BookYou Asked For It: Books about Trains

Browse the list below for a selection of great books about trains. Click the book cover or title to go to the book in the online catalog. Click the author's name to search for more books by that author.

Shark vs. train Shark vs. train
Barton, Chris.

Trains Trains
Barton, Byron.
Brief text and illustrations present a variety of trains and what they do.

And the train goes-- And the train goes--
Bee, William.
As assorted passengers comment on their train ride, and the train itself goes "Clickerty click, clickerty clack," the station parrot is carefully listening to every sound.

Two little trains Two little trains
Brown, Margaret Wise, 1910-1952.
Two little trains, one streamlined, the other old-fashioned, puff, puff, puff, and chug, chug, chug, on their way West.

It's funny where Ben's train takes him It's funny where Ben's train takes him
Burleigh, Robert.
Ben draws a train that takes him to all sorts of wonderful places before returning him to his own bed.

Peek-a-choo-choo! Peek-a-choo-choo!
Cimarusti, Marie Torres.
Wheels and rudders, tracks and wings-- vroom-vroom, toot-toot, choo-choo, ping!. Things that go from here to there say, "We'll play peek-a-boo anywhere!".

Engineer Ari and the Rosh Hashana ride Engineer Ari and the Rosh Hashana ride
Cohen, Deborah Bodin, 1968-
Israel's first train chugs from Jaffa to Jerusalem on Rosh Hashanah.

This train This train
Collicutt, Paul.
Simple text and illustrations depict different kinds of trains going uphill and downhill, crossing bridges and tunnels, using electricity or steam, carrying passengers or freight, even when it snows.

Shortcut Shortcut
Crews, Donald.
Children taking a shortcut by walking along a railroad track find excitement and danger when a train approaches.

Casey Jones Casey Jones
Drummond, Allan.
Illustrations and rhythmic text tell how the famous engineer, Casey Jones, risks his own life to save others.

Tracks Tracks
Galef, David.
When Albert breaks his glasses while supervising the laying of the railroad tracks between two towns, he becomes responsible for one of the most exciting rides that the townspeople have ever had.

Dinosaur train Dinosaur train
Gurney, John Steven, 1962-
Jesse gets to ride on a dinosaur train.

There's a train out for dreamland There's a train out for dreamland
Heider, Frederich H.
As a train heads out to dreamland, it travels on peppermint rails through a confectionery landscape.

Mac & Marie & the train toss surprise Mac & Marie & the train toss surprise
Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald.
One summer evening a brother and sister eagerly await the train that runs by their house, wondering about the surprise their uncle has promised them.

Trains : steaming! pulling! huffing! Trains : steaming! pulling! huffing!
Hubbell, Patricia.
Rhyming text presents the characteristics of various kinds of trains.

My little train My little train
Ichikawa, Satomi.
A little train goes for a ride, taking all the stuffed animals where they want to go.

All aboard! : a true train story All aboard! : a true train story
Kuklin, Susan.
A journey through part of the Colorado Rockies aboard a steam locomotive of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Includes historical and descriptive notes on the Durango & Silverton trains.

The last train The last train
Lewis, Kim, 1951-
Sara and James imagine a puffing steam train rushing past their farm.

Chugga-chugga choo-choo Chugga-chugga choo-choo
Lewis, Kevin.

A train goes clickety-clack A train goes clickety-clack
London, Jonathan, 1947-
Easy-to-read, rhyming text describes the sounds of, and uses for, different kinds of trains.

All aboard the dinotrain All aboard the dinotrain
Lund, Deb.
When dinosaurs seek adventure by taking a train ride, they find the trip has some unexpected surprises along the way.

All aboard ABC All aboard ABC
Magee, Doug, 1947-
An alphabet book introducing the world of trains.

Choo choo clickety-clack! Choo choo clickety-clack!
Mayo, Margaret.
Rhythmic sounds imitate trains, planes, and other busy transports that come and go.

Gus and Grandpa ride the train Gus and Grandpa ride the train
Mills, Claudia.
Gus waves at the train near his grandfather's house, sets up a toy train, and eventually gets to ride on the train with his grandfather.

