Thomas's Christmas Delivery (Thomas & Friends) (A Sparkle Storybook) [Hardcover]

Rev. W. Awdry (Author), Tommy Stubbs (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: A Sparkle Storybook

It is Christmas eve, and Thomas wishes he was safe and warm in his shed with the other engines. But Thomas is a Really Useful Engine and has several important deliveries to make. Will he get home in time to make sure his stocking has been carefully hung? And when a big blizzard blows up, Thomas fears that Father Christmas may not find the engine shed at all.
The Reverend W Awdry first started telling his young son tales of Thomas, Percy and the other Really Useful Engines in 1944. In 1945, he started writing the tales down, and upon their publication they were immediately embraced by train lovers in Great Britain and worldwide. Before his death in 1997, the Reverend wrote 26 volumes of stories that continue to thrill generations of young readers.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

It is Christmas eve, and Thomas wishes he was safe and warm in his shed with the other engines. But Thomas is a Really Useful Engine and has several important deliveries to make. Will he get home in time to make sure his stocking has been carefully hung? And when a big blizzard blows up, Thomas fears that Father Christmas may not find the engine shed at all.
The Reverend W Awdry first started telling his young son tales of Thomas, Percy and the other Really Useful Engines in 1944. In 1945, he started writing the tales down, and upon their publication they were immediately embraced by train lovers in Great Britain and worldwide. Before his death in 1997, the Reverend wrote 26 volumes of stories that continue to thrill generations of young readers.

About the Author

In 1944, a country vicar, the Reverend W Awdry, wrote the stories he had been telling his two young sons about a group of engines with very recognizable personalities. In 1945, the first book featuring Thomas and the other Really Useful Engines was published, and in the 60 years since, the tales of these friendly engines have become beloved classics around the world.


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (September 14, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 037582877X
• ISBN-13: 978-0375828775
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 0.3 x 10.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #338,367 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful!, January 21, 2005

By 

Sverre Amundsen (SPRING, TX USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Thomas's Christmas Delivery (Thomas & Friends) (A Sparkle Storybook) (Hardcover)

This book has replaced "Thomas and the Shooting Star" (also illustrated by Tommy Stubbs) as the most beautifully illustrated Thomas book. The illustrations are so lifelike and have such depth to them they make "...Shooting Star" look blurry in comparison.

The story is very nice as well. A great, feel-good christmas tale of how Thomas brings deliveries on christmas eve.

I've been reading this one to my 3 year old almost daily since we we got the book, and so far neither of us has grown tired of it.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Thomas the Tank Engine Book I've Seen, November 7, 2006

By 

Janet Boyer "Author, Blogger, Radio Host" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thomas's Christmas Delivery (Thomas & Friends) (A Sparkle Storybook) (Hardcover)

"Puff, puff. Peep, peep. Snowflakes were just starting to fall as Thomas climbed the steep hill. It was Christmas Eve and Thomas wanted to be back in his shed with his friends. The engines' stockings were going to be hung soon and Thomas didn't want to miss that. But Thomas was a Really Useful Engine and he had three very important deliveries to make...and they could not wait." -- From the book

My son is an ardent fan of Thomas the Tank Engine, so we have quite a few of the Thomas books. Most reinforce the same rudeness, pettiness, and competitiveness of the TV series.

However, Thomas' Christmas Delivery offers quite a different tale. One snowy day, the night before Christmas, Thomas must make three important scheduled deliveries--food for the Community Hall for the big celebration, parcels to the school for the children that were unable to go home for the holidays, and presents for the residents of the Children's Hospital in Vicarstown.

It just so happens that Sir Topham Hatt comes out of the hospital, telling Thomas he has a very important job for him: delivering a toy train to a little boy with a broken leg.

Thomas is worried that Father Christmas will forget him, especially since Thomas' stocking wasn't hung before he left.

Thomas perseveres in the dark, snowy night, delivering the toy to the ecstatic--and grateful--injured boy and his Mom. Ever so slowly, Thomas makes his way home--exhausted.

Happily, his stocking is filled the next morning with the very thing he wanted most--coal!

The lavish illustrations by Tommy Stubbs are stunning. The people--carolers, Mrs. Kyndley, the trains--look so life-like. Snow-laden trees, billowing steam, colorful presents, cheery lighted windows--the images are almost photo-realistic at times. I've not seen a finer illustrated Thomas book thus far.

The story is engaging and heartwarming, and it's great to (finally!) see a Thomas story that's not centered around rudeness or harassment. Only one other train makes an appearance in Thomas' Christmas Delivery--Percy--and he peeps "Good morning, Thomas! Merry Christmas!" as the two discover their filled stockings.

This is a lovely Christmas book for fans of Thomas the Tank Engine series. The sparkling holographic silver snowflakes on this hardcover book adds a nice touch, as well.

A joy to read--especially with the gorgeous illustrations--Thomas' Christmas Delivery is a wonderful addition to any child's library.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book!!!, January 9, 2007

By 

Sue E (Northern NJ) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Thomas's Christmas Delivery (Thomas & Friends) (A Sparkle Storybook) (Hardcover)

As a mom, I love reading this book to my son(3). It doesn't scare him like some do. Its just a really nice story and the fact that its all about giving during Christmas is an added bonus. Thomas does good deeds in this one to help children and my son loves it. Most of the time he's sleeping before I get to the end of the book lol