J. K. Rowling

Mary GrandPré

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the summer after Harry’s first year at Hogwarts has been his worst summer ever… the Dursleys more distant and horrible than ever before. But just as he’s packing his bags to return to school, a creature named Dobby the house-elf announces that if Harry goes back to Hogwarts, disaster will strike. And it turns out, Dobby is right. Harry and Ron miss the Hogwarts Express, so they fly to school in a blue Ford Anglia, crash landing in the notorious Whomping Willow. Soon other worries accumulate: the outrageously stuck-up new professor Gilderoy Lockhart; a ghost named Moaning Myrtle, who haunts the girls’ bathroom; the strange behavior of Ron’s little sister, Ginny Weasley; rumors about the “Chamber of Secrets,” a cavern buried deep below Hogwarts; and a magical diary owned by Tom Riddle, a Hogwarts student of long ago. Harry is also shocked to discover that he can speak Parseltongue, the language of snakes - a rare ability that Lord Voldemort also possessed - and that anti-Muggle prejudice exists in the Wizarding world, even affecting Harry’s friend Hermione. But all of these seem like minor concerns when someone starts turning Hogwarts students to stone: an evildoer said to be the fearsome Heir of Salazar Slytherin, on of the founders of the school. Could it be Draco Malfoy, Harry’s most poisonous rival? Could it be Hagrid whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one person everyone at Hogwarts most suspects: Harry Potter himself?

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Nancy Shaw

Margot Apple

funny and humorous

rhyming

sheep and lambs

Out for a drive in the country, Nancy Shaw and Margot Apple’s well-known and beloved sheep run into some mishaps with their sturdy red jeep.

Sheep in a Jeep

Phyllis Root

Jill Barton

Various disasters threaten to stop Poppa and the children from getting to the lake in their rattletrap car, but they manage to come up with an ingenious solution to each problem.

Rattletrap Car

Roger Priddy

There are trucks and tractors, cars and buses rumbling through this lively and engaging colors book. Little learners will discover a rainbow of colors from red to blue and yellow and green in the brightly colored things that are splashed across the book pages. On the turn of every page, they’ll be excited to find raised vehicle shapes to touch, feel, and explore, that neatly tuck into the shaped spaces on the opposite page. Offering a tactile and visual experience that your child will want to repeat time and time again, A Traffic Jam of Trucks is just right for little hands!

Picture Fit Board Books: A Traffic Jam of Trucks

Richard Scarry

A miniature vehicle-filled alphabet book that starts with an ambulance and ends with a zippermobile is shaped like Lowly Worm’s applemobile. On board pages.

Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks from A to Z

Chris Van Dusen

“If I built a car, it’d be totally new! Here are a few of the things that I’d do. . . .” Jack has designed the ultimate fantasy car. Inspired by zeppelins and trains, Cadillacs and old planes, with brilliant colors and lots of shiny chrome, this far-out vision is ready to cruise! there’s a fireplace, a pool, and even a snack bar! After a tour of the ritzy interior, robert the robot starts up the motor . . . and Jack and his dad set off on the wildest test drive ever!

If I Built a Car

Katrina Charman

Nick Sharratt

This book is bursting with cars, buses, planes, trains, trucks, diggers—and many more Things That Go. And with a text set to the tune of Baa, Baa, Black Sheep, vehicle-obsessed little ones will never want to put this book down!

Car, Car, Truck, Jeep

Alice Schertle

Jill McElmurry

Zooom! Wooeeee . . . ! “Make way!”The big city sure is a speedy, noisy place for a country truck like Blue. Everywhere Blue looks, he sees buses, police cars, taxis, vans, a street sweeper, and even the mayor’s limousine. With everyone pushing to be first, soon there’s a giant traffic jam! But even a wrangle-tangle is no match for Little Blue Truck, who comes to the rescue in true Blue style. 

Brimming with bright colors, sounds, and city energy, this adventure makes working together and taking turns more fun than ever. Now with a free downloadable party kit!

Little Blue Truck Leads the Way

Margery Cuyler

Bob Kolar

cars and trucks

buses

vehicles

Join Driver Bob the school bus driver and his little school bus as they wake early, pick up the children, and drop them off at school. Then it’s off to the garage to fix a tail light. All in a day’s work for this trusty team. The lyrical text, catchy rhyme, and bright pictures make this a perfect choice for preschoolers who are soon to be school bus riders!

