Trains

by Lynn Curlee, Lynn Curlee (Illustrator)

Overview

From steam engines to diesel engines and box cars to sleeper cars, a ride on Lynn Curlee’s Trains is about as close as most kids can hope to get to the Japanese bullet train or the inner workings of steam power. This book’s bold, graphic acrylic paintings are a perfect match for sleek, modern engines; dark, dirty locomotives; and the sprawling landscapes of the countryside. Thoroughly researched and very kid-friendly, Trains tells the history of the railroad, and in doing so, the history of America. This stunning book is one part history, one part art gallery, and a truly terrific ride!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781416948483
Publisher:	Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	05/05/2009
Series:	Lynn Curlee Wonders of the World
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	1,038,428
Product dimensions:	11.30(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	NC1260L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 Months to 18 Years

About the Author

Lynn Curlee was educated as an art historian and worked as a fine artist for many years before he began to make children’s books. Three of his books, Capitol, Liberty, and Rushmore, were chosen by the Barbara Bush Literacy Campaign as their Book of the Year in three consecutive years. Mr. Curlee has won numerous awards for his work, including but not limited to a Robert F. Sibert Honor Book (Brooklyn Bridge), Orbis Pictus Award (Rushmore), ALA Notable Books for Children (Liberty), and Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year (Parthenon). His other books include Ballpark, Trains, Mythological Creatures, and Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. He lives in Norwich, Connecticut, with his partner and two Great Danes. Find out more on Instagram @LynnCurlee.

Lynn Curlee was educated as an art historian and worked as a fine artist for many years before he began to make children’s books. Three of his books, Capitol, Liberty, and Rushmore, were chosen by the Barbara Bush Literacy Campaign as their Book of the Year in three consecutive years. Mr. Curlee has won numerous awards for his work, including but not limited to a Robert F. Sibert Honor Book (Brooklyn Bridge), Orbis Pictus Award (Rushmore), ALA Notable Books for Children (Liberty), and Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year (Parthenon). His other books include Ballpark, Trains, Mythological Creatures, and Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. He lives in Norwich, Connecticut, with his partner and two Great Danes. Find out more on Instagram @LynnCurlee.

Editorial Reviews

As in previous works (Brooklyn Bridge; Skyscraper), Curlee illuminates a single subject-this time trains-with stunning, clean-lined illustrations and informative narration. He opens with a romantic reminiscence about the mighty engines that rumbled through his North Carolina hometown. "We listened to the rhythmic clickety-clack of their steel wheels against the rails and the plaintive echoes of their whistles dying away as the trains sped through the night." Launching into a chronological account of the evolution of the "iron horse," subsequent pages highlight major developments in (mostly American) railroad history, from the first steam engines to run on rails to the high-speed trains of Europe and Asia. Flatly styled and employing limited color palettes, several of Curlee's acrylic paintings will impress and awe readers with ground-up perspectives of trains set against broad expanses of sky or mountain ranges and sometimes put into historical context with people in the foreground. The author leaves readers to ponder whether modern trains, more efficient than their predecessors, may offer "a highway into the future" for a nation "built by the railroads." All ages. (May)

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Publishers Weekly

Gr 4-6

A readable overview of the growth of rail transportation. Beginning with a discussion of how railroads impacted his hometown of High Point, NC, Curlee turns to a description of the steam engine's evolution, followed by a look at how those engines were replaced by diesels. The smoothly flowing text is peppered with interesting details and explanations of how historical events shaped train technology. Some background knowledge in American history helps in understanding the material. Emphasis is on the emergence of American rail transportation, but when appropriate, mention is given to other countries. Curlee concludes by noting future train travel possibilities through "magnetic levitation" and suggests that upgraded rail transportation could be important in light of world energy problems and global warming. The lengthy pages of text are divided by occasional headings. Full-page color acrylic paintings with representation of different trains and historical time periods are the hallmark of the work and set this informational book apart from other titles on the subject. A few handsome spreads are sprinkled in among the other high-quality illustrations. Costumes worn by characters in the paintings nicely convey the changing eras. An appended diagram shows how a steam engine works; it's unfortunate that it wasn't placed closer to the pertinent passages in the text. Nonetheless, this is another solid addition to Curlee's body of work.-Lynn K. Vanca, Akron-Summit County Public Library, Richfield, OH

School Library Journal

A celebration more than a complete chronicle, this beautifully illustrated volume offers a personal and affectionate look at the place of the railroad in history. Beginning with the impact of trains on his home town of High Point, N.C., Curlee looks backward to the invention of the locomotive in England, describes the constant improvements made by various engineers and weighs the impact of the increasing use of trains to transport freight and people across the countryside. He notes in particular that railroads supported the expansion of the United States and the fulfillment of our "manifest destiny." His overview, couched in sophisticated language, doesn't confine itself to the past; refreshingly, the author proposes a viable future for this transformative transportation technology. Stylized paintings in mostly muted colors offer varying perspectives, from a man and child dwarfed by a huge, sleek engine to the mercifully abstract depiction of a fiery calamity. Labeled diagrams supplement the text and provide additional information. Sure to fascinate existing enthusiasts, this elegant survey will likely also create some new fans. (bibliography) (Nonfiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews