge and ordered copies of my own.
Amendola discovered his love of Formula 1 through Netflix’s Drive to Survive, and as a father himself, he wanted to introduce his own children to the sport. As such, both books highlight key terms and STEM concepts as they apply to racing, with All About Race Cars serving as a slightly more advanced follow-up to ABCs of Racing. Even better: ABCs of Racing is also available in Spanish.
ABCs of Racing offers short descriptions of key Formula 1 terms, like karting or understeer, to help kids grasp the concept being described. Along with Ren’s gorgeous illustrations, it’s a fairly entry-level read for kids interested in racing, something you could easily use to help young readers expand their vocabulary and make sense of complex racing terms like aerodynamics.
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All About Race Cars is a little more advanced. I’d offer this book to a kid who already has a strong vocabulary and who’s interested in some of the more challenging racing terms. Here, Amendola dives into everything from safety equipment like HANS devices and halos to the different tire compounds available during a race weekend.
If you’re looking to impress with a kid’s gift, look no further. Both books are available at Red Racer Books for under $20.
