1-2-3 va-va-vroom!

Counting takes a back seat, so to speak, to the thrills of car racing in Lynn's (Tip-Tap Pop) second picture book. "Let's race" shouts one of three children, first seen playing with toy cars on a playroom rug; the action shifts to a racetrack, with each child piloting his or her own vehicle, complete with animal-themed helmets and, in one case, a teddy bear copilot. The only numbers are those of the laps around the track: "Lap Three!/ Clutch the wheel,/ knuckles white./ Swerve to right! Missing that big smash!" Griffo's bright illustrations pop, blending asphalt action with whimsical details. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

PreS-"Let's race!" Three toddlers place their toy cars on a rug filled with blocks and traditional games and they're off on an imagined 10 laps of checkered-flag excitement. One by one, each vehicle moves to the front and swerves around the corners, passing other cars in white-knuckled near-misses, "catching air" with flips and tipping cars. Flat-tire stops at the pit, speedy fixes, "swooshing" flags, confetti, and a cheering crowd all make an appearance, while squealing tires and the "Va-Va-Vroom!" of each page-turn lap transforms to the "Ba-ba-boom" of the winner's celebration fireworks. Digitally created with sweetly cartooned cheer, each young driver, strapped in by a seatbelt and garbed in an animal-inspired helmet, whirls in a brightly striped car through clearly numbered laps viewed through the windshield, along the curves, or from high in the spectator stands. A preschool natural for energetic little ones with cars at the ready, this brief book visually races through counting and action words.-Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.