The Wheels - The Friendship Race
The Wheels Series
on Goodreads (72)
What’s inside...
This book tells the story of a group of vehicle friends who decide to have a race. Throughout the race, they learn about the importance of friendship, teamwork, and being supportive of one another. It's a heartwarming tale that emphasizes the value of camaraderie over competition. The Wheels - The Friendship Race (Ukrainian edition) further explores the theme of friendship as three good friends start a race but decide to finish it together, helping a friend who got into trouble. This book teaches children positive friendship skills like sharing, supporting, and helping each other.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
3-9
Length
32 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What do you think made the race special for all the friends involved?
How did the characters help each other during the race?
Can you think of a time when you helped a friend? How did that make you feel?
Why is it important to work together and support each other?
What would you do if you were in a similar race with your friends?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to think about the value of friendship and teamwork by relating the story to their personal experiences.
Ask your child to imagine alternative endings to the race, discussing how different actions might change the outcome.
Highlight the emotions of the characters during the race, asking your child how they think each character felt at different points.
Discuss the importance of winning versus having fun and being a good friend, gauging your child’s feelings on both.
Use the book as a starting point to talk about fairness, cooperation, and kindness, reinforcing these values through examples from the story.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Value of Friendship
Explanation: In 'The Wheels - The Friendship Race', the vehicles learn that helping each other is more rewarding than competing. This is shown when the characters choose to assist each other during the race instead of focusing solely on winning.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this lesson by supporting their peers in group activities or in school projects, fostering a cooperative rather than competitive environment.
Example Lesson: Importance of Teamwork
Explanation: The story demonstrates teamwork when the vehicles collaborate to overcome obstacles in the race, showing that working together can lead to success.
Real-World Application: This encourages children to participate actively in team sports or group assignments, understanding that collective effort often yields better results.
Example Lesson: Perseverance and Problem Solving
Explanation: Throughout the race, the characters encounter various challenges but do not give up. They think creatively to solve problems, which eventually helps them advance in the race.
Real-World Application: Children learn to stay persistent and think critically when faced with difficulties, whether in academics, sports, or personal hobbies.
Example Lesson: Joy in Participating
Explanation: The book highlights that the joy of participation is just as important as winning, portraying a sense of happiness and satisfaction in simply being part of the race.
Real-World Application: This can help children understand the importance of being involved in activities for enjoyment and personal growth, not just for rewards.
Example Lesson: Empathy and Understanding
Explanation: As the vehicles help each other out during the race, they show empathy by understanding each other's challenges and feelings.
Real-World Application: This can teach children to be considerate of others' emotions and difficulties in their daily interactions, promoting a more empathetic outlook.