Kid Konnection: Steam Train, Dream Train

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week, I'm going to share with you a terrific picture book that's perfect for bedtime!

Summary: The team behind the #1 New York Times bestseller Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site returns with another fabulous book for bedtime! The dream train pulls into the station, and one by one the train cars are loaded: polar bears pack the reefer car with ice cream, elephants fill the tanker cars with paints, tortoises stock the auto rack with race cars, kangaroos stuff the hopper car with balls (while zebras referee). Sweet and silly dreams are guaranteed for any budding train enthusiasts! -- Chronicle

I have been seeing lots of buzz the past month or so for the new picture book STEAM TRAIN, DREAM TRAIN by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld. There is a great deal of excitement that this pair had is back with a new book. They had much success with their last one GOODNIGHT, GOODNIGHT, CONSTRUCTION SITE -- it was a New York Times Bestseller as well as an award winner.

I'm not familiar with GOODNIGHT, GOODNIGHT, CONSTRUCTION SITE, but I can tell you that I adored STEAM TRAIN, DREAM TRAIN. This book is positively adorable for little ones because it features not only trains, but also cute animals. And it's an ideal bedtime book... for both parents and children.

STEAM TRAIN, DREAM TRAIN begins when the train pulls into the station and the animals have to load the various train cars. For example, monkeys load the boxcars with a variety of toys, while kangaroos fill the hopper cars with bouncing balls. Elephants fill the tankers with paint, and turtles stock the autorack with race cars. After all of the work is complete, the animals go to sleep and the train begins its travels. It's just cute on so many levels.

I am pretty sure that STEAM TRAIN, DREAM TRAIN will be a hit with preschool age children, especially those that love trains. The book has rhyming text and beautiful illustrations which should appeal to even the most active kids -- there is plenty to look at on each page. I also like that this book is educational in that it teaches children about the various types of train cars. However, it's the silly aspects of this story that will appeal to every reader!

Check out the book's trailer to see what I mean:



Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!