Reading, Riding and Railways (& A Giveaway!)
 |
April is Families and Reading Month and very few themes have captured the imaginations of authors and readers alike as much as the railways.
From the talking trains of bed-time stories to the magical trains of children’s books, to the mystery trains of detective novels, there is no question that the railroad, from its earliest beginnings to the present day, has played a special role in fiction.
In the early days of the railroad, trains were both exciting and frightening to many and often embodied the negative aspects of the industrial age. By the turn of the Century, the public had grown accustomed to the railways and they came to symbolize freedom, opportunity and adventure. Most recently trains have taken on a dreamlike quality in fiction as supernatural vehicles allowing protagonists to journey to enchanted places.
There are literally thousands of works of fiction in which the railroad features prominently – here are some well-known titles:
Young Children
- The Little Engine that Could, Arnold Munk (1930)
- The Railway Series, Rev. William Awdry (1945)
- Tootle, Gertrude Crampton (1945)
- The Polar Express, Chris Van Allsburg (1985)
Older Children
- The Railway Children, Edith Nesbit (1906)
- The Boxcar Children, Gertrude Chandler Warner (1924)
- The Harry Potter Series, J.K. Rawling (1997)
Adults
- Murder on the Orient Express, Agatha Christie (1934)
- Strangers on a Train, Patricia Highsmith (1950)
- The Bridge over the River Kwai, Pierre Boulle (1954)
As a testament to the role that trains have played in many great works of fiction over the years, Lionel Trains, the iconic model railroading brand, offers several model trains based on the ones from your favorite books (two of which appear here). Trains like these provide a great way to inspire your little ones to read. You and your kids can reflect on the stories from the books you’re reading while reliving them through the action and adventure of your model trains. If you would like to keep up to date with Lionel Trains – they have a wonderful Blog, are on Facebook and Twitter too!
Supporting information:
The Giveaway
Lionel Trains have one Little Lines Polar Express to giveaway! Isn’t it fabulous? Check out the store for more detail information on it!
To enter, all you have to do, is
- Leave a comment below, telling us what your favourite railway related book is!
- Sharing the post on Facebook with @Lionel LLC in the status
- Sharing the post on Pinterest with Lionel Trains in the caption
- Sharing the post on Twitter with @Lionel_LLC in the tweet
DISCLOSURE:
Information and Photos provided courtesy of Lionel L.L.C. All rights reserved. Sean Gelles of Media Whiz, representing Lionel LLC, and I worked together on this post to provide great, wonderful, and valuable information for Families and Reading Month.
Disclosure: this is paid for content
|
Related Posts
Category: Giveaway
Great giveaway! My favorite train story is The Little Engine that Could. =) I can be reached at thegoldengleam at gmail dot com
Oh how lovely! My youngest daughter absolutely loves trains. We love all of the Thomas books and another favorite train book is Chugga Chugga Choo Choo by Kevin Lewis.
My Son & I like The Thomas & Friends “Thomas and the Birthday Party” Book
We love The Little Engine That Could: it’s a classic! Feel free to list your giveaway on our Fabulous Freebies Giveaway Linky…oh wait, see that you did!
I’m going to have to say The Polar Express. It’s by far the most sentimental to me and it’s so magical, heading to the North Pole on a train drinking hot chocolate!? Such fun imagery.
Pinned: Lionel Trains “Little Lines Polar Express” {giveaway} on my Pinterest account/board.
Where to begin. I have two boys who are obsessed with trains! The Polar Express is a favourite year round – not just at Christmas.
My absolute favorite train book has always been “The Little Engine that could”. What a wonderful giveaway! My grandson would love this!
He is a huge train fan! Thanks!
By far the best book (& movie) is The Polar Express.
Always been a fan of Thomas. I have plans to build a layout of Sodor in HO someday.
