Book Description

Reviews (6)

Eye Candy for Train Lovers
This book is excellent for a toddler or young child who loves trains. It is also a pleasure for adults to read. The illustrations are sumptuous, and almost seem to glow. The text is simple and makes comparisons between trains ("This train is going uphill. This train is going downhill"), but don't let the simplicity put you off. It's exactly the kind of thing that pre-readers and early readers enjoy the most. New concepts are introduced on each page with rhythmic repetition.

The frontspiece of the book contains labelled illustrations of various trains in a more realistic style. I've tried to see if each of these trains is featured in an illustration of the book, but I don't think they all are. My 3 year old enjoys pointing to these labelled trains and having me read the captions as much as he enjoys the text of the book itself. Both sets of illustrations complement eachother and increase the appeal of the book. Babies and toddlers will enjoy the simple text and bright illustrations. Older children may show an interest in the individual trains and their names. This book is one of those rare finds that children will want to hear over and over and that parents won't mind reading to them.

Wonderful illustrations
My 3 year old son LOVES this book! I had to purchase it for him last year after renewing it several times from the library. Wonderful illustrations and simple prose. My son "reads" the book himself. Highly recommended for those children who love trains.

All aboard This Train
I picked this book up at my local library, and my 2yr old has carried it around ever since, he's had me read it to him several times a day. Even my 5yr old daughter finds it a great book to learn to read, with it's simple sentences..."This Train is old, This Train is new." I couldn't think of any better starter book for children than this one. It just so happens to be my sons favorite subject...."Trains"!

Very simple text with very interesting and detailed pictures
This book caused a tantrum at the library! My younger son found it there, and we read it through a few times, but forgot to take it out. When we got home and he realized this, he was so upset! He had instantly fallen in love with it, and we wound up buying it. The text is as simple as it can be---each page just says something like "this train is long" or "this train is short", but the pictures are detailed and colorful and the kind true train lovers can look at for hours. His favorite is the LONG, LONG train. This is the kind of book that young kids can memorize and "read" easily, which they love to do. I'd certainly recommend this for any member of the train loving set.

Great Book
We got This Train out of the library for our 2 year old son, and are now buying it from Amazon.com, because he refuses to give up the book to the library! After having it read to him for one day, he picked up on the short descriptions under each vivid picture and was "reading" it back to me. It has become his favorite bedtime story book. ... Read more

Book Description

The railroad on the Island of Sodor is “Really Reliable and Right on Time,” but along the way, the engines run into their share of trouble. Each spread in this little pop-up book features a 3-D bit of mayhem from the original Thomas & Friends stories by the Rev. W. Awdry. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

My Toddler Loves This Book
I bought this book for my first grader to read to her 19 month old brother, and it has quickly become my little one's favorite book. The illustrations are beautiful, and the text is simple. The concepts are riveting for little ones - trains, birthday, surprises, and a cow on the train tracks. We all enjoy this book, but my toddler absolutely loves it.

A Wonderful first reader
My 3 year old son loves Thomas right now. In this book, Thomas is sad because he must work on his birthday. But, while he works, his friends plan a surprise party for him. The language is very simple, and the simple vocabulary repeats often. So it is very easy for young children to understand and enjoy. My 3 year old can tell the story page by page. My 22 month old son can tell parts of the story. They fight over the book. I rated the book 4 stars instead of 5 because children who don't know Thomas might not look at it right away. But it is a lovely story, with very nice illustrations. The book is short, so it keeps their attention until the end. ... Read more

Book Description

What could be more fun than a train ride-the excitement of going places, the rhythmic sound of the train clattering down the tracks, and the vivid "window music" of passing scenery. From sky-high bridges to deep valleys to rolling vineyards to the lights of a distant city, here's a spirited read-along adventure, brought to life by the vivid, award-winning artwork of Wade Zahares.All aboard!

"The illustrations jump off the page... This is a book that understands the simultaneously exciting and hypnotic lure of trains."-The Horn Book

Awards:
( A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent art work for a small childs book.
I, too, as a proud owner of three Zahares originals, was looking forward to the publication of this book. I was surprized to see such few words, but with this type art work, that is all you need. A simple book to read to youngsters. Looking forward to their next book Delivery.

