Freight Train

Published in 1978, Donald Crews’s Freight Train is a classic picture book that most children—particularly lovers of trains—are sure to love. The story is very simple, with very few words and simple illustrations. However, the words that are used teach train vocabulary and colors, creating an easygoing reading experience that both educates and entertains.

The first picture of the book states, “A train runs across this track.” It shows a very stark picture of a train track without a train to show children what the track looks like before the train runs on it. The next picture is of part of the train. Each car is a different color; that car’s name and color are both described above it, respectively, and is the same color of that particular car. For example, above the yellow car it reads, “Orange tank car.” And while all of the colors of the rainbow are used, so are the different parts of a train, such as the hopper car, the steam engine, the gondola car, the box car, the cattle car and the caboose. I didn’t even know what many of these cars were called prior to reading this story to my daughter!

Each car is introduced in detail through Crews’s drawings; then, a single picture pans out to show the entire train with simpler details so the reader can visualize what the entire train might look like once in motion. The steam clouds actually look steamy and wispy with the watercolors used, and as the train moves the motion is also portrayed with the colors flashing by in streaks. When the train goes through a tunnel, the reader is provided with an “inside” view of the tunnel, seeing how dark it is inside. Even as dark as it is, the train continues to move inside. It also shows the train moving past cities in the background, the skyscraper silhouettes providing a neat and fun background to the train’s journey.

The train also passes over a trestle, which will surely delight kiddos with its intricate patterns, as well as in both darkness and daylight in a split cell picture. When the train is gone, we come full circle back to the lonely track; only this time, the train’s smoke remains whispering in the wind above the track.

Learning opportunities about reading the book; everything from colors to train parts to directions to sizes can all be assessed by little ones. It’s also simply an enjoyable book to read through and a great book for early readers.