Race Car Count

by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Michael Slack (Illustrator)

Overview

Now in board book!

Race car 1 honks look at me!

He zooms in front with the turn of a key.

Race car 2 is close behind.

The sound of "vroom" is on his mind.

The simple, rhyming text is perfect for reinforcing counting with young children, and the vibrant, energetic illustrations of ten cars—all with different personalities—make this a terrific board book package for young vehicle enthusiasts.

A Christy Ottaviano Book

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781627799348
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	03/07/2017
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	2 - 5 Years

About the Author

Rebecca Kai Dotlich is the author of many picture books for young readers, such as In the Spin of Things: Poetry of Motion. She lives in Indiana with her husband.

MICHAEL SLACK's illustrations have appeared in books, magazines, advertisements, and on television. His previous picture books include My Life as a Chicken and Pizza, Pigs, and Poetry.

www.slackart.com

Editorial Reviews

Race Car Count Board Book:

"This board book adaptation of the Wacky Races–esque counting book doesn’t disappoint. Kids will root for their favorite souped-up vehicle and delight at the restart of the race at the end of the book, all while secretly strengthening their one to 10 counting skills."-Booklist

A Texas 2 x 2 Reading List Selection

An Amazon Best Book of the Month

An Amazon Top Pick for Fall

“The flash and thrill of the race car track-it's all here in a zippy counting book just right for the toddler set. . . .When the cars line up for another race, children will cheer.” —Kirkus Reviews

“This charming race car story reinforces the concept of the numbers one through 10 in rhyming text. . . A visual winner, the illustrations are brightly colored and drawn in a cartoon style that will appeal to fans of the "Cars" movies. The text is clear and simple and conveys the fast-paced story. This popular transportation-themed book is sure to be a crowd pleaser.” —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

07/01/2017
PreS-K—This board book adaptation of the Wacky Races—esque counting book doesn't disappoint. The horizontal format permits Dotlich and Slack to depict full action scenes that are never overwhelming. Kids will root for their favorite souped-up vehicle and delight at the restart of the race at the end of the book, all while secretly strengthening their one to 10 counting skills.

School Library Journal

09/07/2015
Ten brightly colored race cars—Formula One racers, a windup toy lookalike, even a souped-up minivan—vie for first place on their way to the finish line. Neither Dotlich (All Aboard!) nor Slack (Elecopter) is a stranger to vehicle-themed stories, and the book’s bouncy rhymes and Matchbox-worthy vehicles (spoilers and bulging hot-red engines abound) combine to create a lively race with some tense back-and-forth moments (“Race car 4, all shiny red,/ rumbles, grumbles, pulls ahead”). Sturdy paper stock with rounded corners helps tailor the book to a younger crowd and should hold up to re-readings hinted at by the ending, which sets up a rematch: “All lined up, 10 in a row.../ red light, yellow light, green light... go!” Ages 2–5. Author’s agent: Elizabeth Harding, Curtis Brown. Illustrator’s agent: Lori Nowicki, Painted Words. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

2015-07-15
The flash and thrill of the race car track—it's all here in a zippy counting book just right for the toddler set. "Red light, yellow light, green light, GO!" Spread by spread, the cars enter the track, each one highlighted in numeric order as if by an announcer: "Race car 8 is dynamite— / thunders, roars, swerves to the right." The rhyme, plenty of action words, and some onomatopoeia sustain the excitement, while these slightly goofy-looking autos with expressive grilles charge around a course of loop-de-loops and obstacles. Making the most of vertical planes, tense, comical moments during the heat are captured in the bright digital art: racers are splashed, engines burn out (ducks compose the pit crew), and autos pile up (the ducks go flying). Even the clunky, bold type seems to emphasize the funky nature of the circuit and the contestants. Anticipation builds as the competition is called, but this is not about who wins. The race is concluding by the time the last contestant is introduced—No. 10, who "finished last. / Still, his wheels were lightning fast." Groovy. Just like his name. (The final page names all 10, along with some of their interests, such as collecting oil caps or savoring hot peppers.) When the cars line up for another race, children will cheer. (Picture book. 2-5)

Kirkus Reviews