Bob Shea

An overly confident cheetah challenges a pack of clever kittens to a race.

Cheetah Can't Lose

Nosy Crow

Benji Davies

Bizzy Bear is ready to win the race in this board book full of things to push and pull. Today, Bizzy Bear is driving in a big race – ready, set, go! Switch the light to signal the start and help him speed along in his race car and zoom around the track. Then lift the flag as he crosses the finish line! But will he get there first? Another exciting title in this best-selling series, which encourages preschoolers to get involved in the storytelling.

Bizzy Bear: Race Car Driver

Sue Fliess

Edwardian Taylor

In this imaginative book, a tiny car lines up next to all the other cars revving their engines. . . . Will it be able to take the Winner’s Cup?  

Race cars!  
Line up!  
Who will take the Winner’s Cup?  

Cars start,  
lights glow…  
“Rev your engines…GO GO GO!”  

All the cars are lining up for the race, but one car is smaller than the rest. As it squeezes in between all of them, the cars rev their engines . . . and they’re off! Down mountains and by waterfalls, through tunnels and past landslides, the cars race through places that somehow look oddly familiar. . . .

Race!

Katy Hudson

teamwork

friendship

how winning isn't everything

Whoosh! Squirrel takes off at full speed through the autumn leaves. But pump the brakes, because this year The Golden Nut Hunt race it is a team event. Squirrel reluctantly enlists her friends and is not impressed. Will Squirrel’s competitive spirit take over or will she learn how to be a team player? Best-selling author Katy Hudson (Too Many Carrots and A Loud Winter’s Nap) proves that winning isn’t everything in this energetic picture book about friendship, teamwork, and forgiveness — and that’s something to go nuts about!

The Golden Acorn

Whoosh! Squirrel takes off at full speed through the autumn leaves. But pump the brakes, because this year The Golden Nut Hunt race it is a team event. Squirrel reluctantly enlists her friends and is not impressed. Will Squirrel’s competitive spirit take over or will she learn how to be a team player? Best-selling author Katy Hudson (Too Many Carrots and A Loud Winter’s Nap) proves that winning isn’t everything in this energetic picture book about friendship, teamwork, and forgiveness – and that’s something to go nuts about!

Jonathan E. Fenske

See if you can beat Book-It Bunny in a reading race!

In this story designed to engage early readers, charming characters combine with simple text, lively illustrations, and laugh-out-loud humor to help boost kids’ confidence and create lifelong readers!

This easy-to-read adventure breaks the fourth wall as Book-It Bunny challenges the reader to race her to the end of the story. But with distractions and tricks up her sleeve along the way, the competition becomes both fierce and funny at the same time. On your mark, get set, read!

Exciting, easy-to-read books are the stepping stone a young reader needs to bridge the gap between being a beginner and being fluent.

I Will Race You Through This Book!

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

racing

Pile into the jeep and join our safari friends for a rip-roaring adventure! This interactive, sturdy tabbed board book features four wild animal character shapes placed at the top of every page perfect for little hands to turn and explore. Kiddos will love learning all about the lions, elephants, monkeys, and giraffes as they trek through the wilderness in a big green safari jeep. A fun and entertaining read your kiddo will enjoy!  Bright, bold artwork and tons of surprises to entertain and engage your toddler Sturdy board pages for little exploring hands to read over and over again  Lively scenes allow for hours of fun reading and learning Reading together improves school readiness and fosters early learning skills A fun and entertaining read your kiddo will enjoy!

Jungle Jeep

Greg Pizzoli

They’re off! 

Sam is the best race-car driver in history-he is number one at every race! 

But when his best friend, Maggie, shows that she has racing talent of her own, Sam doesn’t know how to handle coming in second place. Will he learn what it truly means to be a winner?

Number One Sam

Lucy Cousins

Maisy zooms with her friends in a shaped board book loaded with preschooler appeal. Ready, set, go! Maisy loves her new race car–and today she and her friends are having a race. Everyone lines up, and Maisy zooms out in front–vroom! But wait! What’s up ahead? Slow down, everybody! That’s Tortoise crossing the track! Once the race is back on, Tallulah takes the lead, and she’s going really fast. But is she going fast enough to win the race?

Maisy's Race Car: A Go with Maisy Board Book

Nicola Davies

Laura Carlin

In this tale of a young boy, an old man, and a dauntless pigeon, a lyrical text and extraordinary illustrations offer a gorgeous meditation on loneliness, belonging, and home.