The Little School Bus

Xavier Deneux

Featuring spreads each with raised shaped objects that fit into scooped cutouts on their opposite page, these two new TouchThinkLearn books offer the youngest learners an irresistible opportunity to explore their universe in a hands-on, multisensory way. Seeing the image, tracing its shape, saying its name: these modes of perception combine in a dynamic way to stimulate understanding of essential concepts. Discover—and experience a train by tracing the raised railcar on one side and feeling the excavated shape of the track on the other! Clusters of related words on each spread offer parents and children a springboard for further conversations to encourage the language skills so crucial to later successful learning. In a format unlike any other, these groundbreaking books translate abstract thought into tangible knowledge.

TouchThinkLearn: Vehicles

Peter Stein

Bob Staake

Black car, green car,
nice car, mean car.
Near car, far car.
Whoa! Bizarre car!

Ready to hit the road? Gear up for a nonstop parade of shapes, sizes, sounds, and even smells in a wild array of cars packed with big personalities, awesome features, and eccentric passengers. Driven by Peter Stein’s bouncing verse, Bob Staake’s high-powered artwork merges vibrant color and crisp, dynamic design with humor, warmth, and whimsy. This rousing excursion is sure to thrill all fans of things that go, as well as aficionados of the illustrator’s signature style.

Cars Galore

Jan Berenstain

Stan Berenstain

Papa Bear and his family watch as the little red car competes in a race against the big orange, yellow, green, and blue cars.

The Berenstain Bears and the Big Road Race

Mojca Dolinar

A stimulating interactive first book to share with your baby. Trains, rockets, cars, and more! First Baby Days: On the Move features striking red, black, and white art meant to stimulate your baby’s vision as they are introduced to vehicles. Each scene can be extended by the pull-tabs included on each spread, making this book even more interactive.

First Baby Days: On the Move

Margarita Engle

Mike Curato

A boy helps his father keep their very old car running as they make a trip to Havana for his newborn cousin’s zero-year birthday. Includes author’s note about cars in Cuba.

All the Way to Havana

Mark Lee

Brian Biggs

Uncle Otto is a used car salesman, who, with the help of his niece and nephew, finds the perfect vehicles for his dinosaur customers.

What Kind of Car Does a T. Rex Drive?

Kate Stone

Buckle up and get ready to ride with this interactive transportation exploration! Take a trip with the cars, trucks, boats, planes, and trains in this book by moving them along the track. Pass pop-up buildings like airports, gas stations, and markets along the way. This book is a must for kids who love everything on wheels!

On the Go!

Ian Fleming

John Burningham

Two children persuade their inventor father to purchase and restore an old car which turns out to have magical powers.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

David Gordon

“Little rig, little rig, let me come in!” “Not by the chrome on my chinny chin chin.” “Then I’ll crash and I’ll bash and I’ll smash your house in.” When the three little rigs set out to build their own garages, each one thinks that his is going to be the strongest. But then the big bad wrecking ball comes to call and threatens to smash their new homes to smithereens. The brothers learn that it’s only by bravery and teamwork that they can win the day. A comic sequel to the ugly truckling.

The Three Little Rigs

Fhiona Galloway

With cute art and simple labels, Look Through: Things that Go is a great tool for early learning. This sturdy board book features unique raised shapes on every page. The playful die-cuts then fit into mirroring pages for added fun! Babies and toddlers will love the added elements as the shapes begin to transform from a helicopter into a boat and even a tractor into a fire truck! Look through the pages and learn all about vehicles.

Look Through: Things that Go

R. L. Stine

“Originally published as Goosebumps Series 2000 #21: The haunted car”–Title page verso.

Classic Goosebumps #30: The Haunted Car

Eva Moore

Ted Enik

Ms. Frizzle takes her students all over the country looking for bats, and in the process the students learn all about these flying mammals.

The Truth about Bats

Lois Lenski

Mr. Small has a shiny red auto. On nice days, Mr. Small takes his car out of the garage and goes for a drive. He can drive fast enough to pass a horse and buggy! He runs into trouble when it begins to rain and he gets a flat tire. But he is able to fix the tire, the sun comes out, and Mr. Small drives his little auto back into the garage.

The Little Auto

Dwight Knowlton

A vintage racing car, walled off in an old barn, is discovered by a boy and rebuilt with his father. Along the way, they discover that the car has a very special history and was once raced by the great Sir Stirling Moss.

The Little Red Racing Car

Leo Timmers

Gus’s workshop is chock-full of odds and ends. When his friend Rico comes over with a problem—his scooter seat is way too small for a rhino—Gus finds just the thing to fix it.

