The Little Engine That Could

This book was originally published in 1930 and also goes back a long way in my own life as well. I have fond memories of my father reading this story to me when I was young, acting out all the parts of the story, using different voices, and more. Despite being little and unassuming, the Little Blue Engine uses hope and belief to get over the mountain. Without belief in ourselves we often can’t even begin to try, but the Little Blue Engine chose to trust in himself and it paid off - big time. We can all use a… show more.

This beloved railway fable has all sorts of things to spark a baby’s interest: reader-supplied sound effects (“Chug, chug, chug, puff, puff, puff”), a simple and wholesome moral message that toddlers can understand, and delicious old-fashioned illustrations by Watty Piper that exude a feeling of welcome and good cheer. The pictures of train cargo have lots of amusing little details to draw the eye: “bottles of creamy milk” striding along on tiny legs, smiling faces on the “big golden oranges [and] red-cheeked apples,” and a traveling menagerie of dolls, animals and lifelike toys. It’s also a great book for introducing… show more.