Laughter- the Hook for Young Readers

 Two utterly appealing humorous picture books take the spotlight in this post. 

Why? Because Laughter is the best balm for anyone, any age.

I encountered both in other (separate) reviews over time, requested them from my library, and then read each, over and over. My feeling is that young audiences will do the same. In fact, little ones request repeated readings with many of their favorite books. It can even strain the patience of the adult reader/lap provider. 

Side note: I know of at least one mom who learned that she was pregnant "again" and insisted to her husband that he promise to be the reader-on-demand for BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR (Erik  Carle) with their new addition because she couldn't face it one more time! That is not a reflection on the book. Requests for repetition are the highest praise, yet do not always sustain the interest of the adult, especially after several children work their way through toddler years. In the case of these two titles, there is much to offer to those adult readers, even after dozens of repeats. 

Gecko Press, 2024

 
The first is a board book, but it's far from being a simple naming or concept book. CAN I SIT IN THE MIDDLE? is written and illustrated by Susanne Strasser. Many books for these audiences repeat basic words in various lines to allow for the little ones to read along, develop early sight word recognition, a sense of letter sounds, and actually be able to self-tell the story using picture prompts, on their own.

That's actually a valued practice, a mark of potential success. Even so, such utterly predictable patterning can engage young audiences while leading to adult bargains such as the one noted above. 

In this case, the layers of legitimate plot and the potential for predictability without guarantee lead to laughter and loads of lively conversation. The struggle to "get on with it" as interruption after interruption in an attempt to share a story on the couch will resonate with the littles and the adult readers. The quirky incongruity of these particular animals being at the home and expecting a story, let alone speaking and acting like humans, is a winner from cover to closing page. The use of "child" and animal words includes upper case letters in sentences in which the character is speaking or rearranging things, but resumes lower case as the sequencing/listing sentences occur. In fact, that kind of detail is only one of many ways in which those repeated readings can each lead a step closer to literacy acquisition. Due to the countless adjustments needed, the sequence of seating, on and around the couch, the child, and the book, is continually changing, and the animal words follow the visuals. 

In addition, those sequences are consistently left-to-right, with encouragement to name the animals in sequence AND READ their words using initial sounds. The premise itself is both highly familiar and absurdly comical, including the evident but subtle attitudes of each animal, as revealed in eyes, body positions, and relationship to each other. These provide a wealth of laughable and lovable conversation opportunities, page after page. Just as there have been enough page turns to invite potentially correct guesses about the "next" visitor, those under-the-couch-slippers (that have been eyeing the antics) instigate the least expected of events. 

I won't say more, but this really is a book with depth and delight, one that invites not only re-readings but one that might serve for launching a parallel pattern of storytelling nonsense based on routines. Don't miss it!

HARPER, 2015

Next up is a comical, oversized picture book created by the team of Jory John and Benji Davies, GOODNIGHT, ALREADY!  Note that medallion seal on the cover which designates it as an E. B. White Read Aloud honor title. 

In this case, two unlikely animals engage with each other: The entire text is in quoted dialogue without attributions, but placement of text on the page makes it clear which is talking, and they address each other as Bear and Duck. The oversized physicality of the book emphasizes Bear's massive presence in comparison to neighbor Duck. Bear is clearly ready to snooze, or more than ready. But Duck has never been more wide awake!

Thus, the conflict begins. Not because a duck is such an unlikely friend/neighbor of bear, but because they are revealed as good neighbors and friends with conflicting needs. As in the book above, the interaction feels warmly similar to circumstances in our human lives, despite the incongruous characters who are portraying their struggles. Again, the visual details and emotions are elaborated through illustration, including those eyes, body posture and positions, and orientations to each other. That read-aloud honor comes through clearly from the very first read. It would approach criminality if the adult reader failed to adopt distinctive voices for each. Give it a try that way and then eavesdrop on little ones as they do their own spontaneous "reading"  of the book on their own. Their voices will be as funny as the original work is. 

A future post, coming soon, is another that celebrates humor and delights with surprises. Stay tuned, and recommend other laughable titles in comments if you care to! If you are looking for even more, I've reviewed many humorous picture books in prior posts. Some have humor arises in fully realistic situations, but others rely on an aspect of absurdity, HERE, HERE, and HERE. Or simply type HUMOR in the search window one in the side bar.>>>> Enjoy!

