Freight Train: A Caldecott Honor Award Winner

by Donald Crews

Book Overview

In simple, powerful words and vibrant illustrations, Donald Crews evokes the rolling wheels of that childhood favorite: a train.

This Caldecott Honor Book features bright colors and bold shapes. Even a child not lucky enough to have counted freight cars will feel he or she has watched a freight train passing after reading Freight Train.

Donald Crews used childhood memories of trains seen during his travels to his grandparents'...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0688117015
• ISBN13: 9780688117016
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books
• Length: 24 Pages
• Weight: 0.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 9.8" x 8.0"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Beautiful illustrations!!!

The text is very simple, and I can see us coming back to this book when we teach my son to read. Right now he's one, and he loves to look at the train. We read it, and talk about the pictures. But really it is the illustrations that blow me away. They're stunning. I think it is important for children's books to be well illustrated, and I'm glad to have this in my library. And of course, always happy to find a well-done Spanish translation/bilingual book.

Great buy!!

This book is a wonderful addition to anyone who has a library of young chidlren's books. It is written in both English and Spanish, and is a favorite of all young children. The text is simple and effective in teaching concepts of print to young children.The colors of each train car are vivid and eye-catching. The Spanish text is also simple and allows children to explore another language with a familiar story. A must-have!

helping my 2 year old learn Spanish!

This is probably my 2 1/2 year old's favorite book. Not only is it about trains, which is his obsession, it is told in both English and Spanish. We are teaching him Spanish, and he loves for us to take turns reading each sentence in both languages. Our most read book!!!

A very highly recommended "read-aloud story"

A Caldecott Honor Book, Freight Train/Tren De Carga is a bilingual English/Spanish picture book written by Donald Cres and enhanced with his starkly minimalist yet impressive color illustrations. Very simple phrases showing the inevitable journey of a freight train make Freight Train/Tren De Carga a very highly recommended "read-aloud story" to share with the very young just beginning to grasp their first words in both languages.

Choo Choo Boogaloo. A classic for your bookshelf!

My son's first word was "car". The word "train" was not far behind. He loves this book. He has learned the types of train cars and colors from reading this simple and elegant book (board book version). It is a must have for all children who love trains. Mr. Crew's book truck is terrific but nowhere near as colorful and as filled with speed as this book. Highly recommended!

Beautifully designed, a must-have children's book

My 16-month-old son loves trains, and we have read many train books. Freight Train is his favorite (and has been his favorite book for the last two months). The illustrations are spare and clear, use primary colors, and have enough detail that my son finds some new train hardware to point at each time we read the book. As the train moves, its different-colored cars blur together for a nice visual effect.