The Runaway Train - Softcover

Benedict Blathwayt lives on the edge of Exmoor. His Bramble The Cow books sold over half a million copies. He has written and illustrated many titles for the Random House lists, of which the Little Red Train series is particularly popular. His wife is also an artist and he has two grown-up sons. Richard Briers CBE is a much-loved British actor, whose career encompasses the theatre, television, film and radio. Briers is best known for his role as Tom Good in The Good Life (1975), one of the most successful British sitcoms of all time. More recently, he played the role of Hector in the BBC drama series, Monarch of the Glen. He has also appeared in films such as Henry V (1989), Much Ado About Nothing (1993) and Hamlet (1996) and he narrated the animated children's series Roobarb

PreSchool-One morning, Duffy Driver oversleeps, so the little red train is late leaving the station. When he helps a lady, the brake is off, so the train moves on down the track "...chuff-chuff, chuff-chuff, whoo...oooo." This sets off a chain of events that leaves the man pursuing the train via truck, boat, bicycle, pony, tractor, and helicopter. He finally catches up with it and drives it to a seaside village, where he has a lovely day before he has to drive home again. The text is smoothly written, concise, and suitable for preschoolers. Each page repeats the engine sound that youngsters will love to say over and over again. The satisfying story is greatly enhanced by the detailed illustrations, meticulously drawn and colored. Many pictures are panoramas resembling the English countryside, showing animals, trees, roads, and the runaway train. The plot and illustrations are in the spirit of Watty Piper's The Little Engine That Could (Platt & Munk, 1956). The story-hour crowd will love this one.
Anne Parker, Milton Public Library, MA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.