Nonfiction: Eyewitness Books: TRAIN

     Who doesn't get enthralled at the sight of a train, rumbling and screeching down the tracks?  Who among you doesn't get over-the-moon excited when, as you're rushing off (late, AGAIN) to an important meeting you get stopped for ten minutes at the railroad crossing?  Okay, probably not most of you.  But if you are a train enthusiast, your answer might be different.  When a tiny train enthusiast lives in your house, you might change your tune a bit.  Any parent knows that when a toddler or young child becomes interested in a subject, they tend to be...fixated.  Really, REALLY fixated.  And then you're stuck with the challenge of finding materials to assuage the hunger for more information, more pictures, more shows, more conversations about said subject.
     Which brings me to this book: Eyewitness Books: Train.  Eyewitness Books are numerous (there are nearly 200 volumes currently in print) and address more topics than I can name.  They are available at book stores, libraries, and home book collections, just to name a few.  They almost act as volumes of an encyclopedia, with each volume on a different subject.  Unlike an encyclopedia, they do have individual authors; Train is written by John Coiley.  I was disappointed to find NOTHING about this author.  Though the information is exciting and, from what I could tell, accurate, I dislike not being able to find any credentials for the author.  The book still has credence, mainly from its association with the Eyewitness series.
     This book does not mess around about getting down to business.  There is a table of contents, and even that spread has pictures and explanations of each object.  It opens by defining what a train is, and then lays out historical information about trains.  The topics then narrow to specific types of trains and items associated with them, such as postal cars and signal boxes.  The book is loaded with high-quality photographs and images that bring the book alive.  There is a small paragraph on each page to anchor the topic, but the rest of each double-page spread is devoted to images and detailed explanations.  The type is small, which allows for more information.
     The unique thing about Trains and other Eyewitness books is the appeal to all age groups.  They are placed in the children's section of nonfiction picturebooks at bookstores and libraries, but they are also useful to any age looking for information on trains.  We supply Eyewitness books even at the high school library level.  The pictures appeal to young children, and as they gain the ability to read, the information becomes more pertinent.  The information is not "dumbed-down" for young readers, though, so it really is the older student who will get more out of the text.
     The very end of the book includes a spread on Great Train Journeys, a Train Timeline, and a Find Out More page.  On Find Out More, readers have access to useful websites, information on trains in the movies (such as the Hogwarts Express in Harry Potter), and even places to visit that will appeal to the train lover.  Overall, Eyewitness has books for everyone and every interest, of all ages, which for me was the most surprising discovery of all.
     I would use this book for all ages!  For young children, I would place this book in the nonfiction section, or display it with other books on trains, both fiction and nonfiction.  For older children/young adults I would place it in nonfiction or set up a section of all of the Eyewitness Books I had in my library on top of a lower set of shelving for easy access.  With adults, I would disperse them according to topic on the shelves.  We have a model train club in my town, so another way to get train enthusiasts reading the books on trains, I would invited the train club to set up their model trains in a section of the library for a day, and then display train books of all ages, allow the club to hand out informational material about their club, and provide snacks to patrons.  I think this sort of event would be most popular with families.
     One awesome read-alike that I'm in love with right now: Trains: Steaming! Pulling! Huffing! by Patricia Hubbell and illustrated by Megan Halsey and Sean Addy.  Usually I just mention the author, but the illustrators (who use collage) are beyond awesome in this book and also Trucks! by the same author.

Eyewitness Books: Train
John Coiley
DK Publishing
Copyright 2009
ISBN 978-0-7566-5032-2

PIcturebook Magic: Come Fly with Me

     The story of a toy that comes to life when people aren't watching is not new, but it is the unique imaginings of each author that brings each story to life in a different way.  Such is the case for Come Fly with Me by Satomi Ichikawa.  Cosmos, a toy airplane, and Woggle, a fluffy dog in a posh scarf (he is French, after all), decide to take a trip to Somewhere.  For them, Somewhere is Sacre-Coeur, a huge white dome that sits on a hill overlooking Paris.  On their adventure, they learn to fly together, even when the going gets rough.  Will they make it to Somewhere on their own?

     Ichikawa's inspiration for the beautiful artistry is her own apartment window.  The view is of the white dome, and she comments that she often looks at it herself.  The plane and the dog are not figments of her imagination, but real toys that she owns and brings to life in the pages of this book.  

     This book is a terrific book for young airplane enthusiasts, who can watch the journey as well as take in the scenery, which includes other airliners streaking through the warm, watercolored sky.  Each page is quaint and beautiful, suffused with warmth from Ichikawa's color palette. The panoramic full spreads of Parisian rooftops are an homage to the city of Paris that draws the reader in and invites them to stay.  The grey skies signal trouble for the two friends, and the transition to a monochromatic palette of greys and browns contribute to a sense of gloom.  However, when the sun bursts out again, Paris is again awash with cool color and even a rainbow.  The Eiffel Tower is seen in the distance.  

     Though I found myself more captivated by the illustrations than the storyline, this is a story about friends, sticking together, and a quest.  Though this book would be suitable for children of both genders, I imagine that boys may gravitate more toward this book because of its main characters being a dog and an airplane, an adventure, and calamity.  Because of the beautiful illustrations, I would possibly group this book with others of similar watercolor style.  Miss Nelson Is Missing springs to mind.  I would definitely create a display of picturebooks  and Easy Readers all having to do with flight as well.  It would also be fun to create a display of other beautifully-illustrated books and shine the spotlight on the illustrators, who sometimes get lost in the shuffle.  Some read-alikes in this category include: Cromwell Dixon's Sky Cycle by John Abbott Nez; Captain Arsenio: Inventions and (Mis) Adventures in Flight by Pablo Bernasconi; Mr. Putter and Tabby Fly the Plane by Cynthia Rylant.

Come Fly with Me

Satomi Ichikawa
Copyright 2008

New York: Philomel Books

ISBN: 978-0-399-24679-1