My son is a Cub Scout. Last year, my son and husband built a car that barely made it down the track. Obviously, my son was very disappointed! This year, I received the Getting Started in Pinewood Derby Step-by-Step Workbook to Building Your First Car. While it wasn't the first car my son and husband ever built together, this year's car was the first successful car, and this book was wonderful.

As the title implies, this book gives step-by-step instructions on how to build a Pinewood Derby car. It covers everything, including the needed tools, shaping and sanding, painting, weights, construction, and even troubleshooting a car that doesn't drive straight. Throughout the book, there are simple tips and tricks, used for shape as well as decoration, which make building the car even easier. Furthermore, there are so many ideas, tips, and tricks presented, that not all of them could possibly be used on one car. At the very end, there are a couple of pages for a Memories Record, with space for pictures and race records.

My son has a tendency to "put the cart before the horse," so to speak, and having the instructions in front of him helped to keep him focused on the step at hand. It also helped my husband to guide him through the process of building the car. In the end, my son had a car he was proud of--with wheels that turned well. His car was not the fastest, but that did not matter. He was proud of his hard work and the fabulous car he had created. I recommend this book for any Cub Scout and father trying to build a car together.