Trains and Railroads Books

My two year old grandson loves this book. He is crazy about trains anyway, but this is a fun way for him to interact with the pictures that have little doors that open and unfold the book as it becomes a long train.

I've yet to meet a Richard Scarry book I didn't like. This one is no exception. The story is entertaining; the book has flaps (a big plus w/my son); and the whole book folds out to a train. After reading it, my son likes to unfold the whole train and pretend he's in a train cage. Whatever that is. Too, a good travel book - 8 hour car ride, 4 hour plane ride. Been there, brought this book. No tears.

The storyline is great and a nice idea that the full train opens up displaying each car; but some pages have no flaps on them at all. Lift the flap books are great but need to have more than just a handful of flaps; especially for a R.Scarry book; kids that like those are into detail and to only put a handful of flaps on there kind of shortchanges it.

This book is very entertaining, young children will be fascinated by it. Although it is only nine inches long, it folds out to an eight foot train. The premise is that Bananas Gorilla has lost his bananas and is searching the train for them. Bananas Gorilla goes from car to car, and there are captions at the bottom of the pages describing the search. As a combination of story and advanced manipulatives for young children, there is no question that this book is one of the best.

My preschooler received this book in his Christmas stocking. We tuck it away to pull out on rainy days. Classic Scarry illustrations in a very creative format. This book is an A+++ in our home!

This is an excellent reference work. The layout of the book is easy to use and the pictures are first class. This book surpasses many of the standard reference works available. Makes a great addition to a reference library on Lionel Trains.

this is the only book you will ever need if you collect older lionel trains it covers all the bases and lets me remember everything I forgot many years ago when I got my first train set extremely informative thanks I only wish there was a book to cover later years

Excellent amount of information on post Lionel trains. The catalog contains the highest amount of information on Lionel trains, the value and rarity for each model. Plenty of photos to provide visual reference for your research.

Now in a newly expanded and updated second edition, David Doylle's "Standard Catalog of Lionel Trains' showcases Lionel toy trains made from 1945 through 1969. Surveyed in an authoritative collector's reference this new edition packs over a thousand color photos with its expanded catalog , which includes variations on Lionel cars and accessories. Many collectors of Lionels will find come to consider this a major 'must have' bible of information, packing in color photos and charts of values for Lionel trains in all conditions.

The best or one of the best Lionel guides to postwar Lionel trains. The only guide that authoritatively lists all production variations over the years covered.

This was the first Bill Peet book I bought for my oldest boy, now 24. They didn't have the audio version then so I created my own and sent it with the book to him in England to listen to. He listened almost every night according to my irate ex wife! Now I'm reading it to my second son and it's one of his favorites too amongst all of Bill Peet's books. I am now a narrator of digital children's books and I cannot tell you how I wish other writers could write and illustrate like Bill did. Every book is a jewel, and every one inspires a vivid picture in the kid's head and for me as a professional reader, the way he writes gives me tremendous inspiration to put every ounce of enthusiasm I have into my interpretation. He makes me a good actor and creates so successfully, the vision in our heads that every children's writer strives for. You will love this book. Oh, and so will your kids!

My son and I love Bill Peet books. The author seems to have a terrific mix of humor, creativity and good artwork. This book is wonderful. The rhyming text is enjoyable to read. My son talks about things he sees in the artwork which he doesn't do with most picture books. Am really glad I picked up this book.

The Author Bill Peet has the gift to spark the imagination of all children. His stories are amazing. There are over 30 kids books by him and I recommend them all!Smokey (Sandpiper Books)

It's a delight to read and to share this story with young ones. It's now a favorite of ours from the Bill Peet cannon. Though a child in the sixties, I was completely unaware of Bill Peet's work and 'Smokey' was the happy introduction to this author and artist.

This is a fun read - I enjoy reading verse, and this flows nicely and doesn't feel forced. But there are sections that would now be considered politically incorrect. Combine it with "The Caboose is Loose" for a young train lover.

My son is a little of 3 and adores all things Thomas. I purchased several Thomas books for a recent plan trip and of the 3 this was his favorite by FAR! He loved the trains bumping into each other and the pictures of the "sea creatures." Would recommend this to your Thomas fan!

This is another wonderful Thomas & Friends storybook. My son adores it and gets very excited to see the Octopus and Shark. When actually playing with his trains he would replicate the wrecks. Highly recommend this book to all kids who love Thomas. My son is 2 1/2 and asks us to read it every night.

My 2.5 year old loves this big, colorful Thomas story. He studies the illustrations and talks about what all the trains and cranes are doing. Really fuels his imagination!

