Reviews for Thomas the Tank Engine Story Collection

The average rating for Thomas the Tank Engine Story Collection based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2012-03-11 00:00:00 Andre Manzo I think we managed to read all of the stories in here at least once and several more than once. I thought my daughter was going to pitch a fit when we had to take it back, but all was well. I love the old-timey look of the illustrations and the very British tone of the writing. They really do seem to have personalities all their own and I think the history of how Awdry came to write them was in here too and it was fascinating (or I read it on Wikipedia after being subjected to much more Thomas than I ever thought my daughter would be interested in).

Review # 2 was written on 2009-11-10 00:00:00 Jim Breez Many parents' first acquaintance with Thomas the Tank Engine has been through the huge amount of Thomas and Friends merchandise which was produced as a result of the popular Thomas and Friends television program. This program was inspired by Reverend Awdry's Railway Series, originally published in the 1940's. The original books are based on the real workings of a British rail yard, and they center around the activities of Thomas the Tank Engine, who is likable, hard-working and often cheeky. He and his friends the other engines have distinct personalities, and many of their adventures and conflicts hinge on character flaws and lessons learned through mistakes. Although sometimes heavy-handed, Awdry's well-written stories illustrate the consequences of pride, self-importance and foolishness as well as the importance of friendship and respect. The moral lessons in the stories do often focus on the engines' performance and status in the train yard, with emphasis on dignity (or, in some cases, apparently sinful pride) and productivity (or the need to justify their place in the yard). Christian parents of children who struggle with legalistic self-righteousness may want to pre-screen the stories before reading. This volume brings together 14 of the 41 original Thomas stories in a beautiful (and heavy) gift edition, complete with a ribbon bookmark and brief biographies of the stories' creators. The chapters are short and easy to read, making it an excellent fit for transitional readers and young listeners moving into chapter books. Because it is written in British English and has some railway terminology, it may be a slightly better read-aloud than read-alone. While all children who like trains ought to enjoy them, these stories will probably have a special appeal to young boys.