Old Tracks, New Tricks, is a story about three little wooden train tracks who shake up an old wooden train set. But it's so much more than that. It's a way to inspire children to invent new fun with their old favorite toys, and to value and celebrate the creativity of others at the same time as ...
Interview with Brianna Caplan Sayres
The Little Engineer (age 6) interviewed picture book author Brianna Caplan Sayres at the super fun launch party for her latest book, Where Do Steam Trains Sleep at Night? and got ask her all about her books. He had a blast, and we're so excited to be able to share the interview and the book with ...
PUFF by William Wondriska
A review of PUFF by William Wondriska, a stunning, classic picture book for kids who love trains, plus ideas for activities, materials, and toys to extend the book. ...
Christmas Train Books for Kids
If there's one type of train books for kids I've delighted in collecting more than the others, it's been Christmas train books. I've been looking forward to sharing this list of holiday books for young railroad enthusiasts for a long time, and here it is. I've also included suggested activities for ...
Down in the Subway by Miriam Cohen
A review of Down in the Subway by Miriam Cohen, a fun picture book for kids who love trains, plus ideas for activities, materials, and toys to extend the book. ...
Easter Train Books for Kids
I love reading holiday-themed books with the Little Engineer. He often requests the best ones all year round, and train-themed books have been especially popular. (No suprise there, of course!) Here is a list of all the Easter train books for kids we've been able to get our hands on. ...
Valentine’s Day in Vicarstown: Book Review and Wooden Train Layout
The Little Engineer and I enjoy taking what we read and acting it out in play. Often, this means playing it out with our wooden trains. (Big shock, I know.) I think there's a lot to be learned from adapting a book to another form of storytelling. Also, we're hoping the photos of our layout might be ...
Thomas Gets a Snowplow: Wooden Train Book Activity for Kids
I'm glad that there are a few children's books about trains in the snow that focus on winter rather than the holidays. Not that the Little Engineer minds reading books out of season, but it's nice that there are a few stories that are set in winter without Christmas coming into the picture. Thomas ...
Halloween Books for Kids Who Love Trains
Halloween is approaching! Even though my sweet tooth has faded over the years, I still love the costumes, the colors, the anticipation in the air. And, of course, I always enjoy sharing my favorite holidays with the Little Engineer. One of the best ways to do that is to snuggle up with a festive ...
Sand Tracks: Train Beach Activity Inspired by Peter’s Railway
Today, I have two things to share with you: a fun beach activity that combines creativity, science, and sensory play, and the inspiration for it, a great series of train books for kids of any age! From what I've seen, it can be difficult to find many books about trains that will appeal to ...
8 Train Books For Summer Reading
When I set about making a list of train books for summer reading, at first I was stumped. There are lots of books about trains set in the winter, but not so many that are really about summertime itself. This is most likely because trains run in every season, in almost any weather. Outside of ...
DIY Board Book: Angry Bird Train, a Kid’s Favorite Things Mash-up
The Little Engineer and I started making books together at about the same time he began speaking in sentences. Sometimes I write down a particularly popular bedtime story I've come up with (usually with his help, because he likes to take over the story!). But I especially love to help him write ...
Exploring the Art of Steam Train, Dream Train (Part 2)
After we did this train art project, the Little Engineer and I were sitting in Snuffleupagus, our mammoth Japanese lace leaf maple tree. He just discovered this quiet, secret world this spring, and I'm grateful he invites me in with him to sit on the twisted, sturdy branches. Surrounded by ...
Exploring the Art of Steam Train, Dream Train (Part 1)
While searching for train books on Amazon for the eight-hundred-and-seventy-sixth time, I spotted Steam Train, Dream Train. Just from the thumbnail, I was drawn in by the cover art. When I clicked to take a closer look, I knew why. It turned out Steam Train, Dream Train is the new book by ...
Puzzle Train Ticket Mix-up — Read & Play Trains
When I talk to the Little Engineer about how this is "our train blog," those are not just empty words. I try to involve him in every aspect of the blog that I can. When he looks over my shoulder and sees Google Analytics up on my browser, he asks, "How many people came to our train blog today?" ...
The Caboose Who Got Loose: Train Book Review & Play
Sometimes, I put a lot of effort into helping the Little Engineer bring a book to life. Most of the time, however, the transition from book to play is unplanned and effortless. Recently, we read The Caboose Who Got Loose by Bill Peet again. In a longish narrative (by today's standards, not that ...
Hi, I'm Jessica! While playing trains for the last several years, my Little Engineer and I have had a lot of fun and learned so much together. I'm excited to share our discoveries with other people who have kids who love trains in their lives.