Books on Trains

Trains taught my son his colors, his numbers and his love of all things mechanical. Start with the two classics Trains (by Byron Barton) and Freight Train (by Donald Crews). If you see signs of interest, feed the passion with these titles!

Shark vs. Train by Chris Barton, illus. by Tom Lichtenheld (Little, Brown). The perfect combination of one-upmanship that pits one boy’s shark against another boy’s train. One can roast marshmallows, but the other dominates under water. The battle wages on, with sharp comebacks and professional grimaces. Who will triumph? Get a ring-side seat for this winner! (Ages 3 – 8)

Steam, Smoke and Steel by Patrick O’Brien (Charlesbridge). A good introduction for a budding train enthusiast, told through the eyes of a young boy whose ancestors were all engineers. The facts about trains of the past are mixed in with the fiction of a family proud of its lineage. Grand romantic images of past trains are coupled with detailed technical drawings. (Ages 5 – 8)

DK Big Book of Trains (DK Publishing). The gold standard of beginning train books for children. This book will teach your child to become a hard core engineer who will count the axels (“4-2-2”) and will use the word “articulated” to describe a locomotive. It is all in the details. (Ages 5 and up)

Locomotives: The Modern Diesel and Electric Reference by Greg McDonnell (Boston Mills). When kids love trains, don’t underestimate their ability to understand these complex machines. Here is one beautiful book (of many titles geared toward adults) that will capture their interest, if only for gazing at the pictures. Watch your train fanatic soak in the gleaming metal. (All ages.)

Julie Hubble has been to many train museums all over the country.