The Little Train (board book)

The story is about the job of running a train. The publisher's description says the little train passes tunnels, stops at stations to pick up cargo and passengers, and shows readers the ins and outs of a working train. The page calls it a classic and quotes a newspaper, attributed on the page, on children who are fascinated by mechanical things. The publisher says the board book pairs abridged text with full-color versions of Lois Lenski's original art, and it presents the book as one for little train conductors and for nostalgic parents and grandparents. The author note says Lenski wrote and illustrated more than ninety books, including the Mr. Small picture books.

This is a book for the lap, not a trackside guide. The publisher gives a board book of 32 pages, a size listed as 6-5/8 x 5-3/16, an age range of 0 to 3 years, a grade level of up to Preschool and a reading level of Lexile 140L. The page calls this an updated, full-color board book edition of the original picture book. Because the publisher describes the text as abridged, a parent who knows the full-length picture book should expect a shorter telling of the same trip. The story is a round trip: the page has Engineer Small drive from Tinytown to the city and back, with stops at stations for cargo and passengers along the way.

A parent, grandparent or relative buying a first train book for a baby or toddler, who wants a sturdy board format and a story about how a working train does its job. It also suits adults who remember Lenski's picture books and want to share one with the next generation. A buyer shopping for a child aged four or five should look at the alternatives below.

My Little Golden Book About Trains by Dennis R. Shealy is a 24-page hardcover for ages 2 to 5 that, by its publisher's description, covers passenger, freight, subway, elevated and bullet trains, which suits a child who is a little older. Hero of the Rails is a 24-page hardcover Little Golden Book for ages 2 to 5 that tells a Thomas the Tank Engine story, for a child who knows the characters.

Image: National Geographic (Penguin Random House) · source

100 Train Journeys of a Lifetime

National Geographic · Mid-range

A National Geographic hardcover that profiles 100 railway journeys around the world, with notes on when and where to go, which cabins to book and what to see off the train.

Why railfans pick itCheck price on Amazon (affiliate link, opens Amazon in a new tab)

Image: Lorenz Books / Simon & Schuster · source

An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Locomotives

Lorenz Books · Mid-range

A hardcover guide to the golden age of train engines by Colin Garratt, with 700 photographs covering the first designs to modern high-speed trains.

Why railfans pick itCheck price on Amazon (affiliate link, opens Amazon in a new tab)

Image: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers · source

Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo (board book)

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers · Budget

A board book by Kevin Lewis, with pictures by Daniel Kirk, that follows a busy toy steam locomotive through a playroom from sunrise until all its freight has been delivered.

Why railfans pick itCheck price on Amazon (affiliate link, opens Amazon in a new tab)