[.ca] Freight Train/Tren de Carga (ISBN 0060562021)

Simple yet effective!:
My 2-year old son absolutely loves this book. The book is very simple--the pictures are minimalist, and each page displays only a few words--which means my son has easily memorized this book, and he is so proud of himself when he can go through and tell us what each page says! (It's so cute to hear him say "Going by cities! Crossing trestles!") I would highly recommend this book for two-year olds.

PERFECT:
This book is the greatest children's book ever created - it was always my favourite. Simple and elegant images tell the story of the freight train. Highly recommended!

Freight Train:
Freight train is a exalt book for the ages of kids 3-5 years old or when the are just starting to read and learn their colors. The book doesn't have much of a plot. the book teaches you your main colors, and even a few different and even a few other beautiful colors. This book was also a Caldecott Honor Book, and is a great beginner's book.

A great starter book:
My three year old nephew loves "Freight Train"--it's simple enough that he can "read" it--he's learned the names of the different cars and it reinforces color recognition. The illustrations are big and bold and colorful. A winner!

A cornucopia of visual images:
Writing a review for of a children's picture book is, as a rule, somewhat difficult. The simpler the text, the harder it is to come up with something new and original to say. I just read Donald Crews's "Freight Train" because it is widely hailed as a good book for children. The story follows a freight train (after carefully identifying each and every car) driving through hill and dale. Each car has a different color, following the classic Roy G. Biv configuration, culminating with the impressive black steam engine. Viscerally, I liked the detail Crews took in illustrating the page presenting this impressive piece of machinery. Every bolt and curve is outlined in a stately violet tone. Meanwhile, black steam created by coal pours and gushes from the train. This is a book about just how impressive the industrial age really is. The speed of the train is praised to no end, colored cars blurring as the engine picks up speed. Going through cities the rainbow carriages stand out against the stately repetitive buildings on the street. For those children entranced by trains (thank-you, Thomas the Tank Engine, et. al), this book encapsulates everything they might want. Reading it over and over again they'll enjoy the colors and train's increase in speed. Reading it over and over again YOU will enjoy the artist's use of color and form, especially taking pleasure in such scenes as the train's blurred deep tones as it disappears into a tunnel. I'll be honest. I've read more interesting books in my day, and if you are purchasing this book for children that couldn't care less about trains, they may not take to this particular story. But there is something to be said for beauty in all its forms. Even, the coal-burning mechanical kind.