A young Italian boy has moved to the Welsh hills with his family. He feels isolated and unhappy, a stranger in a strange land. It is only when he makes an unlikely friend, an old man who lets him fly one of his pigeons in a race, that he learns how he can belong. Nicola Davies’s beautiful story — an immigrant’s tale with powerful resonance in our troubled times — is illustrated by an artist who makes the world anew with every picture.

King of the Sky

Austin Aslan

In Turbo Racers: Trailblazer, twelve-year-old Mace Blazer gets the chance to pilot a state-of-the-art vehicle that transforms at the touch of a button from race car to jet plane to single-person sub, in the biggest race in the world. The roar of the crowd, the glow of the spotlight, the thrill of the race—Mace Blazer dreams of going TURBO. TURBOnaunts thrive on the thrum of trimorphers’s rocket engines as the vehicles morph from super-powered race cars to speeding jet aircrafts to torpedo-fast submarines, while they race full-throttle around every bend. And Mace believes he’s got what it takes to join their ranks—he only needs the chance to prove it. So when a reclusive retired racer chooses Mace to try out to be part of the next generation of TURBOnauts, Mace knows that this is his moment to show what he can do. But the path to his big shot means facing down the best and the brightest from around the world. Mace will have to live more fearlessly, hone quicker reflexes, be revolutionary—but will it be enough? Mace quickly realizes that everything he’s ever hoped for comes at a price. He’ll have to decide between what is right and what is easy. Every morph counts in the first book in this exhilarating new adventure series by the acclaimed author of The Islands at the End of the World, Austin Aslan. This is the first title in a high-stakes middle-grade two-book series!

TURBO Racers: Trailblazer

Mike Yamada

The annual midnight race around the block, Pet Quest, is upon the neightbourhood. The rivalry between the two fastest kids on the block, Cool Cat and Top Dog, is reaching fever pitch, and to make matters worse, the two challengers live in the same household. Their competitiveness looks set to cost them the race - can they find a way to work together before all is lost? A fast-paced, prank-filled romp - full of heart - from celebrated new talent Mike Yamada.ÿ

Cool Cat versus Top Dog

Blake Hoena

Fernando Cano

Hercules and Theseus each claim to be the best hero truck, so at the suggestion of a MonsterTruck they agree to a race through the Underworld Junkyard, from which no truck has ever returned–but it turns out that the MonsterTruck has his own agenda, and Hercules and Theseus must work together if they are to escape his trap.

Underworld Clash

Atalanta believes herself to be the fastest hero truck in the world, as her record of winning races indicates–and now she must also defeat the MonsterTrucks that challenge her to ever more demanding obstacle courses, but with a little help from the other hero trucks she will prevail.

Speed Dash

Kristy Dempsey

Bridget Strevens-Marzo

Ready, steady, green light, go! Mini Racer won’t go slow.

Twelve little vehicles are lined up and ready to race. With speed bumps to jump and corners to round, who will take the lead? The winner just might surprise you. This rhyming text is filled with onomatopoeia sure to tickle the funny bones of little readers. Beep, beep! Watch out as they race to turn the pages and follow each animal’s themed story. And the chase doesn’t end with the last screech; little ones will beg to read it over again to discover all of the details in the art. Mini Racer is a must-have for story time!

Miniracer

Franklin W. Dixon

Detective brothers Frank and Joe must solve a muddy mystery in the ninth book in the interactive Hardy Boys Clue Book series.

 Bayport Elementary is hosting a Mud Run to celebrate spring! A particularly muddy part of the town’s park will be set aside for the race and Coach Lambert has even managed to make more mud by using the park’s hoses and shovels. Frank and Joe can’t wait to splash through the muck.

 But on the day of the race, the runners are stopped in their tracks by croaking, blurping bullfrogs! Lots of people in the town had been annoyed that the park was being taken over by a bunch of muddy kids. Could someone have sabotaged the race with buckets of frogs?

Who Let The Frogs Out?

Ray O’Ryan

Jason Kraft

“Picked to represent their planet Nebulon in the Interstellar Space Race, Zack and his friends navigate their specially designed car through an underwater maze, around planetary rings, and through the stars! But when trouble stirs within the team, Zack must take charge. Can he lead them to victory?”–

Ready, Set, Blast Off!

Nancy Loewen

Thomas Russell Cox

In this humorous retelling of the classic fable, the tortoise, Balderdash, describes how his race with Jiffy the Hare (who was actually pretty slow for a hare), launched his career as a comedian.

