You can teach values through reading with your child. Illustrated picture books are a good way to start this process. These books tell stories that a young child can understand and through the plot and theme values are represented. Young children ask many questions and a character that thinks about situations and asks questions of a wiser character is someone your child can relate to. He can put himself in the place of the young character. It is a good way for him or her to learn about values like wisdom, right, and wrong.

The book can help your child learn values easier as they are demonstrated through the good and bad actions of a book's characters. Sometimes an older wiser character shows the young character the answer, as well as explains the thing the younger character is pondering. This is the case in a picture book entitled "The Greedy Race Car Driver" by Mike Campana. It is part of his series Destination Station. In this book of the series Abel has heard the word greed and doesn't know what it means. His friend Wise Wally finds him pondering this question and tells Abel he will show him what greed is.

Wise Wally takes Abel to a cave to let him see greed in action. The story is made more vivid by the inclusion of an original wooden racecar project. A book with a toy like this can make the book even more fascinating for a child. This series can help you teach values through reading to your boy or girl as each picture book relates a different value. In "The Greedy Race Car Driver" Abel learns about greed and this helps him understand the opposite-not being greedy or sharing.

This book is written in the tradition of a value or moral being learned from a story. It is like the boy-crying wolf until no one believed him or Pinocchio lying and his nose grows. Many fables have been written that deal with values. It is a good way to illustrate that kindness is better than meanness or that sharing is better than being stingy. The story is set in Colorado where that author is from and the nice illustrations will help to keep your child interested in what Abel learns from Wise Wally.

This picture book has the added value of making the unique wooden racecar with your child. You have the chance to encourage your boy or girl to share this unusual toy with siblings or friends. This added feature of books with toys helps you to teach your child values. It also gives you a chance to do something fun and different with your child.