Sunday, May 8, 2011

Train, Train...

I was thinking about summer travel recently and all the places people go. I don't know about you, but my children enjoy new places, especially those with subways, light rails, or monorails. Families with children who are fascinated with trains and subways will enjoy this picture book and if you are traveling to a city with special transportation opportunities this book should prove fun for the car.

“Subway Ride”

By Heather Miller
Illustrated by Sue Rama
For Ages 4 - 8
Lively illustrations and fun facts factual about the ten subway systems around the world make "Subway Ride" a must for children fascinated by transportation. Rated 3.75 (fun facts, transportation, world travel)

Five children head into the subway system for a trip to the park. Once on the train, each stop brings them to a new city, including: Atlanta, Moscow, London, Chicago and New York. In all, the children travel to ten different cities before reaching their final destination. When the doors open they leave the station and head out for a fun-filled day in the park.

Miller utilizes minimal text and flowing rhymes in an effort to keep the pace lively. Unfortunately the text sometimes comes across stilted, acting like a hiccup in the story's momentum. Rama’s vibrant digital collage and watercolor illustrations are easy for young readers to follow and add a pleasant energy to the story. The use of blushed lines and bright colors bring a sense of action and depth to each subway station. Young fans of trains and public transportation will be enthralled with the easy-to-digest information about landmark subways around the world.