Charming verse is wonderful to read aloud.
Window Music is a treat for kids AND their parents! A wonderful book to read aloud, Suen's musical verse is just the right company for Zahares' bold illustrations.

Visually stunning
As a proud owner of two Zahares originals, I was looking forward to the arrival of this book and was not dissapointed. As I viewed each page, I felt as though I was there - the art is that arresting. Superb ! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

My Son LOVES Puzzle Train!...
This is our first encounter with the Puzzle Series. My 3.5 year old loves it. It really builds up an awareness to problem-solving and teaches one to pay close attention to detail.
As a parent educator, and former elementary school teacher, I think this book is exciting, with good illustrations, and most importantly gets kids interested in reading...over and over and over in our household.

Teresa ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

In this innovative book, read about the train trip to the North Pole and project six beautiful scenes on your wall.Flashlight not included. ... Read more

Book Description

Based on The Railway Series by the REV. W. AWDRY


A is for All Aboard! Filled with fun photographs from the popular TV show,

Shining Time Station, Thomas's ABC Book will delight children while

teaching them the alphabet along the way.




... Read more

Reviews (2)

less than perfect but still a must-have for Thomas fans
Paperback with flimsy paper that doesn't stand up to much wear. Our copy is dog-eared and the back cover is ripped off and that didn't take long.

There is one page per letter with a photo from the televison show depicting the theme of that letter (not a hand drawn or computer generated illustration or cartoon). For example: A is for all aboard and the photo is of Thomas stopped at a station. The photos are great. Every page has one sentence at the bottom that uses the word in context. I do have a complaint that each letter is only shown in the upper case. Despite much room available on the page, when the word is spelled out the first letter is in tiny font just like the rest of the letters. I would prefer if the presenting letter were a larger font to highlight its' use in the word. I was hoping to use this book as a way to teach the letters to my son and this is why I am critical of these factors.

With that said, any little Thomas the Tank Engine lover will absolutely love this book.

Some of the words are a stretch or strange (T is for tracks but then the photo shows Terence the tractor and the sentence is "Terence tells Thomas about his tracks". Why not use T for Thomas (the one word the children are most familiar with), or else use Terence as he is pictured, or just say that T is for Thomas, AND Terence, AND Tracks?

This book has gotten us through some long car trips and air flights.

With all my little criticisms, I feel Iit's low cost justifies its purchase and replacement when it wears out.

Lovable Thomas and friends explore the alphabet.
Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends from the Island of Sodor introduce ABC's to children. An excellent picture book that is perfect for pre-readers. A must have for any young Thomas fan! Purchase two as it is destined to become "well-loved". ... Read more

Book Description

The Little Blue Engine chug-chug-chugs through the countryside, and puff-puff-puffs through the alphabet as she goes. Come along and help her find some apples for A, butterflies for B, and other objects and animals from A to Z. Learning the alphabet is fun with The Little Engine That Could(tm), one of the most recognizable characters in children's literature. ... Read more

Book Description

Founded by the Denver & Rio Grande Railway in 1880, the Durango & Silverton Railroad was used originally to haul silver and gold from the San Juan Mountains. Through the years, this railroad has established a unique history. During WW II its equipment was used to process uranium for use in the war, and in the 1960's it was used as a sight for several Hollywood movies, including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

SPLENDID ILLUSTRATIONS AND DIAGRAMS
Once very much a part of America's landscape steam locomotives are now things of the past. Nonetheless, these huge iron horses continue to fascinate. With pictures and well researched text Karl Zimmerman introduces young readers to the trains that once were the backbone of our country's transportation. Their whistles called and their smoke left vaporous trails wherever they traveled.

Geared for young readers age 10 and up our text opens with the beginning of the age of steam. Prior to this the moving of goods was totally dependent upon what a horse, ox or mule could haul. Next we explore the growth of the engines from "Tom Thumbs" to the giant "Big Boy."

Readers learn how a steam locomotive works and then how steam gave way to diesel locomotives.

This was an eventful time in America's history and well worth revisiting or seeing for the first time. The illustrations and diagrams are splendid.

