May 10 – National Train Day

Happy Train Day!

Train enthusiasts across the United States celebrate trains today with special events and train education.

One of America’s all time favorite and most quoted picture book is The Little Engine That Could, written and illustrated by Watty Piper (1930).  It has since been republished several times over the years and has had several different illustrators. This classic reminds us everyday that we can do whatever we put our minds to. “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.”  “I knew I could, I knew I could, I knew I could.”

Since the little engine, we have had a love affair with trains.  Here are just a few picture books.

Trains written and illustrated by Gail Gibbons (1988)

Freight Train written and illustrated by Donald Crews (Caldecott Honor Award 1979)

The Polar Express written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg (Caldecott Medal winner – 1986)

 Locomotive written and illustrated by Brian Floca (Caldecott Medal winner – 2014)

I have a full review of Locomotive posted below.

http://julianaleewriter.com/2014/05/10/locomotive/