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Boreal-Express [ The Polar Express ]
“Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see.”
Late one Christmas Eve after the town has gone to sleep, the boy boards the mysterious train that waits for him: the Polar Express bound for the North Pole. When he arrives, Santa offers the boy any gift he desires. The boy modestly asks for one bell from the harness of the reindeer. The gift is granted. On the way home the bell is lost. On Christmas morning, the boy finds the bell under the tree. The mother of the boy admires the bell, but laments that it is broken—for you see, only believers can hear the sound of the bell.
In strange and moving shades of full color art, Chris Van Allsburg creates an otherwordly classic of the Christmas season. 'The Polar Express' evokes the same sense of mystery as his previous imaginative books 'The Garden of Abdul Gasazi' (1979), 'Jumanji' (1981), and 'The Wreck of the Zephyr' (1983).
Awarded the prestigious Caldecott Medal in 1986, The Polar Express has sold more than 7 million copies, become a classic holiday movie, and been translated into stage productions that take place across the United States during the holiday season.
Late one Christmas Eve after the town has gone to sleep, the boy boards the mysterious train that waits for him: the Polar Express bound for the North Pole. When he arrives, Santa offers the boy any gift he desires. The boy modestly asks for one bell from the harness of the reindeer. The gift is granted. On the way home the bell is lost. On Christmas morning, the boy finds the bell under the tree. The mother of the boy admires the bell, but laments that it is broken—for you see, only believers can hear the sound of the bell.
In strange and moving shades of full color art, Chris Van Allsburg creates an otherwordly classic of the Christmas season. 'The Polar Express' evokes the same sense of mystery as his previous imaginative books 'The Garden of Abdul Gasazi' (1979), 'Jumanji' (1981), and 'The Wreck of the Zephyr' (1983).
Awarded the prestigious Caldecott Medal in 1986, The Polar Express has sold more than 7 million copies, become a classic holiday movie, and been translated into stage productions that take place across the United States during the holiday season.
32 pages, Paperback
First published October 28, 1985
669 people are currently reading
68848 people want to read
About the author
Chris Van Allsburg
56 books1,129 followersChris was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on June 18, 1949, the second child of Doris Christiansen Van Allsburg and Richard Van Allsburg. His sister Karen was born in 1947.
Chris’s paternal grandfather, Peter, owned and operated a creamery, a place where milk was turned into butter, cream, cottage cheese, and ice cream. It was named East End Creamery and after they bottled the milk (and made the other products) they delivered it to homes all around Grand Rapids in yellow and blue trucks.
When Chris was born, his family lived in an old farm house next door to the large brick creamery building. It was a very old house that, like the little house in Virginia Lee Burton’s story, had once looked over farmland. But by 1949, the house was surrounded by buildings and other houses. Chris’s father ran the dairy with Chris’s three uncles after his grandfather Peter retired.
When Chris was three years old, his family moved to a new house at the edge of Grand Rapids that was part of a development; a kind of planned neighborhood, that was still being built.
There remained many open fields and streams and ponds where a boy could catch minnows and frogs, or see a firefly at night. It was about a mile and a half to Breton Downs School, which Chris walked to every day and attended until 6th grade, when the Van Allsburg family moved again.
The next house they lived in was an old brick Tudor Style house in East Grand Rapids. It was a street that looked like the street on the cover of The Polar Express. The houses were all set back the same distance from the street. Between the street and the sidewalk grew enormous Elm trees whose branches reached up and touched the branches of the trees on the other side of the street. Chris moved to this street with his mom, dad, sister, and two Siamese cats. One named Fafner and the other name Eloise.
Chris went to junior and senior high school in East Grand Rapids. He didn’t take art classes during this time. His interests and talents seemed to be more in the area of math and science.
Chris’s paternal grandfather, Peter, owned and operated a creamery, a place where milk was turned into butter, cream, cottage cheese, and ice cream. It was named East End Creamery and after they bottled the milk (and made the other products) they delivered it to homes all around Grand Rapids in yellow and blue trucks.
When Chris was born, his family lived in an old farm house next door to the large brick creamery building. It was a very old house that, like the little house in Virginia Lee Burton’s story, had once looked over farmland. But by 1949, the house was surrounded by buildings and other houses. Chris’s father ran the dairy with Chris’s three uncles after his grandfather Peter retired.
