Magic Train Ride

A ticket on the Magic Train takes the reader from outer space to underwater to a land of cakes.

PreSchool-K-A train begins its journey with two children, an octopus, a Martian, a tiger, and a gingerbread boy among its passengers. It travels to the jungle, underwater, to outer space, to a land of cakes, etc. At each station, one of the passengers disembarks and a new child boards. By the end of the trip, all of the animals and magical creatures have been deposited in their proper settings and the remaining riders are now children returning from magical jaunts. The rhymed text offers few surprises and is extremely repetitive. Esplugas's multimedia art has many fun details that children will enjoy exploring in full spreads, but an odd color scheme gives some of the landscapes a dull look. While the author and illustrator have hit upon an idea that will fascinate youngsters, this excursion lacks the magic it needs to really take off. For train-obsessed youngsters, stick with Kevin Lewis's Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo (Hyperion, 1999).-Rachel G. Payne, Brooklyn Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Grab your ticket and jump aboard! What marvelous destination will be next for the magic train? The station might be as far away as outer space or under the sea, deep in the jungle or in a distant fairyland, or better yet, a spot fabricated from deep within your own imagination. Following along in the book with Sonia Esplugas's fanciful and bright illustrations adds to the appeal of this listening package. Arriving at each station brings a myriad of aural and visual delights. Sound effects abound! It won't take long before the clicking of the track, the jaunty refrain, and the upbeat music will have young listeners bouncing along on the ride. A.R. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine