#BookReview - Do You Like Trains? @thegingerbreadtrain

Do You Like Trains?

By: Ann Tarpley Francesco
Illustrated by: Rebecca Solow
Publisher: Locomotion Press
Publication Date: January 2020
ISBN: 978-0999291931
Reviewed by: Holly Connors
Review Date: November 2019

Do you like trains? Would you like to go for a train ride? Trains are so fun, so pretty, so cool. And in the delightful new book, Do You like Trains?, an adorable squirrel does his best to convince his new friend, Racoon, that trains are about the most fantastic things you will ever see.

On the very first page we meet Squirrel, a fluffy, and very happy, little rodent. And the reason he is so happy? Because he has a toy train engine in his hand and it’s time to play! “I love trains everywhere I go!” he exclaims. But will his excitement over “everything train,” be shared by others? 

As Squirrel plays with his toy train, and moves it along the track, he notices Racoon, a new friend, who is off to the side playing with a bunch of colorful blocks. Racoon seems perfectly happy with his blocks and isn’t really interested in the train. Is that possible? How can Racoon not like trains?

Squirrel decides it’s up to him to show Racoon all the wonders of trains and he certainly does a grand job of describing all the various things trains can do:

There’s hoppers, boxcars,
and the caboose!
And best of all the cowcatchers
That push aside cattle and moose.

And yet, even with all the wonderful things about trains that Squirrel describes, Racoon is still not convinced that trains are all that fascinating. Maybe he’ll continue playing with his blocks. Will Squirrel ever be able to persuade Racoon that trains are worth investigating?

Told in lively rhyme that keeps the story moving along, Do You Like Trains? will undoubtedly appeal to young readers who love trains. But it's also quite likely to be a favorite with children who may not have considered trains to be as fascinating as Squirrel insists they are. But the little squirrel's enthusiasm is contagious and youngsters will certainly be drawn to his character and it just might pique their curiosity. A review of this book would not be complete without mentioning the wonderful artwork by Rebecca Solow that decorates each page. The animal characters are adorable, the colors bright, and they truly add much to the story. 

Quill says: Do You Like Trains? is an entertaining, spirited tale full of fun rhymes about the awesomeness of trains. How can a child resist such a story?

For more information on Do You Like Trains?, please visit the author's website at: www.locomotionpress.com