NEW SEGMENT - Get to know the people behind Red Racer Books

We’re launching a new series with 5 real questions for the authors, illustrators, and insiders building the Red Racer universe.

Have a question for us, whether it's an illustrator, author, driver, etc, please 👉 Hit reply and SEND IT!

Short is fine. Kid questions VERY welcome.

We’ll feature the best in an upcoming Q&A.

Kickoff guest: Andy Amendola (The dad behind Red Racer Books).

1.Did you grow up with racing, or did it find you later? What was the exact moment the switch flipped?

I definitely didn’t grow up in a household that was into racing, the closest thing was monster trucks on TV (shoutout Bigfoot!). I did love cars, though, mostly design. Ferraris were my fave, I had no idea what happened under the hood. For context, I was born in ’81. My parents are immigrants and we mostly spoke Spanish at home, so I wasn’t exposed to American sports until my teens, let alone racing. I crossed paths with racing a few times in my 20s to 30s when I worked in advertising with clients who sponsored different series (what a missed opportunity face palm).

It wasn’t until I watched Drive to Survive that I truly got it, the strategy, the tech, the people. It was my gateway/cheat code into motorsports. Now I’m all in on many forms of racing and love learning more every day.

2. First race memory: Where were you, who were you with, and what sound still lives rent-free in your head?

Core memory. 2021. First ever F1 race. Pandemic restrictions were easing, and I flew to Austin to meet a friend for the U.S. GP at COTA. We had GA seats but snuck up a grandstand during practice (don’t tell). Walking up the steps, the engine sound hit first, then that gorgeous view of the track and cars. Unforgettable. I’ve been back to Austin a couple of times; I wrote about my second trip here in a blog post. And yes, I’ve got FOMO seeing all the activations this year.

3.What did you read when you were young?

I was definitely very into nonfiction growing up. I loved reading illustrated encyclopedias (think young children’s encyclopedias with pictures and illustrations), and I LOVED books about sharks! Thanks to the Pizza Hut Book It! Program, I read a lot of books in elementary school; let’s just say I was very pizza motivated, but the love of reading stuck.

4.What do you love most about making kids’ books?

Aside from seeing kids enjoy the books (and parents telling me their kids keep asking for them), I love the creative challenge: taking something complex like motorsports and translating it for kids, seeing through their eyes and imagining visuals that light them up. One of the best feelings is waking up to an email from our illustrators with fresh pages for a new book. It's so exciting to see a book come to life.

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5. Life outside reading and racing: What does a perfect non-racing day look like for you (with the kids, food, music, hobbies)?

My number one job is being a dad, and I love spending time with my two kids, who are Blanca, now age 11, and Joaquin, age 9. My parents, who are great parents, had full-time careers growing up, so we didn’t spend so much time together. I get that, but I don’t want to miss out on that with our kids, so we are always doing fun stuff. I love Art and going to museums. I love being outdoors, especially on the water and going fishing. I’ve recently started to play tennis again, and now that we've moved to North Carolina, we are doing lots of exploring this great state.

Got a question for the next guest (or for me)?

Hit reply. We’re reading every message.

🏁 Thanks for Being on This Ride

Thanks for reading and for cheering on this little indie press as we try to make racing fun for every kid (and plenty of grown-ups, too). No matter what you're into. I’m glad you’re here. 🏁📚

— Andy
Founder & Publisher, Red Racer Books

Small Independent Publisher Dedicated to Children's Motorsports Books