Race Car Dreams
Author: Sharon Chriscoe
Illustrator: Dave Mottram
Anticipated Published: September 13, 2016 by Running Press Kids
Goodreads Summary: After a day at the track of zipping and zooming, a race car is tired and ready for bed. He washes his rims, fills his tummy with oil, and chooses a book that is all about speed. All toasty and warm, he drifts off to sleep, he shifts into gear . . . and dreams of the race!
Ricki’s Review: I know I won’t be the only parent to say that my child cannot get enough cars. He eats, sleeps, and breathes cars, so I jumped at the chance to review this book. And boy, I wasn’t disappointed. The characterization within the text is engaging and fun, and I loved all of the integration of car parts/ideas in the race car’s preparation for bedtime. The race car comes to life, and I am grateful to have this book to read before bedtime. It engages my son while making him a sleepy boy! This charming book is going to be a story that parents read again and again.
Kellee’s Review: Any fan of Pixar cars or race cars in general is going to love the race car’s story. The personification of the car is adorable, I specifically like how his emotions can be read by looking at his eyes, and I love that the race car reads before bed! I would love to have students write their own stories of bedtime for vehicles (or other inanimate object) to see how school buses or tow trucks get ready for bed. In my life though, it is a bedtime story that my son loves to read.
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: It would be really fun to compare and contrast this book to some of the texts listed below in the “Read This If You Love” section. As avid readers of vehicle books, we know that each book has a different angle, and these are nuances that kids recognize and appreciate. It would be interesting to capitalize on these comparisons and differences to talk about how authors craft stories creatively and uniquely.
Discussion Questions: What does the race car do to prepare for bed? How does this compare to your bedtime routine?; How does the author make the race car come alive with personification?; How does the author craft the story in ways that make you sleepy?
Flagged Passage: “The zooming has stopped. The sun’s almost set. / A race car is tired. He’s wringing with sweat. / His day has been filled with high octane fun. He’s hugged all the curves. He’s had a good run.”
Read This If You Love: Race Car Count by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by by The Racecar Alphabet by Brian Floca, Alphabeep: A Zipping, Zooming ABC by Debora Pearson, The Three Little Rigs by David Gordon, Ten Little School Cars by School Specialty Publishing
Follow the Tour!:
9/7 MomReadIt
9/10 Stacking Books
9/11 Geo Librarian
9/12 Flowering Minds
9/13 Unpacking the POWER of Picture Books
9/14 MamaBelly
9/16 Just Kidding
Recommended For:
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**Thank you to Cassie for providing copies for review!**
Thank you both so much for the lovely review! So, happy your little one is enjoying it, Ricki. Kellee, I really love the idea of students writing their own stories of bedtime for vehicles. And the teacher tools and discussion questions are fantastic!
Wonderful review!
Ha! I love that Race Car reads his own book before bed. Looking forward to release day. Vroom vroom!!
With such terrific reviews, this has got to be a must-read book!
Great reviews! Definitely on my *must share* list! Kids are going to love Race Car Dreams!