Fact-inspired Fiction Reveals Human Truths: THE PHONE BOOTH IN MR. HIROTA'S GARDEN

 

ORCA  BOOK PUBLISHING, 2019

This picture book has been around for several years, yet it crossed my path again recently. It certainly should stay in circulation and I hope this review and recommendation will support that possibility. THE PHONE BOOTH IN MR. HIROTA'S GARDEN is written by Heather Smith and illustrated by Rachel Wada. This fictionalized story mirrors many aspects of the true story that inspired it, an actual gentleman who built a non-working phone booth in his garden to facilitate his private expressions of grief and connection directly to his deceased brother.

The author note indicates the power of hope and resilience revealed by providing a simple space of connection. It is  based on the belief of many that some form of our life-force continues even after physical death. 

The premise in this fictional story combines the loving connections between trusted village neighbors with the historic tsunami disaster that affected millions in Japan. Mr. Hirota's young neighbor visits daily at the edge of a garden overlooking the ocean coast. Together, they watch for Makio's dad and Mr. Hirota's daughter, noting their return ftom fishing to sort, clean, and prepare the catch for sale. This daily spotting practice, or "game", provides a rhythm to their lives that echoes the oceans daily greeting (O-HI-O, the phonetic pronunciation of HELLO in Japanese). The blank, off-white end pages provide no clue of what's to come, and yet their washed-away nothingness does indeed speak volumes. 

On a typical idyllic morning, the final line of the first page bodes disaster: 

"They were playing when the shaking started and the big wave came."

The writing and pacing are impressive in scene-setting, establishing stakes, and investing each character with empathetic value. Then a gigantic-hand-of-a-wave snatched away people as well as Mario's voice. The next several spreads have minimal text, while the soothing limited-color illustrations from early spreads shift to darker shading and tones to reveal intense loss and suggest details of destruction. As Makio and Mr. Hirota, survivors, survey the remaining fragments of life, the residue left behind by the tsunami's destruction, silence replaces their daily chatter and word play. 

Then Makio hears sounds of building, he notices a glass-windowed booth constructed at the edge   of the garden. Then he hears Mr. Hirota's voice, speaking to his missing daughter, Famika. The message was simple:  I miss you.

Makio investigates and finds the booth empty except for its view of the ocean and an old, disconnected phone. But Makio remained silent, except for screaming at the sea to bring the beloved people back. The reply, of course, was only Ocean's relentless greeting- O-HI-O, deepening his sadness. His exhaustion and defeat were so great that he finally summoned his voice to use the lonely phone booth. I miss you, Dad.

Other villagers visit the booth to speak to missing family and friends, too, reporting their daily doings and whispering their deepest feelings. The text remains minimal. No simple resolves are revealed, but each line packs a poetic punch and offers layers in threads of a future we begin to recognize as they weave together in the final pages. No simple (or sappy) resolution is offered, but indicators of healing, rebuilding, and mutual support reassure and ease the tension and ache of immeasurable loss. 

Art choices and superb execution meet the high bar of this magnificent story, elevating emotions while scaffolding the intensity of feelings with sprawling views, personal/positional connections, and intentional color shifts to lead readers through this journey of grief and recovery. Just as a seemingly simple device (a wood and glass box with an unconnected phone) becomes a conduit to inner peace, this direct narrative and limited-palette illustration are effective because of the deep emotional connections that make them resonate with reality: traditional Japanese symbols, techniques, and tools used to capture the spirit and heart of this time, place, and problem. 

Books of grief and loss can be challenging, even avoided. This, though, should be shared widely. It reminds us that strength is found in community, that recovery takes time, that speaking aloud our feelings can be healing. And so much more. Please consider tracking this down, reading it, and sharing it.

As Promised: Marsha Diane Arnold Interview About Big Boy 4014

Marsha Diane Arnold

A recent review of the remarkable nonfiction picture book, BIG BOY 4014, can be read, HERE. My remarks and those of many other reviewers of this new book are in praise of this welcome addition to our shelves. Marsha Diane Arnold has joined us  for an interview about a past release, HERE, and I'm delighted that she found time to share her thoughts and insights again.

Arnold's picture books often involve complex real world issues (Night Light Pollution, Rain Forest Threats), subtly revealing her grasp of  important issues and subject matter through gently-told fictional stories. Her characters and lyrical language engage readers with emotional and relationship truths while revealing factual content. In this case, though, she took on the challenging  commitment to write a fully nonfiction account about a mechanical object. In my review I pointed out several ways in which she achieved that, spinning a graceful balance between factual content and figurative language that allows readers to imagine with her what a compelling massive locomotive engine might dream or think or feel, if it could. I'm excited to share with you the responses she so kindly shared.

