Locomotive

K-Gr 5—CLANK, CLANK, CLANK! Three strokes to the spike. Ten spikes to the rail. This is how your trip begins with Floca's 2014 Caldecott Medal winner. Narrator Eric G. Dove spins this visual masterpiece into a rich auditory experience. Dove's resonant, lyrical voice captivates young listeners and keeps them enthralled from beginning to end. Sectioned into short "chapters," the book highlights the majesty of the iron horse and those who rode it, the working men who labored long and hard to build it, the Paiute and Shoshone Indians who get caught in its wake, as well as the inner workings of steam power. Locomotive has something for all readers, from young engineers (who'll love learning the details and vocabulary of piston-driven, push and pull steam locomotion), to poets (who will appreciate such lines as "wheels spinning, rods swinging, motion within motion running down the track"), history buffs, train enthusiasts, and those who simply love a well-told story. As much as historical nonfiction as poetry, this book, told in blank-verse style, is a must-have for any school or library.—Jennifer Mann, Washtenaw Intl High School, Ypsilanti, MI