I Love Trains [Paperback]

Philemon Sturges (Author), Shari Halpern (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Trains, trains, trains!

A train is passing by! A young boy watches in delight from his window as it rumbles and roars past. Each of the cars is carrying something interesting, but his favourite car is the last one - it carries something extra special!

A cheery, informative book for youngsters who love trains by the creators of I Love Trucks!

Ages 3-6

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

A little boy in a striped engineer cap and overalls extols the many virtues of trains in this boldly colored celebration of that most romantic form of transportation. Holding a toy train, he gazes out his bedroom window onto the bucolic countryside bisected by a set of tracks, while train cars "hoot and roar as they rumble by my door." One long train stretches over the course of the book; every two-page spread features several types of cars and the boy's simple, rhyming descriptions. "Some carry steel; some carry scrap, or secret stuff that's under wrap." The latter shows what's obviously an airplane, under cover. Vibrant swaths of color and heavy black outlines make the vivid, almost childlike pictures particularly pleasing to the eye. And as the last car rounds the bend, we discover there's a special reason our hero loves trains so much, especially the caboose! Tiny train fans will cheer to find this delightful companion to Philemon Sturges and Shari Halpern's I Love Trucks!. (Ages 3 to 6) --Emilie Coulter --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1-As he watches a train go by, a little boy describes the vehicle in rhyming text. "Some cars keep things from the rain./Some cars carry trucks or grain,/or cows,/or hogs,/or gas,/or logs." However, by the child's reckoning, "-the best car's at the end,/and as the train goes round the bend," he waves, "-glad/to see the car that carries Dad." Boldly colored, unadorned illustrations accompany the text. Additional information about trains is provided on the endpapers. Although this title is not as well constructed as Donald Crews's Freight Train (Greenwillow, 1978) or as detailed as Gail Gibbons's Trains (Holiday, 1987), youngsters should enjoy the simple story, whether it is shared as a read-aloud or one-on-one.
Melinda Piehler, North Tonawanda Public Library, NY
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (March 18, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064436675
• ISBN-13: 978-0064436670
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 9.9 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #60,040 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #13 in Books > Children's Books > Transportation > Trains
  • #67 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Transportation

More About the Author

Philemon has had a strong appetite for books since he was a boy. He loves to read books and poetry aloud in his booming voice. The father of three grown daughters, Philemon enjoys visiting schools and writing for a young audience. "Everything is new to kids," says Philemon. "it is an honor to introduce them to things -- plus, it's fun!"

A former award-winning architect, Philemon now uses his vision to create books rather than buildings. Philemon had his first book published in 1995 and has published at least a book a year since then. He typically likes to work on two or three new story ideas at a time.

As a boy, Philemon spent many summers at his grandpa's house in Bristol, Rhode Island, where he fell in love with boats and the sea. After a four-year Navy stint in Japan, he moved back to Rhode Island. When he wasn't working on the development of downtown Providence, the waterfront of Newport, or the boat basin on Nantucket, he spent his time sailing, clamming, and riding the waves in his dory, the Dawn Treader. He even spent a year living on an old ferryboat moored in Providence Harbor.

Currently, Philemon splits his time between the city and the country. He can be found at home in the heart of Boston's South End (in a brownstone he redesigned) or out in the charming country town of Princeton, Massachusetts. He lives with his wife, Judy Sue, and his two dogs, Rufina and Giotto. Wherever he is, Philemon enjoys cooking and eating and spending time with friends. (Rufina and Giotto love his leftovers!)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a sweet poem for train lovers, January 12, 2002

By 

audrey (white mtns) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: I Love Trains! (Hardcover)

If someone in your house loves trains, they will find a kindred spirit in the little boy who narrates this delightful book. He tells us what he likes about a passing train ("I like trains that hoot and roar/as they rumble by my door"), and the surprise at the end is sweet. Illustrations are bright, outlined scenes in a rural setting. Some illustrations are very simple and others are filled with activity. The boy's dad is mentioned and seen in the story, nice for kids to see. And, as a bonus, the endpages show and describe the various kinds of train cars -- the tender and engine, a hopper, boxcar, flatcars, a tanker, gondolas and the caboose. This is a deceptively simple book that can be a joy and an enrichment for you and your little train lover.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For Little Train Lovers Everywhere..., June 25, 2001

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Love Trains! (Hardcover)

A little "engineer", complete with striped hat, watches out the window as a long train rolls by. As every car crosses each two page spread of this book, he tells us about what it's used for and what it might be carrying. And as the caboose finally rounds the bend, we all get to see why this little boy loves trains..... Philemon Sturges has written a delightful picture book that will charm and amuse all young train lovers. His simple, gentle, happy text, told in rhyme and full of rhythm and motion is complemented by Shari Halpern's large, bold, childlike illustrations and small children will enjoy the color and detail. With additional information about trains and their cars on the inside front and back covers, I Love Trains is perfect for pre-schoolers and future engineers, everywhere.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have, January 20, 2004

By 

Kori Clark (Encinitas, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Love Trains! (Hardcover)

My 2 1/2 year old son has loved this book for over a year, and has it completely mesmorized. I have taped the pages so many times, I am going to have to break down and by another one. The inside cover naming all the diffent types of train cars is awesome. You have to have this book, it is THE BEST.