 

SLEEPING BEAR PRESS,  May 1, 2025

SB: Marsha Diane Arnold, welcome back to talk about your new book! Just as I find layers and insights throughout your wonderful picture books, your responses to past questions have revealed layers within your complex writing life. I’m excited to see what you have to say about this newest picture book, BIG BOY 4014. Congratulations on the MAY 1, 2025 release!

The BIG BOY 4014  page on your website notes your lifelong affection for trains. I have the same nostalgic connection to hearing  those distant whistles or riding on a highway alongside a rolling train. We’d count cars and wait eagerly for the man in the caboose to “beat us” and wave, sometimes even waving a big red handkerchief. A caboose is rarely staffed these days, but I think of those caboose workers every time I see a train. 

You mentioned reading about the restoration project and becoming eager to learn more. Can you share a bit about how your investigative journey began?

MDA: Thank you for having me on your blog again, Sandy! 

That journey began quite a while ago. It’s been four years since I began the first messy drafts of Big Boy 4014 and The Steam Team! Plus, my husband often jokes about my busy, idea-filled mind: “There’s a lot of trains running through that station!”  (A fitting metaphor.) 

Remembering exactly where I started is a bit of a challenge now, but I do recall lots of research – reading, watching videos, and studying train history. Trains magazine, the premier publication for railroads, was especially helpful. It’s been around since 1940 and, until recently, was owned by Kalmbach Media. One of the issues I relied on was their 2019 special collector’s edition, Big Boy Back In Steam. I also bought two DVDs about Big Boy published by Trains, as well as their comprehensive book Union Pacific’s Big Boys: The complete story from history to restoration. 

I joined a few Big Boy 4014 groups on Facebook as well. That turned out to be both valuable and fun. The railfans there were most gracious in answering my questions. Some of them know locomotives by number - and even by horn sequence! They are passionate about train history and engineering.

SB: I've known a few train fans (fan-atics) in my time, and they are treasuries of information as well as eager to recruit new fans. Since reading your new book I've checked out multiple youtube and other video clips and I find them both exciting and mesmerizing! 

You are notable for your personal travels to the locations/subjects of your books. You certainly realized before arriving that BIG BOY 4014 would be impressive. Can you share any of your first reactions and impressions as you physically arrived at the actual locomotive? 

MDA: What I remember is the excitement – not just mine, but everyone’s. Union Pacific employees were there working. Visitors from near and far had come. All for Big Boy 4014. It gave me goosebumps! 

But before the public viewing, before Big Boy pulled into Omaha from Council Bluffs, Iowa, Robynn Tysver, UP Communications Manager, met me at UP’s Home Plate. That’s where the public viewing was to take place, right next to Charles Schwab Field during the College World Series. There was lots of activity in Omaha that June day in 2023! Robynn and a couple of others called me over to their utility cart and verified I’d be able to ride with engineer Ed Dickens from a nearby crossing into Home Plate. We headed out to meet Big Boy at a spot near Council Bluffs. Big Boy rumbled in and stopped…just for me! I met Ed and climbed aboard for the ride of a lifetime. Not many have the honor of riding in that beautiful cab with Ed Dickens at the wheel.

Here are a couple of videos from that Omaha adventure. The first shows my excitement. The second shows my husband…who is maybe not quite as excited. 

 CLIP OF MARSHA being excited at upcoming ride on BIG BOY 4014, HERE.

CLIP OF FRED, Marsha's husband/driver, not quite as thrilled, HERE. 

SB: What a moment that must have been! By the time you arrived in person, the project was complete and in operation, right? How thrilling for you, and Fred's dry humor comes through clearly- he's certainly a loyal supporter of you, if not of trains! 

Now, again tapping into your first reactions, will you share a bit about your first thoughts when seeing Adam Gustavson’s illustrations?

MDA: First, I smiled - ear to ear. Then I felt thankful. Thankful that Sleeping Bear Press had not only found Adam Gustavson, but had convinced him to bring Big Boy 4014 to life through his art.

I already knew Adam was a brilliant illustrator, but the detail and passion he put into the Big Boy illustrations were beyond anything I imagined. He captured her movement and her power. You can tell Adam did his research, but you can also tell he loved the subject.  