When Chris was three years old, his family moved to a new house at the edge of Grand Rapids that was part of a development; a kind of planned neighborhood, that was still being built.
There remained many open fields and streams and ponds where a boy could catch minnows and frogs, or see a firefly at night. It was about a mile and a half to Breton Downs School, which Chris walked to every day and attended until 6th grade, when the Van Allsburg family moved again.
The next house they lived in was an old brick Tudor Style house in East Grand Rapids. It was a street that looked like the street on the cover of The Polar Express. The houses were all set back the same distance from the street. Between the street and the sidewalk grew enormous Elm trees whose branches reached up and touched the branches of the trees on the other side of the street. Chris moved to this street with his mom, dad, sister, and two Siamese cats. One named Fafner and the other name Eloise.
Chris went to junior and senior high school in East Grand Rapids. He didn’t take art classes during this time. His interests and talents seemed to be more in the area of math and science.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,409 reviews
December 25, 2025
A young boy is awakened from his Christmas Eve rest by a train that magically appears just outside his home. Ignoring the demands of stranger-danger, the boy climbs aboard.
The train was filled with other children, all in their pajamas and nightgowns. We sang Christmas carols and ate candies with nougat centers as white as snow. We drank hot cocoa as thick and rich as melted chocolate bars. Outside, the lights of towns and villages flickered in the distance as the Polar Express raced northward.
They are treated to goodies while en route to the North Pole where Santa is to offer the first gift of Christmas to one of the passengers in a town-square ceremony attended by all the elves as well as the transported youngsters. Our hero is selected, and when asked what he would like, opts for a single bell from Santa's sleigh.
I knew that I could have any gift I could imagine. But the thing I wanted most for Christmas was not inside Santa’s giant bag. What I wanted more than anything was one silver bell from Santa’s sleigh. When I asked, Santa smiled. Then he gave me a hug and told an elf to cut a bell from a reindeer’s harness. The elf tossed it up to Santa. He stood, holding the bell high above him, and called out, “The first gift of Christmas!”
This is one of the all time great magical stories, with stunning illustrations. I read this to my kids every year on Christmas Eve since the late 1980s. While they have long outgrown that tradition, on the odd occasions when I pick it up again, it never fails to bring tears to my eyes. The illustrations are incredible and the message of youthful hope symbolized by the bell resonates.
When they char my final remains, this is one of the books I want to go into the ashes with me.
I am exercising a bit of reviewer privilege here. For years I have had a link on my GR profile page as a comment, but as this is one of many pieces that GR has been chipping away, the internal link to the piece has also vanished. Posting it here is a poor work-around, but for those of you who only read my GR posts and do not bother with my personal site, this may be the only way. A short-story I wrote back in the 1980s. Hope you enjoy. I like to re-post this once a year - When Santa goes missing, the best is called in to find him before the big night - The Short Goodbye.
=============================EXTRA STUFF
The author’s website
Here is a lovely piece, a speech the author gave on receiving a Caldecott Award for this book. Like his book, it is a thing of beauty.
Some fun Christmas items from National Geographic:
-----11/29/2017 - Saint Nicholas to Santa: The Surprising Origins of Mr. Claus - by Brian Handwerk
-----12/13/2017 - Who Is Krampus? Explaining the Horrific Christmas Devil - by Tanya Basu
-----12/21/2017 - Vintage Map Shows Santa's Journey Around the World - By Greg Miller – a kitschy 50’s Santa Map
-----12/19/2017 - One Town's Fight to Save Their 40-Foot Yule Goat - by Sarah Gibbens – Yes, really, a Christmas goat
-----12/24/1989 - NY Times - VAN ALLSBURG'S EXPRESS - by Kim Herron - A great piece on Van Allsburg
12/21/2017 - This NY Times video by Matthew Salton is a trip - Santa is a Psychedelic Mushroom
The train was filled with other children, all in their pajamas and nightgowns. We sang Christmas carols and ate candies with nougat centers as white as snow. We drank hot cocoa as thick and rich as melted chocolate bars. Outside, the lights of towns and villages flickered in the distance as the Polar Express raced northward.