I love trains and I used to watch the show when it aired on PBS years back. So every now and then I come across one of these books, I snatch it up. Love the stories and art work. I even got a chance to see Thomas the Train when it came into town on one of its tours. Little ones loved it. I highly recommend this series to all those who like a good fun story and especially to railfans everywhere.

What fun! A big aquarium exhibit is coming to Tidmouth and the docks are hustling and bustling with activity. Cranky the Crane is unloading Bulstrode. Harvey is loading small crates of aquarium glass, while James and Salty are busy with their own tasks.

The only problem is, Thomas wants to help and he keeps getting told that he is too small to be of assistance. Sad because he can't find a job `his size', Thomas is about to head back to the Station when he comes across Salty with a huge, toothy shark in a see-thru tank. Surmising Thomas' sad state, Salty takes pity on Thomas and tells him that small engines **can** be useful, which is exactly what Thomas finds out.

When Percy is surprised by the shark in the tank, he loses control and runs right into Henry who then crashes into Harvey's freight car. This accident is so noisy and unexpected that Cranky gets spooked and drops a crate of seaweed on James, causing James to go off the track.

As we say at our home, everything was goomeywammered. And to make matters more complicated, the docks are such a scene of chaos that none of the large engines can move about. They are just too *big*.

On cue, in comes Thomas. He steps up and because of his smaller size, he is `Just The Right' engine to clear up the whole mess. The story ends with everything back to normal and everybody waiting in anticipation for the big exhibit to open.

Five Stars. Good Read-aloud. This book has good artwork (versus the photos that are taken from the TV show). Steamies abound. So many that almost any Thomas fan should be content.

Our small blue friend gets to be a hero. This confirms for small fry that you don't have to be big to be helpful. This book can even be used to help children to understand that no matter how big a mess is made, if everyone pitches in to help together, that mess can be cleaned up.

Eric Sansom has been entertaining readers for years with his comic strip, Toy Trunk Railroad. An excellent stylist and writer, he creates an imaginary world that's a pleasure to stop and visit time and again. A "must read" for true comic strip enthusiasts.

Give me some good, old timey comics and I'm happy. Erik Sansom has done one better: a new strip full of fun adventures of Casey, Jeb and a whole cast of goofy, well-drawn, well-meaning folks. It's the kind of fun comics work that isn't being done anymore. Well worth reading by a fellow who genuinely loves cartooning.

There are two amazing things about TTR: the art is modern, while giving the impression that it was drawn by a master of years past. And when the final panel pulls into the station, the punchline equals the art.

Actually, there are three amazing things about TTR and this first collection: I have zero interest in the paraphrenalia of trains -- the consequence of being friends with a railfan -- but a complete fascination with surefooted humor. TTR may get about on a rail, but its feet are firmly planted on the ground; smartly dressed in clown shoes.

I'd mention that the main characters are sharply penned and entirely convincing, but I've already surpassed my list of two amazements; I'll leave the rest of the wonders to your discovery.

I'm very impressed by the shifts in alternate realities that take place within the strip, as the inhabitants of a model train layout come to life. It's reminiscent of "Calvin & Hobbes."

If you like fun cartoons with an imaginative flair look no further, your train has arrived. Hop aboard Toy Trunk Railroad for a ride of laughs and chuckles. This book contains all the best aspects of cartooning: stylish artwork, well written jokes and imaginative storytelling. I would recommend it to anyone; in fact I am. Buy this book today and experience the ride you have been waiting for.

I've lost track of how many times we've checked out this book from our library. Terrific story and pics. We can't get enough...enjoy the ride.

My nearly 3 year old son loves following along with all the pictures as the parts of the train unfold in the book. He knows them all by heart--we got it at the library and kept renewing it. They have a limit on renewals; we're happy to buy it.

You won't be sorry. The text flows in such a rhythm, my 2 year old had it memorized after a few readings. It is a much requested story around here. A must for any little train lover!

My son is almost two. He absolutely loves when I read him this book...over and over again. He even tries to read it with me. The rhyming and repetition keep his attention. He turns each page with great anticipation. He really loves the illustrations and pointing to all the pictures. It's one of his favorites and it's fun for parents to read, too! I HIGHLY recommend this to everyone.

My 16 month old loves this book. He would have us read it over and over again and never seems to tire of the story. The rhtyhm of the words and the simple and bold illustrations make this book an attention getter. As soon as I come home in the evening my son starts "choo-choo" and "clikkity-clak". He loves it.

I love this book! My son loves trains, and is forever figuring out how to postpone the moment when he must finally close his eyes and go to sleep. This book explains that you just can't get to tommorrow, unless you will close your eyes and board the night train. Great Concept, Great Pictures.

With a son named William who loves trains, I couldn't pass this up. I love the illustrations. The story is cute.

