Ayrton Senna

This installment of the little people BIG DREAMS series is all about Ayrton Senna, a Brazilian racecourse driver who made a name for himself in the Formula One championship and who fought for better safety for the drivers after witnessing not only how a friend crashed but how only one person stopped to help - Aytron himself.

I have to admit that I never thought about that side of the competition when joining my father to watch a race.

I really liked that a sizeable chunk of this book was devoted to how Aytron grew up and showing his determination and passion at a young age, which is appropiate for the target audience.

The arc was provided by the publisher.

Ayrton Senna is the newest lead in this latest edition of the Little People, BIG DREAMS series by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara. This series is such a delight and the perfect way to educate not just kids but everyone about historic and cultural icons.

Senna was a Brazilian racing driver who won three Formula One World Drivers' Championships and who is widely regarded as one of the greatest Formula One drivers of all time.. This book follows Senna from his first official race when he was eight-years-old to his rivalry with Alain Prost and finally his three World Championship wins.

Alex G Griffiths illustrates this installment and does a fantastic job. Griffiths' art style was so captivating and his art definitely further helped tell Senna's' story. This book taught me about an influential person who I had previously never heard of.. I love collecting these books and am so thrilled to add this one to the rest of my collection.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

A success for this book in this series of quick little biographies. It is debatable whether he was, as it says, the greatest race driver ever – certainly his charitable work and legacy from his untimely death helped his legend. And this book, having to admit as it does that he was from privilege and wealth, does not quite pin down why the young readers of today should aspire and hope to have the same possibilities and successes as Senna did. So it's not the best entry to the series in showing a rags-to-riches tale of derring-do, overcoming the odds and winning despite everything, but it does do what it should for this age range.

This series is always a joy to read, it’s a really nice introduction to well known people for little children. Of course the plot is always a little bit fast but that’s to be expected and it’s totally understandable.
This one here is about Ayrton Senna, a Brazilian boy who, driven by his big passion, managed to realize his dreams and became one of the most famous Formula One drivers ever. It was truly mesmerizing to see how much time and dedication he put into his dream and this could definitely be an example for everyone.

I read an advanced copy of, Ayrton Senna, by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara. Ayrton Senna was born in Brazil, to a wealthy family, he got a go-cart at 4 years old. In 1981 he moved to England. He was a world famous formula one driver. This book has great pictures,and a very interesting story, of a very dedicated man.

My favorite series!

Now about Ayrton Sena, and at least I've heard of him. A racer. But that's it, since I'm not into racing world.

These books give me a glimpse of someone's life. What makes them known, their hardship, their passion, and how they overcome their obstacles. They really shown me that everybody face hardships, some more than others. But these people have the courage to beat the odds, a reminder that I can overcome mine.

If you read my reviews, you know by now that I've read a number of these Little People, Big World picture books with my kids. This volume is about Brazilian Formula One racer Ayrton Senna. From the time when Ayrton was a small boy, he loved cars and driving. His parents got him his first go-kart at the age of 4 and from there it is all history. Ayrton went on to be a professional Formula One driver. The illustrations in this book are colorful and appealing and highlight various moments in Ayrton's life. There are additional materials at the end of the book including a timeline and photos.

My 6 year old enjoyed this one a lot since it was about cars and racing. And...Now he wants his own go-kart.

Another great book in this series! An inspirational brief biography about the legendary Formula One race driver, Ayrton Senna. I loved learning about Senna's childhood and his determination and focus he brought to racing and making his sport safer.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC.

I got this on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
I really love this book series, and find that the people featured are always so varied both in descent and area of interest!
I loved the unique artstyle for this one! I love it when these get especially unique like this! I also found it really fascinating to hear Ayrton’s story, since I had never even heard about him before!

This is one I would pre-order for my racecar loving boys! I love the Little People Big Dreams series so seeing they made on on Ayrton Senna had me really excited. I love the illustrations and how we get a look at how his love for cars and racing began. Beautiful job!! Perfect for all race lovers of all ages & plus is pretty enough to have on display as well.

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The ‘My First Little People, Big Dreams’ series provides informative and inspirational biographies about people who left a mark on this earth, no matter what difficulties they have encountered.
These stories are very short, but that’s because they’re books for children, so it’s totally understandable.
I think they are a very smart and wonderful way to introduce little children to such important figures.
This little book here tells the story of Ayrton Senna, one of the greatest Formula One racers. I already knew his story and I was happy to read again about him because he was really a legend and a very inspiring figure. I'm so glad children have the opportunity to discover about him and his achievements.

I always enjoy and learn something from the titles in this excellent children’s series. This time, I became acquainted with Ayrton Senna, someone who was not familiar to me.

Ayrton Senna was a child who needed to be on the go and this took him to go karting. He was an amazing racer and eventually moved on to racing cars, moving from South America to England to achieve his dream.

Young readers can be inspired by Ayrton; not only did he win but he cared about others and the safety of his sport. He was another little person who achieved a big dream.

This is another good entry in a good series. It is illustrated in a cartoon like and appealing fashion that goes well with the text.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Ayrton Senna is a fantastic book in the Little People Big Dreams series by critically acclaimed Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara.
This installment teaches children about never giving up on your dream and to have a healthy competitive streak but to also remember team work is important as is caring for others.
This series is full of so many inspirational people for children from all walks of life and are books to treasure.

I received an electronic ARC from Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books through NetGalley.
Sanchez Vegara's series continues to delight young readers while providing biographical information. Senna's passion for racing and commitment to those less fortunate comes through clearly in easy to follow text about his life. The illustrations pull the reader in to see the joy he felt.
Further information is provided at the end of the book.
These books are terrific early biographies to introduce readers to a wide range of important people.

This was a fun read, especially for my son who is learning to read and fan of sports cars and racing. He had not heard of Ayrton Senna before, so enjoyed learning more. Even heard him retelling bits of the story to a friend!

All opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Another wonderful addition to this series of very short picture book biographies of famous people that we may or may not have heard of.

In this case, since I know nothing about auto racing, I had no idea that this man existed, so it was interesting to see his life and what his passions were.

Not only do we read about his determination, but his work on making racing safer.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another absolutely lovely addition to this collection.

I really enjoy these books, despite being aimed at children. The illustrations are lovely and it is so nice to get to know about the worlds most well known people.

It was a shame that the book didn’t really expand on his career in formula 1, and his crash, but as a children’s book I appreciate why.

I definitely recommend and I can’t wait to read more books in this collection in the future.

A Young Boy Dreams of Becoming a Race Car Driver

I've only read a few, but I love the Little People, Big Dreams series. I could see it being so inspiring for young people, especially since it explores the lives of prominent people from all walks of life. This one is about a Brazilian race car driver. It depicts his love of cars and racing from a young age as well as shows different moments from his adult life, including big wins. Tragically, he died in a crash at not quite 35 years of age. After the picture book portion, the author shares photos of the real man and more details of his story.

I had not heard about Ayrton Senna until today. I think the book did a nice job of telling his story and I am now interested to learn more about this man. I love how the book is set up with a story of Ayrton's life in storybook form, and then at the end an actual timeline with pictures and a little more information on the person.

I didn't know about Ayrton Senna, so I'm grateful I got to know him through this book.

The story was very inspirational, and was sadden to learn he had passed away in an accidental crash.

Loved the illustrations.

This was a sweet book about a person I’d never heard of before. I loved his story of passion and perseverance. This would be a great read to teach children about following their dreams.

Another addition to my favourite children's non-fiction series! This picture book series is honestly one of the greatest little series I've ever come across.

Ayrton Senna is another fabulous individual I had not heard of, so there was lots of learning so me! He was racing and driving around long before he had his license. So, like any good racer, he decided to head towards Formula One. Oh, and he loved safety in racing. That's respectable.

