Thomas and the School Trip [Paperback]

Rev. W. Awdry (Author), Owain Bell (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Illus. in full color. That cheeky blue engine refuses to be sidetracked from his goal of taking schoolchildren home after their visit to the train yard--despite a host of obstacles along the way.  

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Illus. in full color. That cheeky blue engine refuses to be sidetracked from his goal of taking schoolchildren home after their visit to the train yard--despite a host of obstacles along the way.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 30 pages
• Publisher: Grolier Books and Random House (September 7, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679843655
• ISBN-13: 978-0679843658
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.2 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #117,407 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kids are wonderful!, February 14, 2002

By 

Jane James "homeschoolmum" (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thomas and the School Trip (Paperback)

I think the main message to this story is that children are absolutely wonderful.

In this story, Thomas starts the day sad... he wants to play with the children, but he has to work instead. The happy ending is when he helps his friend (the bus which breaks down) by taking the children home.

Thomas is obviously thrilled to be able to help the children. What a warm, sweet message to give to the young readers!

This is an "I can read it all by myself Dr. Seuss Beginner Book", and it's written as though a young reader should read it, in very short, choppy sentences ("My name is Thomas. Watch me push! Watch me pull!... Stop or go. Help or hurry."

But the actual words used are not those that the true beginning reader will be able to read on his or her own. (station, somebody, coaches, Clarabel, bridge, should, friend, passengers, etc.) It's fine to have very simple sentences for the beginning reader; or to address the book to the not-such-a-beginner-reader. But this book seems to take the worst combination; dumbed down story with too-hard words.

That said, my children really enjoy this book; the annoying aspects only seem to annoy me. And, of course, their opinion is what really counts. The older kids love to read it to the younger ones, and they think it's great that Thomas gets to have his trip with the children.

4 stars because the kids like it so much, and because it really does have a worthwhile message for children.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Thomas the Tank Engine on a school trip, November 4, 2004

By 

Bonnie Sayers "autismfamily" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thomas and the School Trip (Paperback)

Briefly the school children are shown as they arrive in their uniforms, the girls are in straw hats with the boys wearing red ties. It is never mentioned where exactly this class trip is and hard to tell by the way they are dressed. What is portrayed is how much fun it would be to be the train that takes the kids on the school trip. Before they depart the trains, known as Henry, Thomas and James are scrubbed so their engines are shiny and bright. " The train yard is ready."

Thomas the Tank Engine is all excited when the children arrive wanting them to see him push and pull. But it turns out that Thomas the Tank Engine has work to do on his regular branch line, which makes him sad as he would rather have fun taking the children on their school trip. " Sir Topham Hat has an idea. Do your job, Thomas. Then hurry back. You can take the children home." This sets the train in motion to rush about his regular routine just so he can take the kids home. What this shows in my opinion is Thomas the Tank Engine slacking off on his duties just so he can have fun. This is not a good message for my son to learn at this point in time.

Instead of the happy Thomas the Tank Engine content on his rides he is sad and thinking of hurrying back for the kids instead of focusing on the task at hand and gets upset when he has to wait for his loads and obstacles along the route. His face is red as he is riding up a hill and over a bridge and then through a tunnel. All the while the coaches Annie and Clarabel are reminding him to hurry back so they can take the children home. If they are late another train will do the job. Up ahead Thomas sees Bertie the Bus broken down, but first he ponders whether he should stop and help or continue on hurrying to get to the station before another train to take the kids home.

My son was able to read through Thomas the Tank Engine and the School Trip several times, but it was boring for him since he knew the ending. He also had many questions like where the kids were going on the trip and why they were all dressed in the same clothes. The last page is a green background that makes the text hard to read for my son also. He also wanted to know about what age the kids were on the school trip. It was hard to tell but they appear to be older like ten to thirteen perhaps.

For kids who are fans of Thomas the Tank Engine they will like the book. I would hope others reading will instill to their children how rushing through a job is not the answer.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!, October 20, 2003

By 

Cynthia Manuel (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thomas and the School Trip (I Can Read It All by Myself Beginner Books) (School & Library Binding)

My 14 month old son is obsessed with this book! We read it so much that I know the story by heart. It is a good length for short attention spans, has nice pictures, easy words and teaches kids about helping others. A great find.