SB:  I really enjoyed reading your joint interview with Adam on Marie Marshall's blog, THE PICTURE BOOK BUZZ. I urge everyone to read it, HERE.

Other reviews (all glowing, and well-deserved) have commented on the ways your words and Gustavson’s illustrations produce a sense of the locomotive roaring right off the pages. I agree entirely. Did this project cause you to feel differently about trains than before you began? If so, how so?

MDA: After meeting Chief Engineer Ed Dickens and chatting with many passionate railfans on Facebook, I did feel differently. I’ve always loved trains and respected the people who worked on them - like my uncle Dale, a machinist for the Denver and Rio Grande Western, who worked in the roundhouse in Alamosa, Colorado - but after writing Big Boy 4014, my respect grew even deeper.  The depth of others’ knowledge and their love of train lore, history, and tradition really touched me.

SB: I have no doubt that your work on this book did not disappoint those folks. You (and Adam) certainly conveyed your own love and respect as well as giving due credit to the team that brought BIG BOY 4014 back to life on the tracks, not just in the pages of a book. Congratulations on that, and on dedicating the book to rail fans everywhere. 

The success of your prior picture books will draw even more readers and fans for this new offering, but it is also distinctly different from those. For example, several of your titles have dealt with aspects of nature and conservation. Have you noticed or do you anticipate a difference in the ages/interests of audiences at events related to this book? I am certain that you and I are not the only adults with a deep affection for trains and train lore.

MDA: I’m certain of that too, Sandy. Just look at all the model train lovers around the world - and the hundreds of thousands of people who come out to see Big Boy 4014 on her excursion tours! In 2019 alone, it’s estimated that more than one million people saw her during the tours – people of all ages.

I’ve had other picture books, like The Pumpkin Runner, that have been loved by readers across generations. I believe Big Boy 4014 And The Steam Team will be such a book. I’ve already heard from adult railfans - and railfans-to-be – who’ve pre-ordered copies for themselves or to share with family. 

The cover illustration is especially striking. It has the show-stopping presence of a coffee table book for adults, but is designed to be lifted and explored by little hands.

SB: The visual appeal of this book is unquestionable. 

There are so many ways that I admire your use of writing craft in this work (onomatopoeia, figurative phrasing, repetition, purposeful shifts in sentence length, word choice and many more). Can you share a bit about your process of blending love with research on the page? Did you throw a draft down and then go back to rephrase and polish? Did you refine from the first stages? The end result in this work never misses a beat, so I’d love to know if it always carried that pace and rhythm from the start. 

MDA: Thank you, Sandy. That means a lot!

A story idea usually lives in my mind for some time before I take pen to paper. My first drafts begin as just a few phrases – a sprinkling of words and impressions. I may write down things I’m not sure are true and go back later to do research. I also ask myself a lot of questions along the way. 

With Big Boy 4014 And The Steam Team, I knew I wanted the Big Boy story to be more than non-fiction. I believe most things in the world are sentient and I wanted my reader to relate emotionally to Big Boy 4014 – not just admire her size and power. How could I walk that line between fact and feeling? Thank goodness for that wonderful, walking the line word: “if.” 

These are some of the first “sprinklings” I wrote, straight from a messy draft, dated 8-30-21. I don’t always finish sentences in the beginning. I may just know the rhythm – “da DA da DA da Da” kind of thing. I don’t know what the entire sentence will be. But I may have a phrase I want to use, so down it goes. A phrase like “If steam locomotives could dream.”

If steam locomotives could dream, this one would be chugging up the Wasatch Mountains. 

If steam locomotives could dream, this one…the largest in the world…would be …..

If steam locomotives could dream, this one…Big Boy 4014…would be….

But now he sat cold, one of 25 brothers, one of 8 saved from the scrap heap. Half a mile from the tracks.

10 years

30 years

50 years

Cobwebs entwined his wheels. 

Pine needles fell on his ???cab??? top.

His cab was rusting (Be sure I congratulate team that kept him as good as possible in back matter.)

You can see that I made a note to myself, even then, to thank the volunteers at the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona, who did their best to keep Big Boy in good condition. I wanted to honor and be respectful of all their work, but I also wanted the story’s emotional arc to begin with the sense of Big Boy longing to be back on the tracks.

And yes, that rhythm you mentioned was there early on, but it was in my mind first. Then I grabbed the lines and wrote them down. Then they deepened and expanded.

SB: Well, that was truly a bonus response- a sort of mini-master-class! Thank you! and the "notes to self" are something I do, too, because it is so easy to let important things slip through in the lengthy writing process. Which lads me to this...

I enjoy asking nonfiction writers about the fascinating factoids that didn’t make it into the book, ones you found in research but now live rent-free in your head!

MDA: There’s always so much research and, in the end, almost all of it must be pared down to those bits that best serve the story being written. I did quite a bit of research about the building of the transcontinental railroad and the golden spike, but most of that still lives in my research files. 

And then there are those seven other Big Boy locomotives that were spared from the scrapheap. Six of them were placed in outdoor museums and two are indoors. Each one has a fascinating story of how it was moved to its current home. No one undertakes moving a 1.2-million-pound steam locomotive lightly. Each was saved, moved, and preserved by people who cared, people who loved what these mighty machines represent.

 SB: I'd love to think that your account of BIG BOY 41014 and the Steam Team will urge the curators of the remaining treasures to activate local historians to make booklets or other user-friendly accounts and share them widely. 

Speaking of spreading the word and sharing stories, do you have events upcoming?  Are there related materials available for kids, teachers, or enthusiasts you’d like to mention? 

MDA: Mostly I’ll be visiting blogs like yours, around the web, to share about Big Boy 4014 And The Steam Team. I’ll be posting the links on my Facebook and Instagram pages. Sleeping Bear Press has a wonderful sales team and several railroad museums have already ordered copies. 

And yes – there will be related materials! There will be a Teacher’s Guide for Big Boy 4014 And The Steam Team. I was hoping it would be available by May 1^st, but it’s taking a bit longer. It will definitely be ready for everyone by the start of school in August or September!

SB: I urge readers here to check out your website, too, where you have such interesting nuggets of background about your many books. It's like getting a personal book talk about each, right from the source!

Are there upcoming works you can discuss or are things still at the top-secret stage?

MDA: I love that you understand some story ideas need to stay top-secret for a while, Sandy. 

I do have three ideas currently at the forefront. Each revolves around my love for the natural world and wildlife. There are also manuscripts my editor has recently sent out, but no homes have been found for them yet. Lots of very nice rejections, though. 

One of those is about an unusual partnership, drawn from real behaviors in the wild. I’d hoped it could serve as a model for those of us with differences finding ways to work together. I love the story, as does my agent, but it hasn’t found the perfect home yet. Time to let it rest for a while and turn to those three new projects. Two have been living in my head for years and one is just now taking shape. And so, the writing journey continues.

SB: Well, I'm excited but not surprised that you have several ideas/works in progress, and that they are richly layered with the natural world, our environment, and relationships of complexity. I will say that I'm shocked that you have anything out on submission that has not been snatched up, but the business side of things is all about finding the just-right fit for that just-right book. Not unlike buying a new home- even the one you thought was perfect but "gets away" may lead you right to the one that was meant for you all along. 

My only regret is that a delay in getting these underway means a delay in getting a chance to read them and share them here. 

Considering your many projects at various stages, your busy life with family, and keeping Fred on the road, I'm deeply grateful that you would take the time to share your answers to my questions. As always, your responses are expansive and inspiring. I (and readers and railfans) thank you for this towering, powerful new nonfiction picture book, and for sharing your thoughts and back-stories about it. Here's to celebrating and sustaining what matters.

Make Way for a WONDER: BIG BOY 4014!

Readers:

Here's a preliminary note about this book before my review. Arnold opens the account with this information, and it  says so much about what readers can expect from her level of research, insight, and accuracy:

“The trains are called Big Boys, but traditionally locomotives are referred

to as “she” by their engineers and crews. I have followed that tradition in

my story, referring to this iconic locomotive as “she.”

—Marsha Diane Arnold”

When author Marsha Diane Arnold takes on a subject, whether purely fiction (LOST. FOUND., or informational fiction (Armando’s Island and LIGHTS OUT), her writing is marked by deep understanding and accuracy in specificity and in the depth and  heart of the narrative. That’s true for the authenticity of emotional relationships as well as the factual frameworks that scaffold her heartfelt stories. The introductory note in this book reveals to readers that Arnold not only researched the  specific content, (the past, the process, and the present of these uniquely powerful behemoth locomotives), but also the formal and informal cultures surrounding trains and railroad enthusiasts. The use of she to reference engines conveys the affection and care they were given, while Arnold's opening note clarifies that the perspective and language of this new picture book should not be confused with conjecture or anthropomorphizing the engines based on that female pronoun. Arnold makes figurative language choices, creating lyricism and tone that invigorates inanimate hunks of steel and machinery to make readers care deeply while fully embracing the wonder of inanimate mechanics.

