Trains are still hold the record for the biggest obsession ever by one of my children. They have gone through phases like every child. My daughter’s Sound of Music and Hamilton phases were pretty epic. My son’s current obsession with Minecraft feels like it’s taking over our lives some days. There’s also the year that both of my kids played fairies pretty much every day. But none of them hold a candle to my son’s train obsession.
From around the age of 15 months until he was in kindergarten. Yes, for over three years straight, this kid of mine played, read, talking about, pretended, and wore trains every single day.
If you’re looking for a fun book about trains for your mini-train enthusiast? You are in the right place. In our little corner of the world there is no such thing as too many train books. Our twins adored all things train and they are also huge book fans. Running over with book after book to snuggle on our laps is their favorite activity.
I am pretty sure I have read every picture book ever written about trains. This is a list of our absolute favorites. The ones we have read again and again.
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21 Awesome Children’s Books
about Trains
1.The Rain Train
Written By Elena De Roo.
Illustrated by Brian Lovelock
Stunningly illustrated book with delightful language it is a unique and wonderful train book. I love all of the onomatopoeia in this book.
2. Freight Train
By Donald Crews
This book is simplicity in its most perfect form. Of the many, many train books we have read, this is my son’s favorite. Donald Crews uses few words and sparse illustrations, but the words are carefully selected and the illustrations are creatively descriptive.
Also Read: Freight Train Drawing Prompts for Toddlers
3. Two Little Trains
Written by Margaret Wise Brown
Pictures by Greg Pizzoli
One of our favorite books by this renowned author. Creative concept, repetitive language, and fun illustration details. There are now two versions of this one – this is the original that we have and I also love. The one linked below is the updated one illustrated by the fantastic Greg Pizzoli. You really can’t go wrong either way.
4. Big Book of Big Trains
by Usborne Books
I always try hard to find a few quality non-fiction books for every interest topic. We love fiction, but a well rounded literacy collection should include a variety of reading materials. My children are fascinated by The Usborne’s Big Book of Big Trains. Bright and bold illustrations, short and fascinating facts, and some large fold out pages to emphasis the size and variety of trains.
5. Rattle and Rap
by Susan Steggall
Again and again and again we read this book. With its delicious sounds and detailed illustrations, our children loved this book about a train that rattles along to the sea.
6. Trains
by Anne Rockwell
Perfect non-fiction addition for any train lover collection. Cheerful illustrations and interesting information. This is an older book, but it is still good. A great starter nonfiction for toddlers or preschoolers who have yet to obsess their way into you trying to summarize adult books about trains for them. (Kidding about that part…sort of)
7. Subway
by Christoph Niemann
The bold illustrations. The numbers. The dad and two children. A thrilling subway ride. We love this.
8. Window Music
Written by Anastasia Suen
Illustrated by Wade Zahares
Suen’s text captures the sounds, sights, and delights of a train ride. Colorful illustrations full of rich details of the changing scenery and a general warmth, make this a wonderful read. This is another one that’s getting harder to find but man, if you can it’s so good.
9. The Polar Express
by Chris Van Allsburg
This is one of my favorite stories ever. Carefully chosen words that illustrate the varying emotions, crisp winter night, and magic of the season. Breathtaking illustrations that further elevate the book from classic to favorite. Stunning, beautiful, and perfect. If you haven’t read this book about a little boy who rides the Polar Express to the North Pole – you must! We read this several times before our trip on the Santa Train.
Also Check Out: Polar Express Storytime with Yoga Routine
10. Down by the Station
by Will Hillenbrand
Playful sing along book about the bustling excitement of a train station. There are several versions of this song, but with its cheerful illustrations, this is our favorite.
11. Train
by Elisha Cooper
This book is impressive on so many levels. Cooper’s unique artistic style draws you into his world of trains, but it is his use of language that propels the book ever forward like the constant movement of a train. Train after train overlaps in the story, picking up the pace, whooshing past until you end where you started, at a station.
PS. I’m a huge Elisha Cooper fan and I feel like his books often fly under the radar. If you haven’t read River yet, please do!
12. Steam Train, Dream Train
by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld
We actually love this more than Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site, the other bestseller by this duo. A train loaded with animals, ice cream, balls, paint, dinosaurs, and trucks – what more could a toddler ask for.
13. Locomotive
by Brian Floca
This stunning book was a Caldecott Medal Winner. I have a vivid memory of arriving at the library in Wisconsin with my two year olds and the librarian pulling this out. She had set it aside for my little guy. It was brand new. We were both a little skeptical about him actually letting me read it because the text is quite lengthy. She reasoned that he would at least enjoy the illustrations which are breathtaking with so many fascinating details. Generally I would suggest this book for slightly older children too, but for a true train fanatic like my son age matters less. At 2 he was completely mesmerized. We read it over and over again until we ran out of renewals and then we bought our own copy.
14. Line 135
Written by Germano Zullo
Illustrated by Albertine
It is the illustrations by Albertine that captured my attention initially. I paged through the book several times before I even read the text. As a little girl travels along through these mystical surroundings, she reflects. Zullo has delightfully captured a child’s perspective of the world and their attempts to understand the world the way adults do. A beautiful reminder that what we most wish for our children is their ability to achieve their dreams, however big they might be.
15. All Aboard ABC
by Doug Magee + Robert Newman
I learned so very much from this book. Informative and awesome photos. So many of these books are illustrated – gorgeously illustrated – with paintings and drawings. My son loved them, but he was also excited to see photos of “real trains” whenever we could find them.
16. Trains
by Gail Gibbons
This is a lovely nonfiction book – I consider it a step more advanced than the Anne Rockwell above. This is another older book, but still full of tons of interesting information about trains. Our favorite part was the description of all the different kinds of train cars.
17. Thomas the Train Owner’s Manual
by Chris Oxlade
I am not a huge fan of commercialized products and the Thomas books in general, although we occasionally read them, are not generally my cup of tea. This however is a must own if you have a child fascinated by Thomas trains or truthfully trains in general. It is harder to find. The link below will hopefully still work but it is to a used copy, otherwise search Thomas + Chris Oxlade. There came a point when I could not answer my son’s questions anymore and the majority of books spouted the same simplistic information. This book takes it to the next level, but in a way that is still accessible to a three year old. We poured over the details and diagrams in this book endlessly.
18. Trains: Steaming! Pulling! Huffing!
Written by Patricia Hubbell
Illustrated by Megan Halsey and Sean Addy
This fast paced, language packed book was an instant hit in our house. Although the language is brief, allowing younger listeners to enjoy the story, it is also flowing with train information and vibrant word choice.
19. Sleep Train
Written by Jonathon London
Illustrated by Lauren Eldridge
Rhyming text, a little train counting, and a soft soothing bedtime story about a train. The text is brief, the illustrations are lovely. My favorite part is how the sun sets beautifully over the course of the book. This is a book that train fans all over will love falling asleep too every night.
20. A Train Journey
By Gerard Lo Monaco
Train fans get excited. This is a gorgeous pop up book that shows train history in rich, exquisite detail. The four scenes show the earliest steam locomotives, New York City’s elevated railroad, the Flying Scotsman, and the Japanese bullet trains. It brings to live train history almost like a train museum might. I do have a couple issues with this book. I wish there were just a few words, even if they were in the backmatter. There is nowhere that explains what you’re looking at and I think that additional layer would add a lot. I also worry about the delicateness of this book and it’s durability. That’s always an issue with pop up book, so that’s not particular to this book but good to consider when you’re thinking about who you’re sharing this with. Lastly, I just wish there was more. It’s stunning. The details are impressive and draw you into the setting and history on each page. There is no doubt this will be loved by train lovers.
I Can Make a Train Noise
By Michael Emberley and Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick
I CAN MAKE A TRAIN NOISE is a clever book. I love this for train fans (obviously). Any toddler or preschooler who loves trains would have fun with the main character’s imagination and the trains. I also love this for almost readers, about to learn to readers – kids who are around 5 or 6. The repetition would allow them to read it independently, but I love the way the author plays with the text to encourage you to read it at different volumes and at difference speeds. This would encourage the new reader to look closely and follow the words. A clever and playful read aloud for any train fan.
