Train! - Hardcover

Judi was born in Italy but now lives in North London with her family. She studied Illustration at art school in Milan. She usually works with acrylics, collage and color pencils. When Judi’s not painting she loves discovering the secret world of animals and travelling the world!

PreS-Gr 1—Little Elephant knows how to say just one word—"Train." It is the name of his most favorite thing in the entire world. So as a special treat, his parents take him on a real train ride, where he meets some of his peers. But alas, they do not share his passion. Cat loves planes, Penguin loves cars, and Bunny loves diggers. When they do not want to play trains (or even say the word), Little Elephant gets annoyed, then aggravated, and then stomping mad. Mid-meltdown, the train enters a pitch black tunnel, and chaos ensues. Exiting the tunnel, each child is holding the "wrong" toy. "This was new. This was...FUN!" As the children play and swap the toys around, Little Elephant learns a lot of new words, including "one very special one...Friends!" Abbot uses a mixture of panels, word balloons, and full- and half-page images to excellent effect. The mostly solid backgrounds make it easy to focus on the characters with their very clear body language and facial expressions. The simple text is a perfect complement to the illustrations. The theme of an obsessed child will resonate with kids and parents alike. Only one small question lingers: Why is the cat family the only one wearing clothes?—Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH