Image: National Geographic Kids / Penguin Random House · source
National Geographic Kids · Budget
A 32-page paperback Level 1 reader by Amy Shields in the National Geographic Kids Readers series, covering steam engines, a train in Japan that runs at 361 miles per hour, the world's longest freight train and futuristic railways in the sky.
Check price on Amazon (affiliate link, opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. How we pick our gear
We have not tested it ourselves: strengths and weaknesses below come from the tests cited.
Unlike the picture-book stories, this one is nonfiction, listed by the publisher under Children's Nonfiction. The description names real subjects: the old-timey steam engines found in amusement parks and zoos, a super-speeder in Japan that zooms on the track at 361 miles per hour, the world's longest freight train at 4.6 miles, and futuristic railways in the sky. The publisher frames it as a way for young readers to look at trains differently.
This is a beginning reader, not a trackside guide. The publisher gives an age range of 4 to 6 years, a Preschool to Grade 1 range, and reading-level data of Lexile 520L and Fountas and Pinnell J. The paperback runs 32 pages, and the page also lists an ebook edition; this entry is the paperback. National Geographic notes on the page that it supports K-12 educators with Common Core resources and points to its education site for more information. The publisher's description does not say what illustrations the book contains, and the Look Inside preview on the page lets a buyer check before purchase.
Strengths
Weaknesses
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Pages | 32 |
| Author | Amy Shields |
| Format | Paperback |
| Series | National Geographic Kids Readers, Level 1 |
| ISBN-13 | 9781426307775 |
| Imprint | National Geographic Kids |
| Age range | 4-6 years |
| Grade range | Preschool - 1 |
| Reading level | Lexile 520L; Fountas and Pinnell J |
A parent or grandparent giving a factual train book to a child between four and six who is starting to read, or an adult reading it aloud to a younger child with an interest in trains. It suits a household that wants real railway facts rather than a story. A child who prefers fiction may like the picture books described below instead.
How to Train a Train, by Jason Carter Eaton and illustrated by John Rocco, is a 48-page hardcover picture book for ages 4 to 8 with a humorous pet-train premise. Tootle, the hardcover Little Golden Book by Gertrude Crampton, is a 24-page story for ages 3 to 7 about a young locomotive. Both are fiction, so this reader is the one to choose when the goal is facts.
Image: National Geographic (Penguin Random House) · source
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.
Image: Lorenz Books / Simon & Schuster · source
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.
Image: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers · source
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.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. How we pick our gear
Compare all railway books.