- Gail Cooke ... Read more

Book Description

Poor Santa! All eight of his reindeer are sneezing so hard they can't fly. Who will help him deliver his last present? "I think I can," says everyone's favorite Little Blue Engine! ... Read more

Book Description

While her mother is in the army, Sumi is living with her grandmother, on East Blossom Hill. Perched on her favorite rock, Sumi watches trains wind through the valley below, hears the lonely sound of their whistles piercing the air, and longs for the day her mother will return.The train whistle reminds Sumi's grandmother of a time when a train played an important role in her life too: long ago in Korea, when she and her family escaped Seoul at the last moment before the war came. In poetic language and exquisite paintings, PEACEBOUND TRAINS evokes the landscape and people of Korea and a special grandmother-granddaughter relationship. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great book!
Sumi is a Korean-American girl who lives with her grandmother, whom she calls Harmony (which means grandmother in Korean), on East Blossom Hill. Her mother is in the army and Sumi is homesick for her. Sumi watches the trains in the valley below hoping that someday her mother will be on one. The train whistle reminds Sumi's grandmother of when the Korean War took place. She and her family escaped from Seoul, Korea just before the war came. This marked a very sorrowful time in Harmony's life because she had to leave her husband behind in Seoul to travel to Pusan, which was safe. Though her husband loved her, he insisted that he needed to take part in the war by being a soldier.
I like this book because it has great description. You can read it when you want to read a good book but you don't have too much time to read. It is a mixture between a chapter book and a picture book. The illustrations are amazing. The writer involoves you in the story so you can imagine everything that is happening as if it was happening to you. It was very easy for me to put myself in the place of the characters in the book so I could "be in the story".
This is an excellent book. It is the best picture or short story I've ever read. The pictures illustrate the writing well and add something to the book. I would recommend it to anyone over the age of 9. It is a very emotional book and the author clearly describes the sad events in the characters' lives.

A though provoking history lesson for readers of all ages.
This is a magnificent book for readers of all ages to enjoy and explore. Younger children may enjoy it on it's simplest level of a child missing a mother. Older readers will enjoy learning about the effects of war on family and friends. Everyone will savor the gracious art of the illustrator and will feel the story through his heartfelt interpretation of the author's words. Haemi Balgassi has truly written this story from her heart and tears and we are more than fortunate to be able share her family's history. Every classroom should own a copy of this wonderful history lesson

A beautifully written & illustrated glimpse of human history
In this profoundly moving and beautifully illustrated picture storybook, Haemi Balgassi tells the story of the train which carried South Korean citizens south, away from the reach of North Korean invading troops. Structured as a story within a story, the book carries with it a sense of history, the terror and loss of war, and the hope that causes the most damaged humans to live for the future. This book is a TRIUMPH!

An excellent choice for classroom discussions.
I teach 3rd and 4th grade accelerated reading programs, and recommend this book heartily. Very moving and powerful, and the art is beautiful, too. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Train-besotted readers will fall in love with this vibrant picture bookas they learn to count all the way to 101. This looooong sturdy train carries101 surprises in 101 separate cars--only by lifting the cardboard flap of eachcar will young readers discover just what is inside car number 4 or 53 or 99,from wheat to telescopes. This big rugged board book stretches out when openedto reveal a railroad track on brightly colored, varying landscapes, fromcactus-strewn desert to snow-coated mountaintops. The train clickety-clacksalong, pulling its eclectic cargo. Rhythmic rhyming text mimics the excitingtempo of a train on the move: "Only go forward... / ...never go back! /Clickety-clack! / Cars on the track!" The cars are packed with the mundane ("gotdoors") to the fabulous ("got a stretch limo for the CEO") to the fanciful ("gotthe moon"), each illustrated by the marvelous Ken Wilson-Max, of Big Silver Space Shuttle andLittle Orange Submarinefame. (Ages 3 to 6) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (2)

worst children's train book I've purchased
This is my least favorite train book for children. When I ordered it online I thought it would be a fun book with many lift-the-flaps and I hoped it would help teach counting to 101 to my children. What a disappointment.

