Many young children develop an interest in trains as they watch early childhood shows featuring engines and railways. There are many books including activity books, picture books and fact books about trains that will appeal to children with an existing interesting in railways.
Thomas the Tank Engine
In 2010, Thomas the Tank Engine celebrated 65 years since the first railway stories were published by the Rev. W. Awdry. Thomas has some a long way since the publication of The Three Railway Engines in 1946 with a large range of toys, DVDs and books available featuring the Responsible, Reliable and Really Useful little blue tank engine.
The My Thomas Story Library books are particularly good for young children. Their small soft cover format is excellent for packing into a bag for entertainment while out and about and the stories can easily be read in five minutes. The engines in these stories deal with many emotions – happiness, sadness, jealousy, anger, fear, excitement – that will be familiar to young readers and the stories offer many opportunities for parents to discuss the best way to deal with these kinds of emotions as the stories are being read.
The Thomas the Tank Engine story book range also features a large number of educational books and activity books targeting pre-school age children, teaching concepts like colours, numbers, shapes, days of the week and more. The language used in the stories is generally quite advanced, helping children to develop a strong vocabulary.
Slightly older children might enjoy reading the original Thomas stories or reading books such as the special Thomas the Tank Engine 65th Anniversary Edition (Egmont, 2010 – ISBN 978-1-4052-52683) which features additional notes, photographs and original illustration sketches.
Train and Railway Picture Books
There are numerous general train picture books available beyond the well marketed Thomas the Tank Engine and Chuggington stories. While children who love trains might show an initial interest in any book that features railways and engines, parents should check the text to make sure that it is age appropriate. Several train picture books feature very simplistic rhyming text that children will quickly outgrow as they approach school age.
Recommended picture books include:
- Rusty’s Train Ride by Heather Amery (Usborne Publishing, 2004)
- Tootle by Gertrude Crampton (Golden Books Publishing, 1945)
- Ocean Star Express by Mark Haddon (Collins Picture Books, 2002)
- The Polar Express by Chris van Allsburg (Andersen Press, 1985)
- The Little Red Caboose by Marian Potter (Golden Books Publishing, 1953)
- Oi! Get Off Our Train by John Burningham (Random House, 1991)
- Niccolini’s Song by Chuck Wilcoxen (Penguin, 2004)
- The Little Red Train series by Benedict Blathwayt
Activity picture books, such as Usborne Young Puzzles: Puzzle Train by Suzannah Leigh (Usborne Publishing, 2010) or Thomas and the Blackout (Egmont UK, 2008) can make reading books a more enjoyable and interactive experience for active young readers.
Non-Fiction Books about Trains for Children
Some children find that their interest in trains extends beyond stories to an actual interest in the machines themselves. There are numerous books available written for young readers exploring the many types of engines and features of different railways and trains.
Non-Fiction books about trains suitable for young readers include:
- I Love Trains: First facts and pictures (Miles Kelly Publishing, 2009)
- DK Big Book of Trains (Dorling Kindersley Ltd, 1998)
- DK Ultimate Sticker Book: Train (Dorling Kindersley Ltd, 1999)
- Usborne Discovery: Trains (including internet links) by Stephanie Turnbull (Usborne Publishing, 2002)
For older children or for younger children to read with adult supervision, A Pop-Up Railway Book: Trains by Robert Crowther (Walker Books, 2006) and Legendary Journeys: Trains (Walker Books, 2010) includes pop-up train and railway sections, flaps, sliding tabs and other interactive features. These are excellent and interesting books about trains and rail travel, however they require some care when reading.
Children with a love of trains and railways might also enjoy general non-fiction books and magazines about trains. Find books that have a large proportion of photos/illustrations compared to text. These books can often be found at discount prices at second-hand booksellers, particularly copies of old train magazines. Railway Portraits by Robert and Bruce Wheatley (WriteLight, 2006), Trains and Railways of Australia by Jim Powe (New Holland, 2008) and The Train: A Photographic History by Jonathan Glancey (Hinkler Books, 2004) are good examples of visual non-fiction railway books.
Books for Children Interested in How Things Work
Some children develop an interest in trains as part of their fascination with mechanics and how machines work. For children who show a stronger interest in non-fiction books about trains and railways, parents might also like to consider books with a more general focus on machines, gears and mechanical topics.
How Machines Work by Gerard Cheshire (Tango Books, 2007) and Amazing Pop-Up Big Machines by Robert Crowther (Walker Books, 2010) both feature pop-up illustrations and moveable parts sure to fascinate older children with an interest in this topic. Stephen Biesty’s cross-sections books feature incredibly detailed illustrations of the inner workings and structure of a variety of machines, buildings and structures.
Train Books for Children of All Ages
Incorporating an existing interest is a wonderful way to encourage children to develop a love of books and reading. The variety of books featuring trains and railways ensures that there is something to appeal to all ages and reading levels.
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