Beyond Thomas: Train fiction & poetry for young children
Discover enchanting train-themed fiction and poetry books for young children! Explore captivating stories and rhymes beyond Thomas the Tank Engine, perfect for little readers and train enthusiasts.
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Freight Train
by Donald Crews
"Clear bright illustrations show all the cars of a train bringing the reader the excitement of movement through day and night, country and city."--Booklist.
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This Train
by Paul Collicutt
A concept book for the youngest of train lovers All aboard! This is one train book you don't want to miss. Using a refreshingly simple approach, Paul Collicutt has crafted the perfect book for young railroad enthusiasts. Each page features a vividly colored and detailed painting of a train, and the spreads show how they are different -- long and short, fast and slow, old and new. As a bonus, full-color endpapers feature captioned renderings of real-life engine models from all over the world that were the inspirations for the trains depicted throughout the book.
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William and the Night Train
by Mij Kelly
All aboard! Tonight everyone's riding the night train -- mothers and fathers, teachers and jugglers -- they're all sleepyheads, ready for bed, ready to ride the train to Tomorrow. Everyone, that is, except wide-awake William, who is too excited to sleep. William can't resist exploring the train from end to end, discovering its secrets, until his mother convinces him that the train won't go and Tomorrow won't come until he settles down and shuts his eyes . . . With dreamy illustrations and a text filled with a rocking bedtime rhythm, this appealing picture book captures the anticipation felt by any child who is setting out on an exciting new journey.
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Two Little Trains
by Margaret Wise Brown
PUFF, PUFF, PUFF CHUG, CHUG, CHUG ALL ABOARD! Two trains are heading West. One is a shiny train, moving fast. The other Is an old train, moving not so fast. What can they have in common? Much more than you think! This treasured story from the author of Goodnight Moon has been newly illustrated by two-time Caldecott Medalists Leo and Diane Dillon. Margaret Wise Brown's brilliantly simple text is fittingly showcased by the Dillons' extraordinarily inventive illustrations. You'll be surprised where the two little trains take you. Come and see!
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Underground Train
by Mary Quattlebaum
In this jaunty, read-aloud journey, readers can follow the route of the train underground, as well as what's going on above ground. Illustrations.
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Puff-puff, Chugga-chugga
by Christopher Wormell
The conductor is worried that his three rather large passengers won't fit, but they do.
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Chugga Chugga Choo-Choo Board Book
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A rhyming story about a toy freight train's day, from loading freight in the morning to retiring to the roundhouse after the day's work is done. On board pages.
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Tootle
by Gertrude Crampton
In this classic Little Golden Book from 1945, Tootle is a young locomotive who loves to chase butterflies through the meadow. But he must learn to stay on the tracks no matter what—if he ever hopes to achieve his dream of being a Flyer between New York and Chicago!
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The Little Engine That Could
by Watty Piper
"I think I can, I think I can, I think I can..." Discover the inspiring story of the Little Blue Engine as she makes her way over the mountain in this beloved classic—the perfect gift to celebrate the special milestones in your life, from graduations to birthdays and more! The kindness and determination of the Little Blue Engine have inspired millions of children around the world since the story was first published in 1930. Cherished by readers for over ninety years, The Little Engine That Could is a classic tale of the little engine that, despite her size, triumphantly pulls a train full of wonderful things to the children waiting on the other side of a mountain.
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It's Funny where Ben's Train Takes Him
by Robert Burleigh
Ben draws a train that takes him to all sorts of wonderful places before returning him to his own bed.
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I Knew You Could!
by Craig Dorfman
Celebrate graduation and achievements big or small with The Little Engine That Could! The determined Little Blue Engine is back, bringing inspiring and enlightening words of wisdom to graduates of all ages as they make the transition from one phase of life to the next. I Knew You Could! provides familiar comfort in changing times and serves as a wonderful gift that will be treasured for years to come. Readers will revisit the story again and again as they move forward along life's path. From "I think I can" to "I knew I could," The Little Engine That Could helps kids of all ages realize that anything is possible if you just put your mind to it!
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Train Song
by Diane Siebert
Here is the song of the train. Listen as it rushes past big cities and small towns. Listen as it sweeps through forests and fields and into tunnels. Hear the whistle wailing, brakes squealing, wheels rolling, r-o-l-l-i-n-g, stop. Now the train is homeward bound. All aboard! Notable Children's Books of 1991 (ALA) Best Books of 1991 (SLJ) 100 Favorite Paperbacks 1994 (IRA/CBC) Notable 1990 Childrens' Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC) Children's Books of 1990 (Library of Congress) Favorite Paperbacks for 1994 (IRA/CBC)
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John Henry
by Julius Lester
Julius Lester and Jerry Pinkney's warm, humorous retelling of a popular African-American folk ballad. When John Henry was born the birds, bears, rabbits, and even a unicorn came to see him. He grew so fast, he burst right through the porch roof, and laughed so loud, he scared the sun! Soon John Henry is swinging two huge sledgehammers to build roads, pulverizing boulders, and smashing rocks to smithereens. He's stronger than ten men and can dig through a mountain faster than a steam drill. Nothing can stop John Henry, and his courage stays with us forever. A Caldecott Honor Book * "This is a tall tale and heroic myth, a celebration of the human spirit . . . The story is told with rhythm and wit, humor and exageration, and with a heart-catching immediacy that connects the human and the natural world. " --Booklist, starred review "Another winning collaboration from the master storyteller and gifted artist of Tales of Uncle Remus fame." --School Library Journal "A great American hero comes fully to life in this epic retelling filled with glorious, detailed watercolors . . . This carefully crafted updating begs to be read aloud for its rich, rhythmic storytelling flow, and the suitably oversize illustrations amplify the text." --Publishers Weekly