The Tortoise and the Hare, Narrated by the Silly But Truthful Tortoise

Alan Copeland

Rhys Jefferys

Grab hold of this book that lets you steer a race car that’s revving up to win the big race! This is going to be a tough race. . . . There are a bunch of speedy cars already ahead of you! You’re coming up to a blue car there on your right. Speed up and then swerve into the lane to get ahead of him! Put on your seatbelt and your helmet-it’s time to drive a race car! Kids will love using the die-cut handles in this novelty board book to control the race car to steer through the track around cars and into other lanes to try and win the big race!

Race Car Rally!

Tom Angleberger

Dan Santat

When a Princess learns from her Fairy Godmother that she is in last place in a car race against such fairy tale notables as Humpty Dumpty, the Three Bears, and Rumpelstiltskin, she boldly rebuffs defeat and steps on the gas.

The Princess and the Pit Stop

Jessica Spanyol

Here come the MiniBugs! Here’s Keith, a master of race-car stunts.  

Meet the MiniBugs — four wild, crazy drivers, each with a book of his own. Keith is a master of race-car stunts. Frantically paced and chock-full of action words, this infectious book will have readers clamoring to climb aboard for the ride.

Keith and His Super-Stunt Rally Racer

Marisa Polansky

Maxine Lee

The Today I’m a . . . shaped board book series takes young children on a week in the life of different careers. In Today I’m a Race Car Driver, kids will follow Leo, a racecar driver, and get to see the various jobs on a race track and the tools used to keep a race car up and running. Filled with colorful images and fun car vocabulary, young children will get a glimpse of what it’s like to be a racecar driver.

Today I'm a Racecar Driver

Every day is an opportunity for a new adventure—and a new aspirational career—with the Today I’m a . . . board book series. This one is about being a racecar driver.

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

Trey King

Today the Rescue Bots are going to learn about the fastest cars and the biggest monster trucks! They’ll explore some engines, check out big tires, speed around racetracks, and more! Want to race along for the adventure? The Rescue Bots are here to learn about Earth the fun way! This new narrative series presents fun facts and photographs of children’s favorite topics, alongside characters from the popular toy and cartoon brand: Transformers Rescue Bots. This new form of nonfiction promises to be both educational and entertaining for any fan.

Transformers Rescue Bots: Training Academy: Monster Trucks and Race Cars!

In one of the most dangerous and intriguing cases of their careers, Frank and Joe Hardy help their father investigate a series of mysterious car accidents. Each of the drivers had seen a signpost marked DANGER shortly before his accident. The young detectives investigate, only to discover that the signposts have vanished. The attempted theft of a secret experimental motor and the kidnapping of a famous race horse are part of this thrilling case, which proves to be as sinister as the signposts themselves. From the Hardcover edition.

Hardy Boys 15: The Sinister Signpost

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!

Cathleen Young

Cathleen Young’s characters will forever have a place in my heart. –Holly Goldberg Sloan, author of Counting by 7s Former best friends compete to see who can grow the biggest pumpkin and win the annual giant pumpkin race on the lake. A great pick for fans of Half a Chance and Gertie’s Leap to Greatness. At the end of every summer, Madeline Island hosts its famous pumpkin race. All summer, adults and kids across the island grow giant, thousand-pound pumpkins, then hollow one out and paddle in it across the lake to the cheers of the entire town. Twelve-year-old Billie loves to win; she has a bulletin board overflowing with first-prize ribbons. Her best friend Sam doesn’t care much about winning, or at least Billie didn’t think so until last summer’s race, when his pumpkin crashed into hers as she was about to cross the finish line and he won. This summer, Billie is determined to get revenge by growing the best and biggest pumpkin and beating Sam in the race. It’s a tricky science to grow pumpkins, since weather, bugs, and critters can wipe out a crop. Then a surprise visit from a long-lost relative shakes things up, and Billie begins to see her family, and her bond with Sam, in a new way.

The Pumpkin War

Today the Rescue Bots are going to learn about the fastest cars and the biggest monster trucks! They’ll explore some engines, check out big tires, speed around racetracks, and more! Want to race along for the adventure? The Rescue Bots are here to learn about Earth the fun way! This new narrative series presents fun facts and photographs of children’s favorite topics, alongside characters from the popular toy and cartoon brand: Transformers Rescue Bots. This new form of nonfiction promises to be both educational and entertaining for any fan. Passport to Reading Level 2

