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If your child used to love books but now rolls their eyes at the very mention of reading, you are not alone. Many parents notice a sharp drop in enthusiasm for books from around age seven or eight. Screens, gaming, YouTube and social media begin to dominate free time, and reading slowly slips down the priority list.

The problem is rarely that children can’t read — it is that many no longer feel emotionally invested in books. They struggle to find stories that feel relevant, exciting or “cool” enough to compete with digital entertainment. This is where the right book can make all the difference.

Formula Fast: Your Ultimate Guide to Formula One Racing! by Matt Ralphs, published by Phaidon, is exactly that kind of book. It is fast-paced, visually striking, packed with real-world facts, and built around a subject that instantly captures attention: speed, competition, engineering and elite sport.

For parents trying to re-ignite a love of reading, this book offers something genuinely different.

Why children lose interest in reading

Reluctant readers are often misunderstood. Most still enjoy learning — they just do not enjoy traditional books anymore. Many struggle with:

• Long blocks of text with little visual stimulation
• Stories that feel disconnected from their real interests
• Reading that feels like “school work” rather than entertainment

What they crave instead is relevance, movement, colour, real-life excitement and short, satisfying sections they can dip in and out of.

Formula Fast has been designed with exactly this in mind.

What makes Formula Fast so engaging

This is not a novel and it is not a textbook. It is a hybrid information book that feels more like a behind-the-scenes pass into the world of Formula One.

Children are introduced to:

• How Formula One works
• What happens during a Grand Prix weekend
• How drivers train their bodies and minds
• How pit stops, tyres, aerodynamics and data technology affect races
• The history of the sport and its most famous drivers

The information is broken into short, highly readable sections, supported by bold, graphic-style illustrations that make each page feel dynamic and accessible.

This structure is ideal for children who feel overwhelmed by long chapters. They can open any page, read a small amount, absorb the information quickly, and feel a sense of achievement without pressure.

Designed to compete with screens

Children are visual learners. They are used to fast-moving, colourful, information-rich content. Formula Fast embraces this rather than fighting against it.

The layout is bold and modern. The illustrations are high-contrast and energetic. The cover makes the book feel special and “grown up”, not childish. It looks more like a high-end magazine than a traditional children’s book.

For many reluctant readers, presentation is everything. This book feels exciting before a single word is read.

Appealing to real interests

One of the biggest barriers to reading is a lack of connection. Children disengage when books do not reflect what they care about.

For children who love:

• Cars
• Engineering
• Technology
• Sport
• Competition
• Facts and statistics

Formula Fast feels instantly relevant. It validates those interests and uses them as a gateway back into reading.

Even children who have never watched Formula One before often find themselves drawn in by the speed, strategy and personalities behind the sport.

Building confidence through success

Many reluctant readers associate books with failure or frustration. This book helps rebuild confidence by:

• Offering small, manageable chunks of text
• Providing visual support for meaning
• Allowing children to read non-linearly
• Giving immediate factual rewards

Every page read feels like a win. This sense of success is critical for helping children rebuild a positive relationship with reading.

How parents can use this book at home

Formula Fast works well as a shared reading experience as well as an independent one. Some ideas:

• Leave it out on a coffee table rather than on a bookshelf
• Read a page together before bed or after school
• Let children “teach” you what they have learned
• Use it as a springboard for documentaries, races or model building

Reading becomes part of a wider interest rather than a separate chore.

A modern solution for a modern problem

Children today are not broken readers — they are overwhelmed by choice and stimulation. What they need are books that meet them where they are.

Formula Fast does exactly that. It speaks their language: fast, visual, exciting, and real.

For parents trying to reconnect their child with reading, this book is not just another title — it is a bridge back to curiosity, confidence and joy in learning.