Casey Jones

I am ashamed to say I didn't know the story of Casey Jones before I read this book, but had heard the name connected with trains. I also did not read this book before reading it aloud to my son. I was kind of shocked at the content but my just turned 4-year-old was just fine with it all and he loves the book. You decide if your child is ready for this story.This is a true story that took place in the year 1900 in America. To make a long story short, Casey Jones (a Caucasian) was an engineer of a steam locomotive who was never late with his passengers. One night there was a broken down freight train stuck on the track and they were headed right for it, going to collide. Casey realized that he would be killed so he told his fireman (an African American) to jump to save his life. The fireman jumped and lived to tell the tale. Casey pulled the break and the locomotive was smashed to smithereens and he was killed. All the passengers lived and escaped serious harm. Casey is called an American hero because he saved the lives of the passengers and gave his own life to save them.So my son is fine with this. We had discussed death in the past and he understands the concept of death and that people die. He also understands that crashes/accidents sometimes result in injury or death. When I first read this I was surprised at a picture book for young children containing a story about the death of an engineer. But since he was fine with it and it was a heroic death, I am fine with it as well. My devil's advocate says that sometimes we shelter our children from knowing about death, while another part of me questions at what age they should be exposed to discussions about death. The only other possibly controversial image and text refers to the western settlers and railroads.."their power brought destruction, the death of a way of life, disaster for the Native American", and shows a Native American sprawled on the ground with eyes closed, as if dead, clutching a rifle. I just have not broached the whole subject with my son yet, I think the whole Native American element and the history of the settlement of the west, is a bit beyond his ability to comprehend, at this age of just turned 4 years old. We are struggling with discussions about war and guns and killing. Some discussions we've had as a result of seeing some commercials on TV with war images have so far resulted in nightmares. I just wanted to let you know about these components so you can decide if this book is right for your child.The illustrations are fun and cartoon like, as seen on the cover.

Everyone needs a hero, and children will surely find one in this robust true story of John Luther "Casey" Jones, perhaps our country's most famous locomotive engineer who died in 1902 with "one hand on the whistle and the other on the brake." A native of Cayce, Kentucky, "Casey" rose from freight engineer to locomotive engineer. The tall Irish man became well known among railroad men for his trademark whistle "taking its note from a whisper to a screaming Woo...oooh! And back down to a whisper again as he sped through the countryside." On the night of the fateful crash, "Casey" told Sim, his fireman, to jump and save himself. Sim did, and lived to tell the story of Casey's bravery. It was Wallace Saunders, an engine wiper, who first wrote and sang about "Casey's" life. Later, another took up the tune and it became the stuff of legend. English author/illustrator Allan Drummond offers an appealing retelling of Casey's story in bouncing rhyme perfectly suited to young eyes and ears.