While the older kids are busy with their homeschool work, I like to have my younger kids engaged in an activity of their own. This helps keep everyone on track and minimizes the distractions. Cars and Trucks on the Road: My First Search & Find from The Quarto Group was a book that kept my three- and four-year old children busy for a long time. The book is $12.95.

Even my older kids loved looking at the colorful illustrations featuring animals and vehicles. They also enjoyed searching for the hidden items. They kept asking to read the book with their little siblings. Once all the hidden items had been discovered, the kids kept studying every page, challenging each other to look for other items they saw.

There is a story to read, following Mr. Giraffe as he takes a morning drive in his purple car. As he travels along from road to road, a variety of other vehicles join Mr. Giraffe. Many characters reoccur on the different pages, making it easy to follow along with what they are doing. The busy city scenes offer plenty to look at, especially on the final page which folds out. There’s a huge traffic jam on that page, giving children so much to visually explore.

While reading, children will practice color and number identification skills. They will also be paying attention to detail and making observations. These important soft skills are used throughout life, and this is a gentle book to help them practice.

In addition to reading this during school time, my young learners enjoyed taking it along on car trips. They would try to find things from the book on our drive. It was fun to hear the kids talk together about how rare purple cars are to find in our area and watch them point out different vehicles we encountered.

The book is durable, with thick pages. It held up well to multiple readings and being taken along on car trips. It’s quickly become a family favorite in our house. If you have early learners, I highly recommend adding it to your collection. It’s a great book to help keep little ones occupied during school time.

-Product review by Lisa Tanner, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, November, 2018