Now, on to the book!

SLEEPING BEAR PRESS, MAY 1, 2025

BIG BOY 4014 AND THE STEAM TEAM: THE WORLD’S LARGEST STEAM ENGINE ROARS BACK TO LIFE!  is written by Marsha Diane Arnold and illustrated by Adam Gustavson.Their combined talent allows BIG BOY 4014 to rumble off the page directly into readers’ hearts.

A description of this well-researched and expansively illustrated nonfiction book can’t be brief. Spanning more than a century of continental and engineering history, the contemporary opening provides a view of the massive locomotive engine, BIG BOY 4014, at her outdoor historical display. Arnold’s text masterfully blends the power and heart of BIG BOY 4014’s past with recent transformations that restored her status as a living legend. 

Details are intriguing, involving breathtakingly large measurements, functions, and accomplishments. Visual scales cleverly flip size relationships we typically experience when viewing scale model train displays. When BIG BOY 4014 hits the rails (originally or in restored condition) it's our human scale, correctly depicted, that appears as if miniaturized.

The narrative utilizes language laced with effective onomatopoeia, rhythmic repetitions that resonate, with language traveling over tracks and lyrical constructions that recur and link expanses of time. Not once is the massive engine personified, yet literary choices connect readers with the heart of the engine itself, across time and locations. Using “if steam locomotives could dream…” launches our imaginations, deepening our awareness of the original need for and impressive accomplishments of the original twenty-five oversized steam engines that made American expansion and development possible. 

The grand ambition of that original BIG BOY project would have been impressive enough, but this account, focusing on a single engine's return to work, BIG BOY 4014, lifts history to the realm of a journey/quest story while remaining firmly rooted in fact. It truly suggests a HERO'S JOURNEY, but with various heroes across more than a century. The heroes who first imaged such behemoth locomotives might be considered heroes for their grand imaginations and execution to open this continent from east to west. This is also about one survivor of that bygone era, one of eight BIG BOYS that avoided the scrap heap. BIG BOY 4014 benefited from its lengthy display and attentive care in an arid location, tended to by another set of heroes. Despite their care, heart-tugging descriptions ("cold ashes in the firebox", "cobwebs", "creeping rust"), and an empathetic narrative voice invite concern for the engine and underscore the magnitude of the STEAM TEAM heroes who dared to consider bringing BIG BOY 4014 back into operation. The heroes abound, including those with appreciation for its history.

The balance of factual information and inspiring “imagine if” tones are enhanced by the sprawling double spreads and ranging perspectives, billowing steam clouds, color choices, landscape backgrounds, and workspace views. As a reader I felt deeply invested in the ultimate success of their project. Readers will cheer alongside the illustrated crowds when BIG BOY 4014 takes part in an historic reenactment of the transcontinental railroad link with the GOLDEN SPIKE. 

Back matter takes those who are already interested (and I have no doubt most will be) into further stories surrounding this complex and continent-spanning endeavor. With a photo of BIG BOY 4014 in its restored glory and another with author Arnold hugging its grill, the empathetic responses of readers are fully satisfied. 

The author dedicated the book to the STEAM TEAM who did the remarkable work to plan and execute this transformation, and to railroad lovers. I have no doubt those folks will find and savor this account, but I suspect anyone who comes to the story for any other reason will leave it as railway fans, and that means they, too, are included in the dedication. 

I'm certainly not alone in praise for this new offering. How does an author capture such an enormous subject within the pages of a picture book, especially a subject with more than a century of history? Marsha Diane Arnold shared her thoughts about finding the heart of such an enormous story on a recent guest post with author Beth Anderson, whose books deal with similar challenges. I urge you to read it, HERE.

This post is scheduled for APRIL 30, 2025, the eve of the BOOK BIRTHDAY for BIG BOY 4014.

Join me in wishing a happy birthday to the book, sending congratulations to the author (who will answer a few interview question for us next week!) and the joyful journey of LOCOMOTIVE BIG BOY 4014.