Riding In My Car    by Woody Guthrie & Scott Menchin Order:  USA  Can Little, Brown & Co., 2012 (2012) Softcover     Reviewed by Bob Walch Combine the lyrics from legendary folksinger and songwriter Woody Guthrie's song Riding In My Car with the paper engineering of Gene Vosough, and Scott Menchin's art work and you have an interactive pop-up book with some very engaging parts. To begin with, the book's cover features a woody convertible which will be the vehicle the Dog family drives on their journey across America. Open the book and immediately there's a flip-the-flap guitar case that informs the reader that Guthrie wrote this song while living in New York City. With the city's skyline in the background, the Dog family is in their car starting out on their trip. Pull the tab at the side and you'll see them move back and forth as they sing the opening part of the song. The next stop is the White House in the nation's capital. Look closely and you'll find a window that flips up and shows a former White House occupant and other moving parts with surprises. Other book scenarios include a farm, Mount Rushmore, an Oklahoma interchange on Route 66, the Southwest desert, and finally the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Look carefully at each two page spread because while some of the interactive parts are easy to see, others blend in with the art work. I'd suggest running your fingers across every page so you don't miss anything. There's also a suggested website to check out (under the hot air balloon flap on the final page) where you can hear Guthrie sing this song. A bit of nostalgia coupled with some interesting facts about America and some of the sights you'll see make Riding In My Car a special read. This book does carry a potential choking hazard warning and would be appropriate for children five years of age and older. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews