Charities to Support on Giving Tuesday and this Festive Season Hello, friends and fellow race fans!  Andy Amendola here from Red Racer Books. What began as sharing my love for motorsports with my kids has turned into something bigger – a series of books introducing kids to the exciting world of Formula 1 and soon, IndyCar in 2024. But it's not all about speed and cars; we're all about sparking a love for STEM and showing the diverse opportunities in motorsports. This holiday season, I'm tapping into that same spirit by sharing some incredible charities and organizations that align with the values at Red Racer Books. Over the past few years, through my journey with Red Racer Books, I've had...

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 Competition: It's in Our Nature! Recently, while reading a NASCAR book, I stumbled upon the quote above. It instantly made me chuckle and think of my own kids. It reminded me how deeply racing connects with our human nature, and how from a very young age, kids will turn everything into a competition! More on our racing adventure below.   NEW Scavenger Hunt Game for Kids! FREE     Building on the popularity from the scavenger hunt game I created for my INDYCAR ABC Beta-Testing kit (a huge shout-out to all the fantastic Junior Test Drivers!), I've crafted a brand-new scavenger hunt game. This little side quest is designed to pair with the “ABCs of Racing - My 1st Guide...

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The Ultimate Racing Bundle And Then Zoom Into Zandvoort For The Dutch Grand Prix With Red Racer Books and WaytoPlay!

Imagine the excitement on your kids' faces as they dive into the exciting world of Formula 1 racing, right from the comfort of your living room. The Ultimate Racing Bundle is about to revolutionize your family's quality time. If you love Formula 1 racing and cars and you have young kids at home, this set is the perfect gift for you.

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From F1 Arcade to the FIA Hall of Fame: Exploring F1 in Europe during the Summer Break. The Red Racer Books Family Adventures During F1 Summer Break – A Tour of the F1 Arcade in London, England and the FIA Museum and Hall of Fame in Paris, France.

While F1 is taking its summer break, we thought, why not have our own summer adventure? Sure, we didn't get to hop on private jets or cruise on yachts like some drivers, but we still got a taste of the F1 action! 

So, my better half and I took our kid on a short but jam-packed trip to London and Paris this month. Between checking out the Eiffel Tower and the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace, we managed to squeeze in some F1 excitement too!

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Understanding the power of the “Father Effect” Children, especially young ones, possess an innate curiosity and an openness to new experiences. They are like sponges, absorbing everything from their surroundings. They also crave attention from their parents, both their mother and father. While historically men have not played as active a role in child-rearing, that has changed significantly in recent decades. However, it remains a relatively new phenomenon, with far more studies conducted on the impact of mothers on children compared to fathers. Nevertheless, the influence of fathers is undeniable. One study conducted showed that when fathers actively engage and play with their children from early childhood, the collective benefits, commonly referred to as the "Father Effect," are huge!   These benefits continue...

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I always dreamed of being a father and having kids of my own. Growing up, my own parents were not always around as much as I would have liked. While they are wonderful parents, as immigrants in the US, they sacrificed a lot to provide for me and my sister and give us opportunities they didn’t have growing up. They both worked a lot, which set a great example, but meant they were not always present. I was fortunate that my grandfather aka “abuelo” was around to be another male role model in my life. I’m a father now, of two beautiful kids Blanca and Joaquin, and I’ve prioritized spending time with them – something incredibly fulfilling and fun for me. ...

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Last week marked the 2nd annual Miami F1 Grand Prix, and what a week it was! As a new F1 fan, I was thrilled when they announced a few years ago that the F1 circus would be coming to my hometown. I consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to witness it up close. While I believe there was more fanfare for last year's inaugural race, this year's event still had plenty to offer. It was interesting to see how things had changed from one year to the next. Here's a rundown of the events I attended in Miami during the week leading up to the Grand Prix:   IWC Chrono Challenge Red Bull Make YourMark Aston Martin I/AM...

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There’s a growing movement to get more women into motorsport and I am totally here for it!  As a kids book author and parent, I firmly believe that you can’t be what you can’t see. So I love to see more female representation in motorsport because that is how we will change the sport for the better. As a father to a son and a daughter, it's important to me that both of them have equal opportunities to pursue their passions.  So that’s why I wanted to pay tribute, in my own small way,  to all the women in motorsport who serve as inspiration to us adults and to the kids.  They show all children out there that if you...

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  F1 is finally back and I'm on the edge of my seat waiting to see how the new driver pairings get along. It is said in F1, that your teammate is your biggest rival.  Considering the only other driver on track with the same car is your teammate, I can see why the competition gets heated. While some rivalries turn into off-track friendships, others result in calamitous clashes (see. Senna v. Prost, Mclaren 1988-89) In any case, I can’t wait to see how the teams gel this year. Who will clash? Who will come out on top? Will there be new bromances to rival “Car-Lando”? All I know is that with only four teams racing together from last year's...

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It's the moment we've all been waiting for - F1 is finally back (ish). 

Today marks the start of pre-season testing in Bahrain! I've been on the edge of my seat for what feels like an eternity, but now the teams, drivers, and cars are finally returning to try out their new 2nd generation ground effect cars on the track!

 If you are not up to speed with pre-season testing, it’s a group session where Formula 1 teams get to run their cars on the track and prepare them for the upcoming season. This year, teams will only have three days to test, and it’s taking place at the Sakhir circuit in Bahrain.

What the teams want is to get the car's setup perfect and manage any issues with reliability. What they don't want to see is porpoising! That’s the fancy F1 word for bouncing, something many teams struggled with last year.

I love Pre-season testing because there are some unique sights and terms that you don't usually see or hear during regular Grand Prix race weekends. There is both STEM themes and competitive strategy.  Here are three new vocab words that could be helpful if you plan on watching!

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