One by one Gus’s friends bring him their vehicles and Gus solves their troubles with ingenious solutions. No job is too difficult for Gus!

Soon the workshop is almost empty. Is anything left to solve Gus’s own problem at the end of a long day?

Gus’s Garage is Leo Timmers at his best: effortlessly simple text, intricately detailed illustrations, and vehicles galore.

Gus's Garage

Maddie Frost

Some vehicles go VROOM! Some animals say ROAR! Put them both together and find out what’s in store 

Imagine a different kind of hybrid on wheels: animalvehicle! The subway-snake slithers for commuters, the cowcars stop to graze in the field, the bear-bus scoots to the den for hibernation. What could be better than a mash-up of two of the best things: animals and things that go vroom!

Animobiles

Steve Light

Little ones will enjoy revving up their reading with these eight noisy cars as they honk, clank, vroom, and zoom their way through this lively book! The sturdy pages feature a police car, pick-up truck, sports car, monster truck, and many more, accompanied by a cacophony of sounds sure to charm any young vehicle enthusiast.

Cars Go

Tony Mitton

Ant Parker

Cars are really handy, for getting us around. They whiz along on busy roads, and make a zoomy sound.

From race cars to limousines, cruise down the street with some wacky animal drivers in this lively story, now in an attractive board book format perfect for small hands. Young children will adore it as will the adults who get to read aloud these irresistible rhymes!

Cool Cars

P. D. Eastman

Different kinds of dogs drive cars, wear hats, run around in mazes, and even have wild parties in treetops.

Go, Dog, Go!

Petr Horacek

Two shaped board books from Petr Horácek are now available in dual Spanish-English editions – perfect for little ones who love things that go. When a family piles into a bright yellow car to drive to Grandma’s house, they go broom, broom through the town, vroom, vroom along the highway, and chug, chug over the crosswalk. Getting there is almost as exciting as the welcome that awaits at the end – and bright pictures and playful sound words make this a trip to enjoy.

Beep Beep / Piip Piip

Kabir Sehgal

Surishtha Sehgal

Jess Golden

culture

nursery rhymes

This picture book brings an international twist to the beloved nursery rhyme, The Wheels on the Bus, by bringing you aboard a busy three-wheeled taxi in India! Anything can happen as the tuk tuk rolls through town—from an elephant encounter to a tasty treat to a grand fireworks display. And in the midst of all the action, one thing’s for sure: passengers young and old love every minute of their exciting ride as the wheels of the tuk tuk go round and round!

The Wheels on the Tuk Tuk

Sarah Williamson

Beep, beep! Let’s go! Colors and sounds collide as Tuski the elephant gets ready for adventure. And there’s no limit to what Tuski’s red taxi can pick up along the way. From friends like a blue bird, an every-colored fish, and a trail of ladybugs, to objects big and small, like a lemon and a pea, peaches, and pancakes, Tuski’s taxi takes them all! But as they venture up the hill, Tuski’s packed taxi might just take a tumble.

Let's Go!

On their way to the beach for a picnic the Pig family encounters almost every kind of transportation vehicle imaginable–and imaginary.

Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things that Go

Michael Garland

Bright bold artwork and lots of gorgeous cars–and one tractor!–star in this playful board book about a car wash for babies and toddlers. Splash! Splash! Car gets wet and soapy as he goes through the car wash. He’s had a big adventure today. His shiny paint got dirtier and dirtier as he drove all over town–first with mud from a construction site, then from exhaust, and finally from a flock of birds. At the end of his big day, a bath is just what this little car needs. Michael Garland’s bright and bold art features lots of different vehicles, from diggers to big trucks, making this book just right for young car enthusiasts.

Car Goes Far

 Jessica Spanyol  

Let’s find out which toys Rosa and her friends are playing with today! An important series that celebrates inclusivity, promotes gender equality and embraces the uniqueness of every child.

Rosa Plays Cars

Jennifer Swanson

TeMika Grooms

This entertaining book navigates readers through the history of car production and offers a front‐seat view of the science and engineering that makes the world’s most important vehicle safe for us to drive. Cars take us to work. To school. To soccer practice. To the grocery store and home again. Can you imagine a world without them? It’s not easy! One of the reasons we can use cars so much in our everyday lives is because they are safe to drive. But that hasn’t always been the case. If it weren’t for the experiments conducted over decades that involved all kinds of crash test volunteers–dead, alive, animal, or automated–cars as we know them might not be around. And then how would you get to school? Filled with fun four‐wheeled nuggets of history and explanations of how cars actually work, this nonfiction book from former science educator and award-winning author Jennifer Swanson will appeal to lovers of all things that go and readers who are interested in getting in under the hood and seeing how things work.

