Beep! Beep!
I received my first Richard Scarry book —the 1971 ABC Word Book— when I was in Kindergarten. Scarry’s animal characters are so charming and create mayhem in the most delightful ways, especially when they got behind a wheel. I loved this book, and I still do.
In 1974, Scarry wrote and illustrated another cherished classic, Cars and Trucks and Things That Go which serves as the inspiration behind today’s post. His imagination ran wild as he invented vehicles so ridiculous that they’d cause the world’s biggest curmudgeon to smile a little bit (even if it was only when no one was looking). A bananamobile. A carrotcar. A mouse family poking their heads out of the holes in their Swiss cheese car. Good ol’ Lowly driving around in a half-eaten apple because what else would an inchworm drive? A steamroller that presses suits while you wait. Charlie the carpenter’s hammer car dropping nails all over the road unbeknownst to himself. I like to imagine Scarry at his drafting table cracking himself up over all of the nonsensical mischief that his characters were creating made even more humorous by their chosen modes of transportation.
Whenever I see a VW Beetle, Mini Cooper, or Fiat, I call them Richard Scarry cars because their rounded body shapes, unique colors, fun features and detailing, and circular headlights give me the same happy feeling as when I read Scarry’s books.
This collection of car-themed objects, clothing, books, and more is dedicated to my friend and his little boy who love cars, kids young and old, and car lovers of all ages. These car-themed designs, ideas, and their designers make me smile, and I hope they bring a smile to your face, too.
SHOP THE CREATORS
Cars and Trucks and Things That Go Book by Richard Scarry (author) | Penguin Random House (publisher) | New York, NY — An instant favorite!
Limited Diecast Blue the Great’s Thomas the Tank Engine by Blue the Great + Mattel, Inc. | Mattel Creations | El Segundo, CA — Collaboration Drops at 9am PT December 3, 2021 — Full disclosure: My husband works for Mattel. Mattel has not asked me or paid me to include their products in this post. Given my husband’s profession and our many niblings, toys are a considerable part of my life. I personally find the Mattel Creations projects to be an exciting development in the toy and pop culture/entertainment industry. These collaborations are an example of where I feel Design, in general, should be heading. Relationships are built, creative muscles are strengthened, and innovation happens with the cross-pollination of experiences, cultures, and ideas. With the challenges that our world is facing, we need corporations and governments to move in the direction of more collaboration and less isolation, and these Mattel Creations collaborations are a step in that direction. A side note: these items tend to go very quickly, so hop on it, if you want one.
Automotive Design Personal Training, Mentoring, Live Online Courses, & Gravity Sketch Intensives by CarDesign.Academy | Eric Stoddard | Orange County, CA — Eric was the very first friend I made at art school. We were part of the same orientation group. He was driven to become a car designer from the get-go, and his passion, dedication, talent, and hard work led him to go on to design the Chrysler Crossfire as well as design and consult on other exciting cars and projects. If you are interested in pursuing car design or industrial design or furthering your skills in those areas, I cannot recommend him enough. His expertise is invaluable and will serve you well in your pursuits.
3D Play Carpet - Traffic Blue by IVI World, LLC | Meltem Akdeniz & Yigit Akdeniz | Islandia, NY — Credit to my friend, Pete, for finding this gem. The textile artist in me loves that the roads are delineated by the varying heights of the carpet’s loop piles.
M9 Sportvan by PlayMonster LLC | Automoblox™ | Beloit, WI — The juxtaposition of European beechwood with its colorful rubber, plastic, and metal components is not only fun but gorgeous as well. Fun fact: Patrick Calello had the idea for what became Automoblox while he was a student at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
Ride-ons Speedster Black by Baghera | Emmanuel Nouveau | Versailles, France — I want to age backward so I can ride on one of these.
Spirit Car Marco (Wood) by Janod | Champlain, New York — I love how speed is indicated by the drag on the dog racer’s ears. Marco reminds me of Richard Scarry’s speedy Dingo.
The Little Red Racing Car Book by Carpe Viam Productions, LLC | Dwight Knowlton | Phoenix, AZ — Knowlton is the author/illustrator of several gorgeous books that I will be getting for Ben (shhh, don’t tell). Fun fact: Knowlton designed the 2015 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix poster, also available as a limited edition lithograph.
Pink Sedan by CandyLab Toys | Vlad Dragusin & Florin Galliano | New York, NY — If you think the Pink Sedan is fun, you will love their other vehicles plus their retro-styled roadside attractions, food trucks, shacks, motels, garages, and more.
