Product Description

The train tracks ran right by Bigmama's house in Cottondale, and the children were warned to stay off the tracks. But one night they were late, and the tracks were a shortcut, so they started off. And when there was no turning back, they heard the train coming.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #44309 in Books
• Published on: 1996-09-20
• Released on: 1996-09-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780688135768
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
A group of children get the thrill of a lifetime when they decide to cut short their walk home in Crews's new picture book. Though they know the freight train might round the bend momentarily, the kids opt for playing along the tracks instead of walking on their familiar route. Charged with excitement, the escapade turns to fullblown alarm when the train whistle sounds, sending the youngsters scrambling to safety at the last minute. Crews's economical text deftly explores a roller coaster ride of emotion in just a few paragraphs, highlighted with effective onomotopeia-Whoo wh(,o; klackity, klackity, klack. The underlying childlike sensibilities here-taking a risk to the limit, for example-authenticate the author's voice throughout. The story, an extension of the characters first introduced in Crews's nostalgic Bigmama's, is a perfect foil for the artist's masterful renderings of trains. A predominantly warm, earthy palette sets a serene and playful mood at the outset, followed by several dark, wordless spreads that show freight cars rushing past, ready to speed right off the page. Scenes portraying the frightened children are equally effective in this out of the ordinary drama set forth with uncommon artistry. Ages 4-up.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"An out of the ordinary drama set forth with uncommon artistry." -- --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Beautifully crafted from cover to cover". -- --Booklist (starred review)

About the Author
Donald Crews is the renowned creator of two Caldecott Honor books, Freight Train and Truck. Among his other enormously popular books are such favorites as Night at the Fair, Sail Away, Bigmama's, Shortcut, and School Bus. He and his wife, Ann Jonas, live in New York's Hudson River Valley.

Donald Crews grew up in Newark, New Jersey, and says that all through his childhood the members of his family were always doing something with their hands. He was always drawing pictures. Now, in the old farmhouse where he lives with his wife, the noted author and illustrator Ann Jonas, Donald Crews is still drawing pictures.

After graduating from New York City's Cooper Union, Mr. Crews spent three years working as a designer. He was assistant art director of Dance magazine, on the staff of a small design studio, and did freelance work as a book-jacket designer. But in 1962 he was inducted into the Army, and for a time his artistic pursuits were set aside. As the end of his eighteen-month military stint in Germany approached, he assigned himself to the task of writing and illustrating a children's book to add to his portfolio. The result was the brilliant concept book We Read: A to Z (Harper & Row, 1967), which, nearly twenty years later, was reissued by Greenwillow Books. Ten Black Dots, a counting book, came next, and then several books for which he did illustrations only. But the turning point came in 1978, when Greenwillow published Freight Train, a picture book inspired by Mr. Crews's childhood train trips from Newark to visit his grandmother in Florida. It was named a Caldecott Honor Book. Since then, Mr. Crews has created several other highly acclaimed picture books (including Truck, a 1981 Calclecott Honor Book), all painted in the flat, clean colors and bright, unambiguous shapes that are the hallmarks of his striking graphics.

Donald Crews grew up in Newark, New Jersey, spent his summers in Cottondale, Florida, and was graduated from Cooper Union in New York City. He and his wife, Ann Jonas, live in Brooklyn, New York.

When Donald Crews is asked why he focuses on picture books, he frequently answers, "Why not?" All the tools necessary for the creation of any piece of art are also elements in a successful picture book. Mr. Crews chooses a subject, explores ways to develop the subject visually, writes a story, then produces his finished illustrations. And the final audience, the children, tell him that they like what he does. Why not, indeed!

Donald Crews grew up in Newark, New Jersey, spent his summers in Cottondale, Florida, and was graduated from Cooper Union in New York City. He and his wife, Ann Jonas, live in Brooklyn, New York.

Customer Reviews

Terrific follow-on for older "Freight Train" fans
Young children may already be familiar with Donald Crews' _Freight Train_. That book introduced them to their colors and each car in the train.

This book is an actual story where real characters have a brush with a freight train. It's a good follow-on to Freight Train because it introduces the concept of trains being dangerous. Shortcut begins with seven (older) children playing far from home, who decide to take a shortcut along the train tracks. As they continue on their walk, the colors hint that danger is coming as the overall tints get darker. Sure enough, a freight train does pull up, and the children must scramble away to safety. Readers of Freight Train will recognize Crews' marvelous engine and car renderings even in silhouette.

This is a also a great book to use for discussion after reading together. Did the children make a wise decision to take the shortcut? Should they have listened to their mother? What do you think they decided to do after the train incident? Crews' book teachers safety without preaching, and also hints at the beginnings of independence away from parents.

Note: this book has the same children as Crews' book "Bigmamma." While "Bigmamma" is not a train book, if your child wants to know more about the characters, this might be your next stop.

A Vivid Adventure for Preschoolers and Beginning Readers
This is an excellent book. I am an artist, so I especially appreciated the illustrations, which are beautiful as well as exciting to look at! The illustrations and story combine to make it seem like a real-time adventure, as though you are really there with the children. My four-year-old loves this book. We have had many interesting conversations about the reactions of the children to their adventure, and why they did the things they did. For example, why were the children scared? What did they do when they were afraid? Should they have listened to their Mama? Etc. We were first introduced to it by checking it out at our library, and now I am going to purchase it for us. You will enjoy this book alot.

It's my son's favorite book.
This is a great book. It is by far my sons favorite book and he has practically got it memorized by now! I started reading it to him when he was less than one year old and he could enjoy the over-large pictures and special sound effects if nothing else. One time when he was in his twos I accidentally stopped in the middle of a sentence to sneeze or something and I was astounded to hear him finish the sentence for me! I tested him and discovered that he knew the last word of just about every phrase and sentence. Since then it's been a game with us where I start the sentence and he finishes it. Donald Crews has a prose style that is well adapted to this kind of memory game, it is rhythmic, somewhat repetitive and driving - like the train itself. We are fortunate to live in Japan where a busy train track runs near our house. Thus he has developed a love of trains from birth and the book and real life can interact and reinforce each other. I feel sorry for kids who can't experience trains in their daily life, but this book goes a long ways towards filling the gap. My hats off -- and my warmest thanks go -- to Donald Crews for a wonderful experience.