The Banshee Train - Softcover

Bodkin, Odds

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0395797225 ISBN 13: 9780395797228

Publisher: Clarion Books, 1996

Synopsis

In the mountains outside of Denver, a passenger train is saved from certain disaster by the ghosts from a previous wreck

About this title

About the Author:

Ted Rose is a painter and printmaker whose work has been nationally honored and published in books, magazines, and calendars. He lives and works in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This is his second picture book for children.

From School Library Journal:

Kindergarten-Grade 3?A lively picture book set in 1929. While heading through Colorado on a foggy night, the engineer and fireman of Train Number 1 notice some unusual occurrences. First, the throttle swings off all by itself. After the engine resumes speed, a mysterious locomotive appears on the tracks behind them, and they must travel at full speed to avoid a collision. Just before they reach Gore Canyon Trestle, Number 1 comes to a sudden halt. Then the men hear "...an unearthly shriek" and see the ghostly head of a banshee rising from the train behind them, which disappears. The men discover that Gore Canyon Trestle is completely gone; the banshee saved them from certain death. The story is well paced, leading up to its dramatic climax smoothly and surely. Railroad terms are nicely interwoven throughout, and dialogue and description move the tale along briskly. Double-page watercolors capture the motion and color of the trains and the mountainous terrain. They don't show much of the two men, but the narrative conveys their emotions and excitement. An author's note briefly explains the background of the banshee and the role of Irish immigrants in working on American railroads. More suspenseful than scary, this title should appeal to kids who enjoy stories about trains and ghosts.?Steven Engelfried, West Linn Public Library, OR
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0395797225
• ISBN 13: 9780395797228
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Rose Ted