Train Trip

PreS-Gr 1—A young boy sets off on a solo train trip. As he climbs aboard, he takes in the new sights and sounds: "Capped conductor. Dark suit./Polished buttons. Crisp salute./Steel steps. People squeeze./Cloth seats. Tickets, please!'" The staccato stop and start iambic verse mimics the rhythm of the train. The child looks out the window at the passing fields, eats a snack, and asks, "Are we there yet?" To pass the time he "Chuff[s] up and down the aisles" and is even treated to a tour of the engine car and allowed to "Sound the whistle." At the final station, he finds his grandmother waiting. Andreasen's cartoon illustrations have a sentimental, homespun appeal. The anthropomorphized train has a wide, smiling face and even the whistle has goggle eyes and gives a friendly toot. While this offering may be too sweet for some train enthusiasts, the excitement of the journey rings true.—Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada