Frosty, midnight blues accompany a rhythmic, onomatopoeic text to evoke a ride aboard a night train. A sleepbound boy muses about such a journey, "through a forest / in the dark / under the stars." With spare elegance, London celebrates both the beauty of nighttime ("the snow flutters / like white butterflies / in the steam / and in the beam / of light / from the locomotive") and the power of the train ("it ticktacks / down the tracks / and snakes through a tunnel / blacker than night"). Likewise, Rand's ( Night Tree ) luminous paintings capture the watchful activity of nocturnal creatures across a snowy landscape bisected by the chugging engine. He combines ground chalk, india ink and watercolors to achieve a remarkable range of textures and densities, from the owl's feathers to the glittering snow. While the image of the title proves cryptic, the poetry and hushed excitement of this arresting collaboration should earn it a place atop the stack of bedtime read-aloud favorites. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2-- In this quiet story, readers climb aboard a train on a snowy evening as it travels through the night forest. A bird's-eye view is provided by an owl as it "soars silent as a shadow" and looks down upon a bear, a cougar, mice, and bunnies before and as they curl up for a good night's sleep. Only an owl's hooting and the sound of the train as it "ticktacks down the tracks" break the lovely calm. This poet's talent shines through the spare, lyrical text. Rand's watercolor, ink, and chalk illustrations capture the varying shades of the night; the brilliant design reveals sweeping views of the forest, train, and owl, while small pictures framed in white focus on particular animals, and even smaller ones bring readers right into the den or burrow. A perfect choice for bedtime sharing.
- Marianne Saccardi, Whitby School American Montessori Center, Greenwich, CT
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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