Save the Crash Test Dummies

Barbara McClintock

Join a little girl as she zooms— past fields and forests,
up mountains,
over rivers,
through deserts,
home again,
and into bed in this playful picture book about the power of imagination, from award-winning author and artist Barbara McClintock.

Vroom!

Dan Santat

Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat–creator of The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend and After the Fall–takes readers on the road trip of a lifetime!

“Are we there yet?” Every parent has heard this classic kid question on a long car ride–and after reading this astonishingly inventive new book (that even turns upside down for several pages!), you’ll never look at being bored the same way again.

Let’s face it: everyone knows that car rides can be boring. And when things get boring, time slows down. In this book, a boy feels time slowing down so much that it starts going backward–into the time of pirates! Of princesses! Of dinosaurs! The boy was just trying to get to his grandmother’s birthday party, but instead he’s traveling through Ancient Egypt and rubbing shoulders with Ben Franklin. When time flies, who knows where–or when–he’ll end up.

Are We There Yet?

Kate DiCamillo

The amiable Mercy Watson takes an automobile ride she’ll never forget in the second tale of an ebullient first chapter-book series by Kate DiCamillo and Chris Van Dusen.

Mr. and Mrs. Watson’s porcine wonder, Mercy, loves nothing more than a ride in the car. It takes a fair amount of nudging and bribing and a “You are such a good sport, darling” to get the portly pig out of the driver’s seat, but once the convertible is on the road, Mercy loves the feel of the wind tickling her ears and the sun on her snout. One day the Watsons’ motoring ritual takes an unexpected turn, however, when their elderly neighbor Baby Lincoln pops up in the backseat in hopes of some “folly and adventure” – and in the chaos that ensues, an exuberant Mercy ends up behind the wheel! Soon there’s a policeman on her tail, a struggle for the brake, and a blissfully airborne Mercy. Of course, it’s nothing that an extra helping of buttered toast can’t fix!

Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride

Rebecca Stead

This brilliant, New York Times bestselling novel from the author of the Newbery Medal winner When You Reach Me explores multiple perspectives on the bonds and limits of friendship. Long ago, best friends Bridge, Emily, and Tab made a pact: no fighting. But it’s the start of seventh grade, and everything is changing. Emily’s new curves are attracting attention, and Tab is suddenly a member of the Human Rights Club. And then there’s Bridge. She’s started wearing cat ears and is the only one who’s still tempted to draw funny cartoons on her homework. It’s also the beginning of seventh grade for Sherm Russo. He wonders: what does it mean to fall for a girl—as a friend? By the time Valentine’s Day approaches, the girls have begun to question the bonds—and the limits—of friendship. Can they grow up without growing apart? “Sensitively explores togetherness, aloneness, betrayal and love.” —The New York Times A Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor Book for Fiction Named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, The Guardian, NPR, and more!

Goodbye Stranger

Vicky Fang

Christine Nishiyama

Ready, set, go! Layla and the Bots are heading to the races!  
Pick a book. Grow a Reader!  

This series is part of Scholastic’s early chapter book line Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!  

Blossom Valley is hosting a go-kart race! The go-karts are provided for all the kids in town. Layla and the Bots can’t wait for race day! But one racer, Tina, needs their help. She needs a new cart that uses hand-controls and other cool features. Layla and the Bots know just what to do… they will build her a brand-new cart that’s even faster than her wheelchair! But will Tina’s go-kart have enough speed to win the race? With full-color artwork on every page and speech bubbles throughout, this early chapter book series brings kid-friendly STEAM topics to young readers!

Built for Speed: A Branches Book

When Mr. Gumpy decides to go for a ride in his bright-red car, everyone wants to come along – a rabbit, a cat, a dog, a sheep, chickens, a calf, a goat, and a boy and girl. All right, says Mr. Gumpy. But it will be a squash. So they all squash in and, for a while, chug along happily. Then it starts to rain, and the car becomes stuck in the mud. Who will help Mr. Gumpy push the car out? Not me, says each passenger. In the end, however, they all have to help, and a wonderful time is had by all.John Burningham, twice winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal for his outstanding illustrations, has written a simple story of delightfully understated humor and illustrated it in his most enchanting style.