1959 Ford Thunderbird Convertible Art Print by RafaBencosme | Rafael Bencosme | Boulder County, CO — Raf is a colleague and good friend of my husband. Raf illustrated a version of Ben’s car, and we absolutely love it!
T903 Luft Slate Mini by Playforever | Julian Meagher | London, UK — A very sweet nod to the 1985 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 Targa.
Cars: Accelerating the Modern World Book by Victoria & Albert Museum (publisher) | Brendan Cormier & Elizabeth Bisley (editors) | London, UK — Read this book for a better understanding of the history and impact of cars on design and our world.
Playskool Heroes Transformers Rescue Bots Academy Mini Bot Racers Converting Robot Toys by Hasbro, Inc. | Playskool Heroes | Pawtucket, RI — Simple, one-step transformations make for a great introduction to the wonderful world of Hasbro + Takara Tomy Transformers.
Automotive History Online Class - Ages 7–12 by Outschool, Inc. | Pamela Ocana, M.A. | San Francisco, CA — This class delves deep into the human understanding of time, space and speed, and how motion and methods of transportation evolved over history in a way that is accessible and fun for kids to explore.
Dump Truck by Green Toys, Inc. | San Leandro, CA — Made with recycled milk jugs and yogurt cups, packaged in 100% recyclable cardboard with soy-based printing inks, and made in the USA, these cool and sturdy toys are helping to pave the way to more sustainable products and manufacturing.
Postal Delivery LLV Pull Back Truck by The Postal Store® | USPS | USA — A shout out to the essential workers at USPS!
Creator Expert Pickup Truck by LEGO® | Billund, Denmark — This kit changes with the season, offering spring, summer, fall, & winter thematic features.
Smartcar Preschool Game by Smart Toys & Games, Inc. | Smart Games | San Francisco, CA — Smartcar is many spacial logic puzzles in one fun package.
Cars and Trucks and Things That Go Pajamas by Shop PBS (store) | Richard Scarry (author) | Hudson, OH — I wish that they made these in adult sizes because I want a pair of my own!
Recycling Truck by Bruder Toy Shop | Hawthorne, CA — I love toys that promote recycling so that kids can become comfortable with knowing what’s reusable, recyclable, compostable, landfill-bound, or toxic so that they can hopefully be part of the problem-solving innovations needed to address the environmental, social, and political challenges of the present and future.
Monster Jam Official Megalodon Storm All-Terrain RC Monster Truck by Spin Master Toys | Toronto, Canada — We bought this for our nephew, and it was an enormous hit. This thing is a beast. When they say all-terrain, they mean it.
Hot Wheels® Mario Kart™ Rainbow Road Track Set by Mattel, Inc. | Hot Wheels® | El Segundo, CA — This track is getting rave reviews and just by looking at it, I can see why. It exudes fun. Full disclosure: My husband works for Mattel. Mattel has not asked me or paid me to include their products in this post.
Mario Kart™ 8 Deluxe Video Game by Nintendo® Company, Ltd. | Switch | Redmond, WA — This is the ultimate party game and a great way for aunts and uncles to bond with their niblings. Be prepared that your niblings will win and not let you forget it, haha.
German Inventions Part 1: Car Online Class - Ages 9–14 by Outschool, Inc. | Miss Sibylle | San Francisco, CA — This is a quick 25-minute course exploring the history of the German invention of cars.
Creator Expert Fiat 500 by LEGO® | Billund, Denmark — I have built this kit, and loved it. The attention to detail is amazing. I made a little Kate minifig and found a LEGO® dog that looks like ours to sit in the car.
gogo taxi flats by kate spade NEW YORK | New York, NY — These shoes are part of a greater homage the brand pays to all things New York.
5-in-1 Roadster Pull Back Car Erector Set by SPIN Master Ltd. | Meccano | Calais, France — This set is a great S.T.E.A.M. learning experience for kids.
Car Nursery ABC Alphabet Poster by Custom Car Posters | Jonathan Wong | Vancouver, Canada — It’s a fun bedtime game to think of what other cars begin with a letter.
NYC Taxis Organic Tee by orangeheat | Sean Friesen | Venice, CA — A father filled a gap in the market, designing tees and more that capture the raw playfulness of childhood.
Rush Hour® Traffic Jam Logic Game by ThinkFun, Inc. | Think Fun Store | Alexandria, VA — Feeling stuck? Red Truck understands.
