FICTION

Trains Don't Sleep

illus. by Deirdre Gill. 40p. HMH. May 2017. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780544380745. POP
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 1—Trains roll by throughout the seasons, at night and during the day, and set against backdrops that vary from nature scenes to urban settings. In the beginning, viewers see a passenger train followed by a freight train, a steam train, and even a circus train. Holding the random scenes together are a girl and a boy getting on at different stops, befriending each other during the ride, and waving goodbye as they part. The rhyming text is rich and rhythmic—"Rumbling, grumbling, screech and squeal,/Rolling, trolling wheels on steel." The softly hued images in oil on paper are uncomplicated and inviting, ranging from close-up scenes to wide landscapes, set during the early to mid-20th century. A simple, illustrated glossary is appended.
VERDICT Sure to be a hit with train fans. Best shared in small groups or one-on-one.

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