The railway children!
yes , THE POLAR EXPRESS. THE STORY gives us everything.. book to read the story, real trains to ride like THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAIN RAILROAD ride POLAR EXPRESS, BREVARD NC, the movie, TOM HANKS NARRATES and brings to life CHILDREN, SANTA CLAUS, CHRISTMAS HOBO ANGEL, and THE GIFT OF GIVING CHRISTMAS everyday, and the LIONEL TRAIN set that let us replay the memories by running THE POLAR EXPRESS O GAUGE TRAIN, TOO.WOW THANKS POLAR EXPRESS. TOM S GEORGIA
Fabulous Giveaway! My sons favorite train books are the Thomas and Train Lift and Flap books he loves them we look at them over and over again .
shared on facebook https://www.facebook.com/livingatthewhiteheadszoo/posts/379755262069218
We love trains! We took the real train to San Francisco last week, went on a mini train at the park over the weekend, but you made me realize that we don’t have a favorite train book! What on earth?! Thanks for all the good ideas — look forward to finding some new favorite books.
Down by the Station
I love anything by E. Nesbit so I will pick The Railway Children as my favorite. : )
We’ve always loved the ‘little engine that could’ its a great one to teach that we can do things we don’t think we can! (and i have a board book one that’s shorter and the little guys can sit through too!)
we love the thomas easy reader books
I love the Little Engine that Could. It sure teaches a great lesson to children!
love polar express
I pinned this post!
my grandson loves any kind of train, his Poppy has to show him trains on Youtube when he comes up
shared on facebook: Carolyn Ann Colley
shared on pintrest: Carolyn Colley
tweeted: @22Colley
My boys are obsessed with trains! Their two long time favorites are Freight Train and The Polar Express.
My kids love Thomas
Spottedjagiwar at yahoo dot com
Probably the Boxcar Children books because I read them as a kid. Although now my youngest is starting to get into trains and Thomas.
Thanks for the chance to win!
Actually, the Polar Express is my favorite!
We love reading the Polar Express!
My favorite is a book by Jean Fritz…I still have it….from my childhood, simply titled “The Train”.
Has to be the BOX CAR KIDS
Tweeted
Twitter name: 1prizewinner
My favorite one would be The Little Engine That Could because it shows patience and to not give up
-greenday14fan@yahoo.com
I tweeted about this giveaway on Twitter! @TweetN2Win
http://tweetmeme.com/popup/tweet?url_id=9658858879
I posted this giveaway on facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/sis.connie.vanncolar/posts/10150788565807384
I shared this on Pinterest!
http://pinterest.com/pin/25825397833486102/
I have never had the pleasure of reading a book on trains, but I do have eletters about trains that come to my email. I absolutely love watching trains go by, and I can hear them passing by the house all through the night. I find the sound of trains very relaxing for some reason, and I love to ride them when I’m taking short trips (4 to 6 hours)
Thank you for sharing this fun giveaway with all of us!
Polar Express!
b_burmester@hotmail(dot)com
i love teh polar expcress that is our all time favorite
luckyladybug67@yahoo.com
We love Thomas books
https://twitter.com/#!/poniabaum/status/196951495042793472
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=346609105393363&id=100002258479205
our favorite book is go train go (thomas)
My son is obsessed with trains!! ANY Thomas The Train book is not to be turned down.
My son loves ALL Thomas books!
Pinned on Pinterest http://pinterest.com/pin/177329304048012887/
tweeted https://twitter.com/#!/lake12/status/197005699224571904
The classic book The Little Engine that could is my favorite
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/#!/aliciaa2277/status/197036457569951744
kids love thomas
I loved The Polar Express — thanks for the opportunity to win!
The Polar Express is my favorite.
I love the little engine that could
Our town has a big billboard that says ‘The little town that could’ As a kid I use to remember thinking that the little engine that could came from my home town 
I was a dorky kid lol
Thomas books
Polar Express
Love Polar Express
mneuhouser at gmail dot com
We love the polar express!
My favorite is The Polar Express!
We like all the Thomas Books! And movies…and cartoons…and toys…LOL Thank you
The Polar Express book and Movie are my kids favorite, along with Thomas!