My son adores trains, but you don't need to be a train lover to enjoy this beautifully illustrated book about William's journey to tomorrow. My husband and I are always thrilled when he selects this one because it is such a joy to read and look at. The illustrations are gorgeous. The story is fun and simple. My son frequently shouts out, "All daboard! All daboard de night train!". I highly recommend this book.

My 3yr old received this for his birthday a couple of weeks ago and it is THE favorite for both bedtime and naptime. He loves this story and night after night asks the same questions about William and his mama. And just this week he decided to "read" it to me. But the sweetest part of the story in my opinion, is when William's mama finally gets him to calm down and he is lulled to sleep by her heartbeat. Listening to each others heartbeat has added another bonding moment for my son and I as he rides his own night train to tomorrow.

We got this book because of the title; my son shares the main character's name. So for that alone, we loved it.

The pictures are lovely and have lots of the kind of small details you can use to engage a child in a book. And the rhyme scheme, while not entirely consistent, has a very train-like quality to it. Read aloud, your voice falls into the pattern of an accellerating steam train, with the lines getting longer as the train moves faster. It's not completely consistent, but it carries the train motif into the very sound of the words of the story. This 'choo-choo' ness is not just in the meter, but in the consonants of the words themselves; I found it was a fun book to read for that reason.

This was a bedtime favorite for months, and not just because my son thought it was about him. The comforting rhythm and gradually hushing sounds of it drew him to it again and again.

My 4-year-old loves this! He has been through every train book at the library, and I am always on the lookout for a new "angle". Well, this had it!! Much of the lingo was new to him, so he learned a lot. The pictures are both fun and informative. We love this book!

This delightful picture book will thrill young boys and girls alike as they race down the tracks with an ole hogger on engine 417! They'll meet colorful characters along the way, from Ole Joe, the ashcat, to Mabel, the merry-go-round operator, as the illustrations perfectly capture the lingo of this fast-paced E ticket ride. Kids will absolutely love it!

CAN YOU HEAR THE WHISTLE BLOWING? . . .ummm, yes, you sure can! It's coming down the track, coming down the track, coming down the track!

Patricia Newman delivers a zesty read about the world of trains. Told from the point of the engineer, you will learn train terms, facts, and just a fresh appreciation for the chugging world of transportation.

Perfect resource for a transportation unit in the classroom.

I also love the title. . .and I LOVE THIS BOOK!

This beautifully illustrated book about the glorious days of steam railroading is one which all proud grandparents will enjoybuying for and sharing with their grandchildren. Grandfathers especially will enjoy the old railroad lingo and the opportunity of sharing what it was like long ago. It isn't only granmothers who read to the children!

A definite must for your home library! Kids love the detailed watercolors and the almost-musical text. Who knew railroading slang was so fun? Pretty soon your kids will be asking for their milk as "whitewash" and telling your their "trick is up" at bedtime. Train enthusiast of all ages will enjoy this trip down the main line.

I got advice from two three-year-olds about what had been their favorite book when they were two. Lois Lenski topped both lists. The child for whom I got this one was very happy with it.

This is one of the classic books you will want to add to your children's library. It is simple, engaging, and also very informative about trains. There's just something about Engineer Small that draws the children in! All of the Lois Lenski books in this series are wonderful!

Another great Lois Lenski book. (This one and Cowboy Small are our favorites.) My son was 2 when we started reading all the train books we could find. This one and Chugga Chugga Choo Choo (by Lewis and Kirk) are our picks for best toddler train books. Both can be read over and over and over without getting boring, and this one is actually educational, as well as fun.

We keep getting this book from the library and it's so informative - much more information about how trains work and such compared to Thomas books. Our 3 year old boy is a train fanatic and this book is even fun for ME to read to him because I learn right along with him. We study the pictures and he can point out the semaphores and he even takes what he has learned about how the train fills up with water to his toys. When he plays with his GeoTrax, he is using his imagination along WITH the factual things he has learned in this book. It's a must read - at LEAST from the library, but that just won't cut it for us, we need to purchase it!

My 4 year-old Thomas and Friends fan likes this little book which features Engineer Small and his black and shiny engine. While the book doesn't have the Thomas-and-Percy-like personalities which so engage small fry, it does have plenty of drawings of trains and a great deal more factual information than the Rev. Awdry series.

For example, I had no idea that trains have anything called a `sand dome'. This is a dome that looks like the steam dome only -according to Wikipedia-it holds sand in case the tracks get icy or slick and the engine can't gain traction. (huh-who knew?) The book also demonstrates how coal and water are added to the tender, and how switches and what-not are dealt with.

Four Stars. An informative book about trains for young children.

