Steam Train, Dream Train: Next Stop, Christmas!

The story is built around a train and its crew, so the subject a young railfan already loves carries the whole book. The publisher presents it as a holiday sequel to Steam Train, Dream Train, which gives families who own the first book a natural follow-up. For the adult who buys it, it is a Christmas-season picture book whose subject is a train. The publisher also credits a named author and a named illustrator, which makes it easy to find the earlier book in the same series if the family wants both.

This is a book for home, not for the trackside. The publisher describes it as a bedtime story that works well as a read-aloud for young children, with animals that the reader says goodnight to before sleep. A downloadable activity kit is offered on the publisher's page as an extra for parents who want something to do after the story. The text rhymes, and the publisher lists the book for ages three to five. The format is a 40-page hardcover picture book from Chronicle Books, written by Sherri Duskey Rinker and illustrated by AG Ford.

A parent, grandparent or relative buying a Christmas gift for a child between three and five who likes trains and bedtime stories. It suits a family that already owns the first Steam Train, Dream Train book. The title, the series connection and the age range are all stated on the publisher's page, so a buyer who does not follow trains can check them before ordering.

The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg, is the classic Christmas train picture book for the same season. Maybelle the Cable Car is another picture book about a vehicle on rails. Both titles suit a family reading together at home; neither is a field guide, so a railfan parent who wants trackside information should look at the DK titles for older children instead.