My favorite train book is “The Little Engine That Could”. It’s a classic
The Little Engine that Could. I still have my little golden book copy!
theremustbmore@aol.com
My 3 year old loves all the Thomas the Train books. There are so many great ones!
I love the Polar Express book and my son loves the Thomas easy readers! Thank you!
The Polar Express is my favorite.
Thanks for the giveaway!
eswright18 at gmail dot com
tweet
https://twitter.com/#!/eswright18/status/197428060063150084
love the little engine that could.
debra.pauley63@gmail.com
I still love ‘The Little Engine That Could.” I remember it from my childhood, read it to my son, and now read it to my grand-daughter.
FB share:
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=115787691890627&id=100001574337695
tweet:
https://twitter.com/#!/mbm218/status/197433191307542528
Pin:
http://pinterest.com/pin/39828777924816845/
The Little Engine that could of Polar Express.
willowsmommy21@gmail.com
I like the Little Engine that Could, I read it to my daughter when she was little and now read it to my son.
Shared on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/THRansom/posts/279941472097549
Shared on Pinterest
http://pinterest.com/pin/23221754298850464/
Tweet
https://twitter.com/#!/THRansom/status/197441927401054209
The little Engine that could is the best train story and a wonderful message for everyone.
Polar Express is the best here.. grandkids are always asking to watch it when they visit.
kat_emerick@yahoo.com
we love the little engine that could
Pin It
http://piniterest.com/pin/11118330300337664
We love the little engine that could
Tweet
https://twitter.com/#!/Sticemichelle/status/197444695809462273
The Little Engine That Could is the best. My sister and I grew up with an entire collection of the Golden Books and this was my favorite one.
I tweeted.
https://twitter.com/#!/andreacouponz/status/197454730228797441
AndreaH
davandihamilton (at) gmail (dot) com
I do like the Polar Express but I really liked Harry Potter’s train too. So realistic. Platform 9 3/4 I think. *LOL* kristiedonelson(at)gmail(dot)com Thank you.
Share on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=393736993982425&id=575570496
kristiedonelson(at)gmail(dot)com Thank you.
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/#!/kdonelson/status/197469787171995650
kristiedonelson(at)gmail(dot)com Thank you.
Pinned: http://pinterest.com/pin/23010648066369325/
kristiedonelson(at)gmail(dot)com Thank you.
Love this giveaway, my boys would love to win. One of our favorite railway books is the Little Engine that Could.
My nephew loves the Thomas The Tank Engine Books. Thank you
we love all the thomas books literally have a book shelf full! my son would love this! thanks for the giveaway!!!
boudreauxpartyof5@hotmail.com
The story that first comes to mind is The Little Engine that Could.
Thank you!
Our little guys favorite train books are The Little Train That Could and any of the Thomas the Train books!
we love thomas the train books
My grandson loves the Polar Express, I got him that book a long time ago!!! (Oh – & the Thomas the train books & Dvd’s, too!!!)Thanks for the chance!!!((1955nursehjc4me(at)myway(dot)com))
Shared this on FB (HollyCunningham) w/Lionel LLC in the agline!!!((1955nursehjc4me(at)myway(dot)com)) Love this set!!! https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.redtedart.com%2F2012%2F04%2F25%2Freading-riding-and-railways-a-giveaway%2F&t=Reading%2C+Riding+and+Railways+%28&+A+Giveaway%21%29
We love a book called Little Engine Number 9.
My favorite is the Little Engine that Could.
Thank you for this great giveaway.
I think my family favorite is the polar express!
tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/pauline15/status/197521474695868417
The Polar Express!
i love the little engine that could
sibabe64 at ptd dot net
tweeted
wont let me copy
/past the tweet
so i posted under
@sibabe64
around 12:31 am may 2nd
I’m so sad I missed this giveaway! My son has loved trains for so long!! He definitely loves the Polar Express!! Even though he doesn’t have the actual polar express train he pretends with one of his black engines all the time. Good luck guys!
Oh no! What a shame indeed!
Our favorite is the Polar Express! Love the vivid imagery of the book and the message to “believe”.
My favorite is the Little Engine That Could.