Sun-powered, plant-driven speedsters take on imp-powered, zombie-driven hot rods! Let the races begin! Crazy Dave faces the incredibly tough Don’t Blink videogame–and he also challenges Dr. Zomboss to a series of contests to determine the future of Neighborville! The car-filled competition is underway, and Crazy Dave and Dr. Zomboss are neck and neck! Paul Tobin (Bandette, The Witcher) and Ron Chan (Star Wars, The Guild) return to deliver another hilarious zombie battle to your burg! Collects Plants vs. Zombies comics 7 to 9. PopCap’s immensely popular Plants vs. Zombies game gets another serving of hilarious, plant-filled, zombie-zapping comics! These durable, value-priced hardcovers are aimed at game players of all ages! Praise for previous volumes of the Dark Horse Plants vs. Zombies series: This is one of the more fun video game adaptations that I’ve read . . . -Front Towards GamerThis witty comedic tale with delightful art and rich colors definitely does justice for what started out as a tower defense game. Impressive. -Comic Crusaders  It has light-hearted humor and makes the characters of the video game even more interesting. -Nuke the Fridge Capturing the tone of the game perfectly, this team brings the madcap of Popcap to brilliant life and imagination, with all the humor, wit, and ice cream you could hope for. -Fanboy Comics

Plants vs. Zombies Volume 5: Petal to the Metal

Megan Roth

Follow the trail for a snowy adventure to the North Pole! This storybook has a die-cut path so toddlers can move their fingers along the path as they meet penguins, elves, reindeer, and even Santa! With adorable illustrations and rhyming text, this trace and touch book is perfect for Christmastime reading.

Race to the North Pole

Gail Tuchman

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines! The driver zips up her jumpsuit and squeezes through her racecar window. Engines rev. Tires SCREECH and SQUEAL…and they’re off! Around and around the cars go VVVRRRROMMMMM! Pit stops! CRASHES! POPPED tires! Race to the finish line…and the checkered flag SNAPS down. Race day roars into life in this breathless book. National Geographic supports K-12 educators with ELA Common Core Resources. Visit www.natgeoed.org/commoncore for more information.

Race Day!

Alyssa Satin Capucilli

Pat Schories

Look, Biscuit, it’s snowing!Snow days are snow much fun! Will Biscuit the little yellow puppy get to play in the sledding race? For the first time, everyone’s favorite little yellow puppy stars in an I Can Read with a snow theme!Biscuit’s Snow Day Race is a My First I Can Read, perfect for shared reading with a child.

Biscuit's Snow Day Race

David A. Adler

Sam Ricks

Mo is going swimming in the fifth title of the perenially popular, Geisel Award-winning Level 2 readers series by David A. Adler! It’s Field Day at summer camp and Mo’s group, the Guppies, is competing for extra ice cream! He and his friends are doing their best at everything from the three-legged race to the potato sack race, and as the day nears its end, each group has won one medal each. It’s all on Mo to break the tie in the final event: swimming!

Swim, Mo, Swim!

Leila Rudge

Gary, a grounded racing pigeon, dreams of exploring the world–until the day he falls into an adventure of his very own. Most of the time, Gary is just like the other racing pigeons, eating and sleeping and dreaming of adventure. There’s just one thing that separates him from the ordinary pigeons: he can’t fly. When his friends set off in their travel basket, Gary expects to stay at home, organizing his scrapbook of travel mementos and imagining far-off places. But when he accidentally falls into the travel basket and ends up a very long way from home, he discovers that flying might not be the only way to have adventures. Leila Rudge, in her gentle, colorful style, is sure to charm anyone who has ever felt like the odd one out with this satisfying story of perseverance and being comfortable in your own skin.

Gary

Jennifer Oxley

Billy Aronson

Peg and Cat, stars of their own Emmy Award-winning animated TV series, zoom into a picture book and put math skills to the test in a lively racing adventure. Peg and Cat have built an amazing car out of things they found lying around. They’ve named her Hot Buttered Lightning (since she’s built for speed), and they plan to win the Tallapegga Twenty. If they can make it out of the junkyard, that is. It’s a good thing Peg knows the best shape to use to make wheels and how to count laps to see who is ahead. And it’s lucky that Cat reminds Peg to keep calm when she’stotally freaking out! Will Peg and Cat be the first to complete twenty laps and win the Golden Cup? Or will it be one of their quirky competitors? Count on Peg and Cat to rev up young problem-solvers for an exciting race to the finish.

Peg + Cat: The Race Car Problem

Lisa Wheeler

Barry Gott

In this installment of dino competition, meat eaters face off against plant eaters in three high-speed auto events: drag racing, off-road racing, and stock-car racing. Lisa Wheeler’s rhymes explore thoughtful questions such as: Which dinosaurs would make the best chasers for support in a desert off-road race? Does T-Rex’s king status transfer to the track? And can Diplodocus actually fit inside a stock car? Barry Gott’s illustrations bring all the hilarious action to life.

Top 10 Racing Books

Racing