Mr. Gumpy's Motor Car

Mark Buehner

Maxi, a homeless mutt in New York City, has always fended for himself. Then one day a kind taxi driver named Jim offers him friendship, a home, and a place in the front seat! From that moment on, Maxi and Jim revel in the sights and sounds of the city, and share all sorts of wild adventures-from rushing two clowns and a chimp to the circus, to singing duets with an opera diva! These and other adventures are brilliantly depicted in Mark Buehner’s witty, detail-packed oil paintings.

Adventures of Taxi Dog

Frances O’Roark Dowell

Amy Bates

Sam the Man is back with not one, but TWO plans in this third hilarious chapter book in the Sam the Man series from Frances O’Roark Dowell.

 Sam Graham is a dragon fan and a big truck man. Monster trucks to be specific. And when the family minivan needs replacing, Sam has the perfect plan: get a family monster truck instead!

 But convincing Mom that a monster truck is the way to go may prove to be a little too difficult, even for Sam. So he comes up with plan number two: Turn the minivan into a monster minivan with a super-cool dragon painted on it! First, though, Sam has to convince his family why a monster minivan is the best choice—oh, and learn how to paint a dragon…

Sam The Man & The Dragon Van Plan

Sue Fliess

Sarah Beise

Big cars, small cars, let’s call ALL cars! This bouncy text explores the wonderful world of cars zipping up, down, fast, and slow. A perfect basic concept books for eager young learners from the author of Tons of Trucks. Then cruise into bedtime!

Rest cars, Hush cars  
No more rush, cars.  
Cars pull in, turn off the light.  
Sweet dreams, sleepy cars…goodnight!

Filled with vibrant art, adorable animal characters, and cars of all kinds from love bugs to the demolition derby, Calling All Cars is for every child who loves to read about things that go! Surprise bonus ― follow one long road throughout this vividly imagined world and don’t miss the hidden clues in the artwork!

Calling All Cars

Zidrou

Sebastien Chebret

It’s the best day ever! Bobby goes out to buy a car with his own money and spends his time driving around town. He does all kinds of grownup things like picking up his parents - obeying all the rules of the road, of course. At the end of the day he drives home, where it’s revealed to the reader that it was all part of a fantastic dream. But Bobby isn’t disappointed. Instead, he wonders what amazing things he can dream of next … This is a stylish, child-friendly celebration of the power of dreams and imagination, ideal for any child who’d like to be a grownup for a day - and for anyone who likes super-cool cars.

Bobby's Got a Brand-New Car

Martin Sodomka

Saskia Lacey

Learn about car mechanics and teamwork as three unlikely friends work to build a miniature racer. In How to Build a Car, three unlikely friends–Eli, a mouse; Phoebe, a sparrow; and Hank, a frog–decide to build a small motorcar together. The story follows the friendly trio as they learn all about how a car works and how it is constructed. Detailed illustrations show the inner workings of the car, teaching children the basics of how each part works together to get the car moving. Through hard work and perseverance, Eli, Phoebe, and Hank learn about both car mechanics and teamwork as they build a miniature racer. With the help of this sweet story, children will learn the different parts and functions of a car.

How to Build a Car

Delivering, collecting, transporting and recycling! Lift the flap to see each vehicle busy at work. Perfect for guessing, prediction and memory skills - and simply joining in!

City

Cari Best

Tina spends each Sunday with her father, a taxicab driver

Taxi! Taxi!

Michael Rosen

Gillian Tyler

Renowned author Michael Rosen offers a quintessential book for young children who love things that go.

Small children take great delight in rides—whether by bicycle, car, boat, or plane. But best of all is taking the bus, because the bus is for everyone! Complemented by beautiful artwork from Gillian Tyler, this playful rhyming narrative by Michael Rosen will rev up little listeners to join right in.

The Bus Is For Us

Sarah Glenn Marsh

Gilbert Ford

Writer Sarah Glenn Marsh and illustrator Gilbert Ford’s Alice Across America is a nonfiction picture book account of maverick Alice Ramsey, the first woman to drive a car across America in 1909.

When Alice Ramsey was little, she loved to ride horses. As she grew up, more people were driving cars. From the moment Alice slid behind the wheel, she was crazy about cars. So when the Maxwell-Briscoe Company challenged her to drive one of their new cars across the country as a promotional ploy to prove that even a lady could do it, Alice daringly accepted. With several women by her side, these brazen drivers sustained many hardships over the course of a remarkable two-month journey and far surpassed all expectations.

With a clever blend of women’s history, technological history, and American roading geography, this is a celebration of unstoppable women making strides in twentieth-century America.

Christy Ottaviano Books

Top 10 Cars Books