This is the first lift-the-flap book that I've seen that has two storylines. There is one storyline that is in between the flaps and is not related to the flaps in any way, and a totally different story going on under the flaps. The two cannot be read together at all. To make sense one must first read the story on the pages, ignoring the flaps. Then go back and lift each flap and read the words inside the flap and go through all 101 cars to read that story. The text under the flaps is much, much longer and more detailed than the other "story". There actually is no real plot to the words on the pages, it is mostly train sounds and disjointed phrases such as "can't go back".

I don't feel this teaches counting, as there are not a certain number of objects matched to the number, for example there are not 8 of some object than the number 8. The outer flap has a number on it then the text inside doesn't relate to that number, for example the flap number 30 says, "got Persian rugs". Every inner flap says "got" and then something. The flaps are so small they don't allow for showing the number of objects represented by the number nor does the text even say "got 30 Persian rugs" (which would have made sense to me). There are many varied and unrelated objects under the flaps, the text rhymes--sometimes. An example of a good rhyme (albeit goofy and probably not understood by young children) is "got CD, DVD, and movies, got party jackets for the smoothies, got 70s wigs for the groovies" (under 3 flaps). An example of a bad rhyme is " got cables that stretch for miles and miles, got telephones, faxes, and little mobiles". The only thing that is truly counted is if you count each train in the book, which would be a different exercise than reading the story on the page, or the story under the flaps and it is unrelated to lifting the flaps.

If this review sounds confusing, I apologize but this is the strangest and least organized book I've ever seen written for children. It seems to make no sense and is very jumbled up and a mess and hard to explain. I plan to get rid of this book as I dread it when my children ask to read it, and to inspire a love of reading in them I feel I should be a happy and enthusiastic reader, and I feel the books should be only good or exceptional in quality, and this is neither.

Great counting book for train lovers.
A great lift the flap book for train lovers! Plus it teaches counting skills 1-100! I'm going to buy another one! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

We love train stories
This book is the set of four already published Farmyard Tales. It includes: The Old Steam Train, Woolly Stops the Train, Dolly & the Train, and Rusty's Train Ride. It is a nice book for train lovers like my boys and they love these stories. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great book for preschoolers
This book is one of my 3 yr old son's favorites. After hearing
it only twice he is now "reading" it to us. The pictures are very bright and colorful and bring the story to life. A great gift for any Thomas fan. Also check out Thomas, Percy and the Dragon and Happy Birthday Thomas in this series. We've read them so much we may have to get new copies... ... Read more

Book Description

Lionel Trains come to life on the pages of this board book -- perfect for the young train lover. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

accurate representations of trains for reading to toddlers
This short board book is sure to be a hit with little train lovers. It is very sturdy and each 2-page spread depicts at least 2 train cars. Because this is a Lionel book, the illustrations of the various cars are very accurate and more detailed than other train board books that are on the market (some of which are very cartoon-y and not true to life in appearance).

There are many different train cars in this book, each a different color and the text includes the color, hence the subtitle referencing this is a book to teach colors. (I feel that any book with objects of various colors can be discussed during a reading to teach colors, you don't need a special board book to teach colors. Just pick objects your child is interested in and simply mention the colors and they will pick it up easily. My children happen to love trains so the fact that this book obviously was intended to write colors is a coincidence for our family.)

The different trains depicted are caboose, hopper car, log car, auto car, tank car, boxcar, crane train, flatcar, and steam locomotive and tender. There is a lot going on in the illustrations including children and adults doing various things near the train, a farm wit cows, and a night road construction scene. There is much to talk about to go beyond the simple and short text. The text rhymes and is catchy. This is a cute book and is not annoying as some board books are. There are ten pages (I wish there were more)!

Note that this is one in a series of train books published by "Little Lionel". I suggest that all young train fans buy the entire series!

Little Red Caboose Chug, Chug, Chug
As a child I loved the song Little Red Caboose. Now as a mother I am teaching this song to my two year old. We were delighted to find such a colorful and accurate book of all the train cars, including the red caboose. Now when my son sees a train, he immediately break out into song and wants to read his Little Red Caboose book. The book is excellent for teaching colors and the pictures are sure to delight very young readers. It is good to be able to tell a child about the way trains use to be. ... Read more