Book Review: Thomas' Big Storybook

By Patricia Tauzer

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What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that nothing really objectionable as far as sex or violence is presented in these stories, which are more lessons than well-developed narratives. Some of the lessons seem a bit heavy-handed. The trains don't always speak to each other in an admirable way, and it's a shame that there aren't more female characters. This series also quite visibly promotes the Thomas the Train line of products.

Families can talk about the various lessons that Thomas and his fellow trains learn, the arguments they have, and the tricks they play on one another. They can also talk about the different types of trains and parts of locomotives, as well as the kinds of jobs people do on trains. Together kids and parents will learn quite a bit of new train vocabulary, such as "couplers," "turntables," and "buffers." To top it off, families might want to take a trip to the railroad museum, ride on a real train, or start building a model train collection.

Common Sense Media Review
Thomas and his friends learn lessons during their many adventures in this "big storybook," which gathers six books (24 stories) into one collection. This book might be a big hit with established Thomas the Train fans -- and chances are it will make more sense to them than it will to those kids who aren't already aware of the cartoons, Web site, or plethora of other Thomas products sold in almost every toy store.

First timers may find the stories confusing and disjointed at times. Also, girls will have a harder time relating, since all of the engines have male names; in fact, the two coaches that Thomas pulls -- Anna and Clarabel, who "run happily behind" him -- are the only female characters in the entire book.

That said, some of the language is clever, especially the repetitive phrasing that sounds like the chugging of a train.

Every page of this book is illustrated with photographs of model railroad scenes, which are intriguing and complex and give readers lots to look at. Of course, all of these engines, coaches, buses, cars, and other paraphernalia are available for purchase.

No one can argue that the obvious lessons in the stories are positive ones, but readers should be conscious of the sexism and commercialism throughout.