Engine, Engine, Number Nine

This book is one of my kids' and my favorites. It reads so smooth and has great entertaining words and pictures. It is great for all ages. A must have.. simply a classic!

This rhyming book tells the tale of Engine Number Nine on a destination unknown. Along the way a variety of passengers are picked up; from farmers and their pigs, to mothers and their crying babies, to an entire marching band. Where is the train full of motley passengers going? That's the simple riddle in this easy to follow story. The colorful illustrations are fun to look at and add a dash of flavor to this playful book.

Rhyming text about people and farm animals getting on the passenger coach (led by a steam train). We know not where they are going. Finally it is revealed that they are going to the fair. Animals walk upright and eat cotton candy and do other human activities. All get on the train and snooze for the train ride home. I love the rhyming text, the fact that it is about a train ride, and that they are going to a fair. Trains and fairs are two of my son's favorite things so this book is a big hit in our house! My only complaint that I must voice is that one rhyme is about a small baby who is crying and kicking, and baby is shown miserable with tears running down his face and mouth open, howling, and the mother is looking down and smiling proudly at the baby. I think that is a bit sick and don't think it belongs in the book. I don't like images of babies crying and portraying that as normal behavior and I especially don't like that the mother is happy and smiling while the baby is crying and not doing anything about it. Nurse that baby or do whatever is necessary to address baby's need and/or soothe the baby! I really want to teach my children compassion and that tending to a baby's need is important. For that reason alone, I reduce my rating to 4 stars; otherwise it would have been 5.

This is one of our 2 year old's favorite books. She will sit still for this one with all its rhyming and detailed illustrations of a train that picks up various passengers on the way to the county fair. As parents, we even enjoy reading "Engine, Engine" again & again......

My 2 year old loves this book and knows it by heart. It is a colorful rhyming book that has a cute little train making the trek to the county fair with all its various passengers. A real find for the train lover kids in this world.