Reviewed by Conner (age 4) and Mom for Reader Views (4/08)

The words for this story were adopted from a one-man band songwriter, Jesse "The Lone Cat" Fuller, in the earlier 1900s. It is a rhythmic telling of near-rhymes of what happens when a monkey gets control of the train.

"What did you think of the book?"
"I love it. I like the story. That's all. I love it when the monkey drives off."
"Why?"
"Cause it's funny. That's all."
"Do you think it was right for the monkey to drive off with the train?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"'Cause you need a captain."
"What does a captain do?"
"He drives the ship."
"Do you think the monkey was lucky?"
"No, because he shouldn't drive off."
"Do you think the engineer was mad when he caught up to the monkey?"
"I don't know, no?"

Parent's comments:

I thought the illustrations in "The Monkey and the Engineer" really brought out what was happening in the lyrics. Not being familiar with any of the song versions of the story, I found it better to read the book as a book and not try to sing the story. The near-rhymes require someone who has a stronger musical talent than is in my ability. But I did appreciate the history behind the story and having a place to go where I could hear the song sung. We tried following the story with the music and that made the words have more zing when looking at the pictures.

Monkey and the Engineer is a children's picturebook adaptation of a song written by African-American railroad worker and musician Jesse "Lone Cat" Fuller (1896-1976), about a railroad engineer and his remarkably astute pet monkey - a simian quite capable of running the train all by itself! Artist David Opie brings the tall tale of the engineer's monkey to life with vibrant, cartoony illustrations, creating a wonderful storybook distillation of American musical and cultural history. "Once upon a time there was an engineer. // He drove a locomotive both far and near. // He was accompanied by a monkey who would sit on a stool / watching everything the engineer would do. // One day the engineer wanted a bite to eat. / He left the monkey sitting on the driver's seat." Highly recommended.

"Again, read it to me again." Those were the words that my three-year-old grandson spoke as soon as I finished reading Monkey and the Engineer to him for the first time. But even that wasn't enough! "One more time," he said over and over until his eyes finally closed, giving way to a much-needed nap. This delightful children's book is based upon lyrics originally written by the late Jesse Fuller, a blues musician and folk artist. Music lovers of all ages will enjoy seeing the original sheet music and reading Fuller's biography at the end of the book.

The colorful, beautiful, and rich art work is striking; the illustrations will, without a doubt, attract and hold the attention of children. Their imaginations will take delight in the antics of the monkey who pulls the throttle on the southbound locomotive when the engineer is off of the train, eating a bite under a tree. The monkey, who usually sat on a stool watching the engineer, had apparently paid very close attention to the operation. However, smart as he was, the monkey did not know there was a northbound train on the same main line. Thanks to the quick actions of the switch operator, a collision is avoided.

The words from the lyrics are easy to read for older children, but all ages will enjoy the incredible detail of the pictures. As a former publisher, I can truly say this is some of the best art work I have ever seen in a children's picture book. Although Monkey and the Engineer is recommended for children between two and six years of age, I suggest that parents and caregivers not allow themselves be hemmed in too tightly by this suggested age group. A budding nine-year-old artist might value the book for its dramatic illustrations, and young musicians might enjoy looking at the sheet music or hearing the original Monkey and the Engineer song by clicking on the link that is provided by the publisher. Consider this a "must have" book to add to your children's library.

The story of the Monkey and the Engineer is from a song by the famous blues artist and composer Jessie Fuller and has long been covered by the Grateful Dead (in their many incarnations). While this makes the book particularly attractive to "Dead Heads" - this story stands solidly on its own.

This delightful telling of the tale takes us on a fun ride...with colorful illustrations by David Opie that captivate your heart and release your imagination. Children of all ages will enjoy this entertaining story!

It has been said that "the blues" is the folk music of America - I really appreciate the history. The story of Jessie Fuller that is beautifully told in the back of the book helps to make this book relevant to children, teens and adults alike.

I hope that this is just the first in a long series of books based on the songs of the great "blues" Masters! Bravo!

I have six nieces and nephews, so I'm always looking for terrific books to read to them. I was pleasantly surprised to discover an additional fan of Monkey and the Engineer: my husband. When he saw the book's title, he got very excited and sang the song as I turned the pages. What a hoot!

The lyrics, about an engineer's pet monkey running off with the train, are so silly and lend themselves to some classic pictures - the one of the engineer's "worried mind" is hilarious! And the monkey really looks competent in parts, which had me chuckling. The book includes an online link to Fuller singing his song with a harmonica, a nice touch.

I'd recommend this book not only to fans of folk music or The Grateful Dead, but to anyone looking for a fun book to make your loved ones (and yourself) smile. Let this inspiration move you brightly!