Terrific trains Terrific trains
Mitton, Tony.
Rhyming text introduces a variety of trains as they leave a station, rush along the tracks, and arrive at the platform where travelers are waiting.

I'm taking a trip on my train I'm taking a trip on my train
Neitzel, Shirley.
In cumulative verses using rebuses, a young boy describes his experiences as engineer on the train in his room.

The prairie train The prairie train
Ó Flatharta, Antoine.
As a young Irish immigrant boy travels by steam-engine across the American prairie to a new life, memories of the old country pull at his heart.

Bebop Express Bebop Express
Panahi, H. L. (Heather L.)
A rollicking rhythmic express train takes passengers on a jazzy journey that celebrates the United States and its unique musical culture.

The little engine that could The little engine that could
Piper, Watty, pseud.
Although she is not very big, the Little Blue Engine agrees to try to pull a stranded train full of toys over the mountain.

All aboard! All aboard!
Ray, Mary Lyn.
Mr. Barnes goes on a train trip and enjoys all the sights and sounds of the ride.

My freight train My freight train
Rex, Michael.
A little boy, living out his fantasy of driving his own freight train, describes the different cars, what each carries, how they are connected, and more.

Whoo! whoo! goes the train Whoo! whoo! goes the train
Rockwell, Anne F.
Allan, who loves trains and learns all that he can about them, has a wonderful time when he finally takes his first train ride.

All aboard to work--choo-choo! All aboard to work--choo-choo!
Roth, Carol.
Animal mothers and fathers with various professions take the train to work and return at the end of the day to spend time with their children.

Train song Train song
Siebert, Diane.
Rhymed text and illustrations describe the journey of a transcontinental trains.

The Goodnight Train The Goodnight Train
Sobel, June.
A child's bedtime ritual follows the imaginary journey of a goodnight train's trip to the dreamland station.

Clickety clack Clickety clack
Spence, Robert, III.

Rattle and rap Rattle and rap
Steggall, Susan.

All aboard! All aboard!
Stevenson, James, 1929-

I love trains! I love trains!
Sturges, Philemon.
A boy expresses his love of trains, describing many kinds of train cars and their special jobs.

Night train Night train
Stutson, Caroline.
Rhyming text presents a nighttime train ride through the countryside, with lightning on the tracks, rattling cars, and the welcoming lights of the station at the end of the journey.

Window music Window music
Suen, Anastasia.
Describes the trip taken by a train as it travels over hills, through valleys, past horses and orange trees until it arrives at the next station.

Tupelo rides the rails Tupelo rides the rails
Sweet, Melissa, 1956-
After being left by the side of a road with nothing but her favorite sock toy, Tupelo meets a pack of dogs led by Garbage Pail Tex as they are wishing for new homes, then joins them as they catch a passing train and share stories of dog heroes.

Thomas the tank engine Thomas the tank engine
Awdry, W.

The last train The last train
Titcomb, Gordon.
Song lyrics about the bygone era of the mighty iron horse are paired with detailed paintings that pay tribute to life around a little railroad station.

The Polar Express The Polar Express
Van Allsburg, Chris.

Here comes the train Here comes the train
Voake, Charlotte.
Every Saturday, Chloe, her little brother William, and their father bicycle to a footbridge over the railroad tracks and wait for the trains to come thundering under them.

Hey Mr. Choo-Choo, where are you going? Hey Mr. Choo-Choo, where are you going?
Wickberg, Susan.
A train engine hauls his cars from the city to the sea, answering questions about what he is pulling, seeing, and hearing along the way.

Puff, puff, chugga-chugga Puff, puff, chugga-chugga
Wormell, Christopher.
"Puff, puff, chugga, chugga here comes the little train...the little train ends up holding many big passengers!"

Train song Train song
Ziefert, Harriet.
A young boy watches a freight train go by on its daily run.

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Last modified on Friday, July 27, 2012
Kids page artwork courtesy of and copyright Todd Parr.