2026 Blogging A to Z Challenge: Transportation
Probably one of the all-time-favorite themes of board books and picture books – transportation or things that go! Now, depending on the kid, the thing may be different, some kids are all about cars or construction vehicles, my nephew loved tractors, but it’s an evergreen topic of both board books and picture books and it’s our focus for the Letter “T” of the 2026 Blogging A to Z Challenge.
What I love about some of these books is that they show a wide-variety of vehicles which increases a child’s vocabulary. So, when you see something in real life that you read about, a child can make the connection between the fictional object in the book and the real object that they see! It’s a great way to increase vocabulary which helps kids when it comes to learning how to read in the future!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure for more information.
2026 Blogging A to Z Challenge: Transportation
Animals Go Vroom! by Abi Cushman
Hiss! Screech! Roar! It’s a noisy day in Bumperville! But are the sounds what you think they are? That Honk! must surely be a goose. But turn the page and it’s the taxi that a goose is driving! Using cleverly placed die-cuts, this inventive book hints at what is making the sound, but with each turn of the page, it’s an eye-opening surprise and part of an unfolding story that is part guessing game and part giggle-inducing caper.
Beep! Beep! Vehicles on the Go by Byron Barton
Twelve vehicles—a car, a truck, a plane, a boat, a train, a bus, a bike, and so on—are introduced to very young children in this board book celebration of transportation. The award-winning Byron Barton (1930–2023) was renowned for his preschool picture books introducing basic concepts to young children. The images in this board book come from his many popular “things that go” titles, including My Car, My Bus, and My Bike,and also feature a community of drivers and passengers, both animal and human. Beep! Beep! Vehicles on the Go is a terrific choice for vehicle-obsessed toddlers. A great gift for baby showers and birthdays!
Cars Cars Cars!: Find Your Favorite by Donna David, illustrated by Nina Pirhonen
Full of spotting and counting fun, with different cars to follow on each page and an exciting fold-out race at the end, this rhyming preschool picture book from Donna David and Nina Pirhonen has been specially developed to encourage pre-reading skills and expand language and vocabulary. With action-packed scenes and fun read aloud text, Cars Cars Cars! is perfect for any transport-obsessed toddler!
Go, Owl, Go! by Rebecca Purcell
In this story in the Owl and Bird series of full-color board books Owl and his friends are on the go, using various transport and in engaged in a variety of activates requiring motion. This amusing beginner book, with bold, bright illustrations and simple text, introduces young readers to various modes of transport and forms of motion, with simple vocabulary.
Make Tracks: In the Sky by Johnny Dyrander
In this interactive series with easy-to-use, durable sliders, your toddler can operate an airplane, a hot-air balloon, a helicopter, and a spaceship! Perfect for helping toddlers develop hand-eye coordination, while also encouraging interaction with simple sky—themed first words, clear diagrams, and helpful text prompts to learn through play.
Rosa Loves Cars by Jessica Spanyol
Let’s find out what Rosa and her friends are playing with today! An important board book series that celebrates inclusivity, promotes gender equality and embraces the uniqueness of every child. 1
Things That Go by Shannon Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham
From sports cars to bumper cars, skateboards to hoverboards, submarines to trampolines, and every silly vehicle in between, Kitty and Unicorn demonstrate the many ways to ZOOM!
The youngest kitty-corns will enjoy this bright and friendly board book’s introduction to transportation concepts.
Teeny-tiny mini-moo
Kitty-corns will read with you.
Pitter-patter fast and slow
let’s explore some things that go!
Tractor by Sally Sutton, illustrated by Brian Lovelock
The plow that cuts the earth, the harrow that churns the soil, the seed drill that plants the seeds, the sprayer that waters them, the combine harvester that reaps the corn, the dump cart that brings the tasty load to the truck—there’s plenty of noisy excitement that happens on a farm. And don’t forget the hard-working tractor, which rests when the farm workers take a break and sample the crop! From the creative pair that brought us the Construction Crew series (with more than a million copies sold), Tractor will be a go-to read-aloud for little ones mesmerized by its sound words and bold, graphic sights.
Transportation by Emmy Kastner
In Nerdy Babies: Transportation, follow our intrepid babies when they’re on the go. Experience skating on rollerblades, flying on air balloons, exploring underwater in a submarine, and riding cross-country on a car. Plus, learn about how different air, land, and sea travel can be in this simple text written in question-and-answer format.
2026 is my eleventh year participating in the Blogging A to Z Challenge! This year, my theme is Board Books for Babies with a focus on providing book suggestions that parents and caregivers can share with, of course, babies, but also toddlers and preschoolers! Each letter of the alphabet will focus on a different subject and will provide nine titles for each subject. While there are dozens of classic board books out there, this list includes titles published in the past 5-6 years, so you’ll get to learn about new titles, authors, and publishers! Stop by daily to check out the new books and other posts that I’ll be sharing in April.