These books tend to teach me something new, which is a great thing for me as a reader. I love learning and I love picture books.

Four out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

I am ashamed to say this is the first I have read in this series, but happy to say it won't be the last! Adorable illustrations about an inspirational man. It had enough information for little ones and older ones without getting too detailed but would also be a great place to start in a research project. A beautiful book, would make a great gift for any aspiring racers or littles of gear-head mums and dad's!

Little People, Big Dreams always presents interesting, engaging biographies for young readers. This title on Ayrton Senna is a wonderful addition to the series. and fills a niche for readers who want to step outside of the political/inspirational cannon. Perhaps one of the greatest race car drivers of all time, Ayrton Senna forever changed the world of speed racing. The story of his life and accomplishments is simple yet intriguing--who actually takes their dad's car before they can see over the wheel?! The illustrations themselves support the story without overpowering the information presented. I can see this title flying off of the shelves for libraries of all sizes and locations.

This book is a great biography option for younger readers! Readers will meet Ayrton Senna, a Formula One Racer. The story follows him as a child experiencing winning, losing, and being a good team member. Great message and great introduction to an important person from around the world.

3.5★
“When Ayrton was four years old, his father built him his first go-kart out of an old lawnmower. Soon, Ayrton was zooming around the streets of São Paulo in neighborhood races. . .”

My Goodreads review includes an illustration captioned: Ayrton, astonishing his family at four years old

His family was more than astonished when the police thought their car was being driven by a ghost only to discover little Ayrton had taken it for a spin!

My Goodreads review includes an illustration captioned: Police, returning young Ayrton and the car home

He finally found some races where he could drive as fast as he wanted.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration captioned: Ayrton, competing in go-kart races

Then it was off to England and Europe to get in the big game. His rivalry with Alain Prost was legendary (and very unfriendly at the time, as I recall!) but they did become teammates.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration captioned: Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, fierce rivals

He was known for having an intricate knowledge of his machinery and the circuits, which was a great help to his mechanics and pit crew. But he wasn’t known as a particularly caring individual. However, when a driver had a terrible crash during practice, Senna was the only driver who stopped instantly and went back to pull the driver out.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration captioned: Ayrton Senna with Eric Comas, after saving his life

The picture book doesn’t mention his early death at 34 in a crash, but the written text under the photographs at the end gives more details. The pictures end with an uplifting thought.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration captioned: Little Ayrton, in a dark stadium, looking at the bright night sky and dreaming

He is often considered the greatest driver of all. I’m sorry that the book didn’t add that Senna and Prost became close friends after Prost retired and before Senna died. It would have added to the story. You can read about it here (and many other places).
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/senna-prost-bitter-feud-healed-1032089/3070484/.

I believe some details of his early racing are incorrect, but the overall effect is the same – he was obsessed with racing and winning from his earliest years and was competitive in the extreme.

There are countless families who love car racing in all forms, and I’m sure their kids would love this.

Thanks to #NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children’s Books for the preview copy from which I’ve copied a few illustrations.

Ayrton Senna is a story about the former Formula One driver. This is another wonderful book in the Little People, Big Dreams series by Maria Sanchez Vegara. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my digital copy.

Thank you to the Little People, Big Dreams series for teaching me about Ayrton Senna. I had never heard of Ayrton prior to reading this book. It was interesting learning about his passion for racing and charity work. I love these books!

Thank you NetGalley for the DRC.

As always, this series is so impressive and engaging. The life of Ayrton Senna is beautifully narrated, with captivating illustration. Another one to add to the collection! Also a great gift.

Ayrton Senna loved to drive as a little boy and grew up to be a competitive racer with a big heart.

His example of caring for others on the track saved his best friends life and he was instrumental in making a racing a safer sport. For the driving enthusiasts, you will create big dreams in the little heart of kiddos.

A special thank you to Quarto Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.