Customer Reviews

The Little Engine That Could

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This will teach me not to read the reviews carefully before purchase. This is a very abridged version of the classic story: the bright shiny engine and the big strong engine are nowhere to be found. If you're after the book you remember from your childhood, find another version. The illustrations are bright & fun, but there's just too much missing from the story.

This is one of the great children's stories of all time. I loved it as a child and read it over and over again, and my son has been demanding it as a bedtime story regularly since he was2-1/2 years old. The 1991 Platt & Munk (a division of Grosset & Dunlap) edition, beautifully illustrated by Cristina Ong, leaves out all the requests made to the busy trains. The story is now very brief (which is why I give it only 3 stars instead of the 5 the full-length version deserves)--I suppose because it is a board book--but the essentials are all there. It also changes the sex of the engines from male to female, so perhaps some parents would like to read this edition to their children as well as one of the others.

This little board book is indeed a very abridged version of the classic that you may remember from childhood. However, the length is perfect for the shorter attention spans of children aged 6 months through 24 months (the usual target audience for board book publishers).

The colors are bright and cheerful, the shape is fun for little hands to hold, and the prose is eagerly anticipated time after time -- especially with sound effects from the reader. :) And although it is abridged, the "I think I can!" message of the original story still comes through loud and clear.

For older children or those with longer attention spans, buy the full-length version. But for rollicking fun with your baby or toddler, I recommend this version.

It's short and sweet with rhyming to boot! My 16-month old son loves this book and has asked for "choo choo" book for a couple of months now. It's a quick and pleasant read for parents too. And it has the lessons of "keep trying" and "try things you haven't done before."

The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper and illustrated by Cristina Ong is a story about the Little Engine who was trying to get all the toys to the workshop.

I liked the book because it was kind of like God, because God always tells that to us, that we shouldn't give up just because something is hard. The book is good for kids who are 3 or 4 or maybe younger.

The book's main point is that we shouldn't give up if we're doing something really hard, like when we were at Paradise Park and I almost got to the bell but I just couldn't get there because the rocks were too high.

This version of the story was a little too abridged for my taste, but I do appreciate it's durable board book format. My son (12 mo. when purchased) enjoys the pictures, and probably wouldn't grasp the story yet anyway. But don't order if you're hoping for a board book version of the classic you remember.

I bought this book when my daughter was not even 18 mos. old. It was the first book I could get her to sit through in a long time - and she absolutely loved it. It seemed to break the barrier in getting her to sit through a story. It is perfect toddler version - it gets the message and the story across and is just right for a toddler's short attention span. Still a favorite!

My husband loves reading this classic to our daughter and she loves reading along! A classic.

This is a book I loved as a child and my 21 month grandson enjoys it as much as I do.

my twin toddlers love this book - the train-shaped board book is interesting for them to explore with their little hands, and the story just long enough to hold thier attention