C Is for Caboose: Riding the Rails from A to Z

Pack your bags for an unforgettable trip! An unexpected mix of vintage illustrations and contemporary photos makes this word book about trains as entertaining to look at as it is to read. With simple information about everything from the transcontinental railroad to the model trains, C Is for Caboose is sure to excite young readers' natural curiosity and fill their heads with details they'll be eager to share.

Children's Literature

This alphabet book is a unique combination of historic photographs, vintage posters, and brightly-colored, cartoon-like graphics. All letters occupy at least one and occasionally two pages, and some photographs spread across both pages as well, adding visual impact. Most letters have multiple words associated with them, which is a real plus in that it gives children more than one association and means of practice. Text is informational, providing facts and descriptions (e.g., "Monorail, a train that runs on a single track"), and explanations have some advanced vocabulary and place names that will require an older reader (e.g., "electricity," "passageway," "Yosemite"). The words associated with letters are adequate in size but explanatory text is somewhat small for young readers and occasionally hard to see when superimposed on black and white photographs. Overall, the book design by Sara Gillingham is well-executed, with colored endpapers criss-crossed by train track graphics. Two pages of image credits are provided at the back. This book might usefully illustrate certain topics in science/technology and history in addition to its obvious purpose for learning letters. This is not subject matter that will appeal to every child, since the material is largely historical and doesn't address any of the marvels of modern train technology.