Reddit reviews Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things That Go

https://www.amazon.com/Richard-Scarrys-Cars-Trucks-Things/dp/0307157857

https://www.amazon.com/Go-Dog-P-D-Eastmans-Things/dp/067988629X

I loved these two when I was little

He's driving a blue 2CV4 on the endpapers, too.

I found, rereading this as an adult, that quite a few of the weird vehicles in the book exist in real life (e.g. that 2CV4, I'd never seen one in the flesh until long after I read the book as a child). One of these days I've gotta go back through it and see if I can identify them. It's still in print, but they've reduced the page size a bit and parts of some of the pictures have disappeared into the binding. My old copy has pretty much disintegrated, but I bought a new one for my kids.

Try /r/parenting/ and /r/raisingkids/ (slightly less toxic)

Many kids don't begin to read until they enter kindergarten (age 5). If this 4-year-old is being taught by his parents to read, or gets such instruction (say, in a Montessori preschool) find out if he's in the early stages, or he's going full bore reading regular picture books and 'early reader' books on his own. Such a child typically enters kindergarten reading at a first or second grade level.

Unless he's a strong reader, the safe and good bet is to buy books with the intent that his parents will read the books to him. So even a chapter book could be appropriate if the subject matter interests him to be read a chapter or two each night at bedtime.

There are loosely ordered by my recommendation level:

• Richard Scarry’s Cars and Trucks and Things That Go. This one is bursting with vehicles, tons to take in on every double page... mostly passenger vehicles, but all manner of other types of vehicles make their own appearance, plus lots of absurd ones (a gorilla driving a banana car, etc.) One scene is in a construction site. A thin story line ties each scene together (the pig family going on a car trip, and Officer Flossy chasing down the speeding Dingo Dog). A fun feature is a yellow bug ("Goldbug") hidden in a different place on each double page. Be sure to get the hardcover. Even when Mom or Dad isn't there to read it, the book is fun to look through.
  
  
• Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel (Amazon link). This is a true classic from 1939. A steam shovel was antiquated even in 1939, but that's the theme of this story.
  
  
• Trashy Town (garbage truck) This one is fun if you can get him repeating the story's refrain with you... "Is the trash truck full yet? {yelling} NOOOO! Mister Gilly drives on..."
  
  
• I Stink (garbage truck)
  
  
• Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site
  
  
• Justin Roberts Greatest Hits CD (or MP3s). I mention this one only because he has a song Obsessed by Trucks.

Used! - We've been talking about transportation at work. I think the kids would enjoy this to look at.

Edit: And bubbles

Nix The Giving Tree -- it's for older kids, and really, for adults.

For the 4-year-old, Flat Stanley is a fun early chapter book series that his parents can read him (there are more books than in the linked boxed set).

Richard Scarry is good for the numerous things to look at. If you only get one, buy Cars, and Trucks and Things that Go. Check the book dimensions first. You want at least a 10 to 12 inch Richard Scarry book, the bigger the better.

There are a ton of pictures books on the market. Go to a good bookstore. Choose ones that have more than a few words per page (because only a few words indicates it's probably a baby book read by a parent). Definitely no board books.

The 9-year-old is probably asking for non-fiction books when he says educational books.

1. Best of Mad Libs is a huge one that will last him a while.
   
   
2. Animal Encyclopedia. There's a whole range of hardcover books like this, lots of color photos with factoids about the subject matter.
   
   Do you know if the 4-year-old is reading yet, or what either of their interests are outside of books? What other types of gifts did they ask for? That might give you a clue. For example, if either of them mention Star Wars, books about Star Wars may get them really excited about reading, or maybe a non-fiction book about space flight, etc.
   

I loved these giant bricks so much at that age! Superfun for basic stacking as well as advance building.

Should probably wait a bit on this one, but Cootie is the best game ever for the preK & K crowd. Another classic game is Memory.

Have some construction paper, brown paper bags (I cut the bottoms off, then down one seam and use the backside as kraft paper), markers, and crayons. Even the 2 year old can rip paper up and stick it to contact paper to make fun collages! Bonus, no need for scissors!

And please don't forget books! Board might be best for the little girl, but if she's not an eater/tearer, then go ahead and get paper or hard backs. Rikki Tikki Tembo, a Seuss collection, Where's Spot, some Eric Carle, Carl, Richard Scarry, Jamberry, and some Little Golden Books ought to be a good start! Protip: Thrift shops have tons of books for kids in great condition.

Look at these cars UpThaPunx! VRRRROOOOOM!