They are treated to goodies while en route to the North Pole where Santa is to offer the first gift of Christmas to one of the passengers in a town-square ceremony attended by all the elves as well as the transported youngsters. Our hero is selected, and when asked what he would like, opts for a single bell from Santa's sleigh.
I knew that I could have any gift I could imagine. But the thing I wanted most for Christmas was not inside Santa’s giant bag. What I wanted more than anything was one silver bell from Santa’s sleigh. When I asked, Santa smiled. Then he gave me a hug and told an elf to cut a bell from a reindeer’s harness. The elf tossed it up to Santa. He stood, holding the bell high above him, and called out, “The first gift of Christmas!”
This is one of the all time great magical stories, with stunning illustrations. I read this to my kids every year on Christmas Eve since the late 1980s. While they have long outgrown that tradition, on the odd occasions when I pick it up again, it never fails to bring tears to my eyes. The illustrations are incredible and the message of youthful hope symbolized by the bell resonates.
When they char my final remains, this is one of the books I want to go into the ashes with me.
I am exercising a bit of reviewer privilege here. For years I have had a link on my GR profile page as a comment, but as this is one of many pieces that GR has been chipping away, the internal link to the piece has also vanished. Posting it here is a poor work-around, but for those of you who only read my GR posts and do not bother with my personal site, this may be the only way. A short-story I wrote back in the 1980s. Hope you enjoy. I like to re-post this once a year - When Santa goes missing, the best is called in to find him before the big night - The Short Goodbye.
=============================EXTRA STUFF
The author’s website
Here is a lovely piece, a speech the author gave on receiving a Caldecott Award for this book. Like his book, it is a thing of beauty.
Some fun Christmas items from National Geographic:
-----11/29/2017 - Saint Nicholas to Santa: The Surprising Origins of Mr. Claus - by Brian Handwerk
-----12/13/2017 - Who Is Krampus? Explaining the Horrific Christmas Devil - by Tanya Basu
-----12/21/2017 - Vintage Map Shows Santa's Journey Around the World - By Greg Miller – a kitschy 50’s Santa Map
-----12/19/2017 - One Town's Fight to Save Their 40-Foot Yule Goat - by Sarah Gibbens – Yes, really, a Christmas goat
-----12/24/1989 - NY Times - VAN ALLSBURG'S EXPRESS - by Kim Herron - A great piece on Van Allsburg
12/21/2017 - This NY Times video by Matthew Salton is a trip - Santa is a Psychedelic Mushroom
December 27, 2023
2023 - My favorite picture book to re-read every year!
Re-read 2020! My absolute favorite Christmas story/picture book! It isn't Christmas without the Polar Express! 🎅🏼❄️🎄💕
Every year around Christmas time I read this incredible book.🎄I have grown up with this story, reading the book and watching the film! They are both a very important part of how I celebrate the holidays! As an illustrator myself, I adore this picture book with all of my heart! It is pure magic, and will forever make me believe in the spirit of Santa Claus!!🎅🏻
Chris Van Allsburg is a great inspiration to me. His style of illustration, and his narrative way of setting up a composition amazes me. This book has a very very special place in my heart! The fact that I read this on December 1st, how today we had our first snowfall, and the fact that this is my 60th book of the year is so poetic! Reaching my Goodreads goal with this book is so exciting, and yes I count picture books towards my Goodreads goal🤣...why not!!💕
Re-read 2020! My absolute favorite Christmas story/picture book! It isn't Christmas without the Polar Express! 🎅🏼❄️🎄💕
Every year around Christmas time I read this incredible book.🎄I have grown up with this story, reading the book and watching the film! They are both a very important part of how I celebrate the holidays! As an illustrator myself, I adore this picture book with all of my heart! It is pure magic, and will forever make me believe in the spirit of Santa Claus!!🎅🏻
Chris Van Allsburg is a great inspiration to me. His style of illustration, and his narrative way of setting up a composition amazes me. This book has a very very special place in my heart! The fact that I read this on December 1st, how today we had our first snowfall, and the fact that this is my 60th book of the year is so poetic! Reaching my Goodreads goal with this book is so exciting, and yes I count picture books towards my Goodreads goal🤣...why not!!💕
January 18, 2025
I so wanted to love this book. I had heard many friends enthuse about The Polar Express, knew it had won awards, and have a soft spot myself for illustrated fantasy books for children. But this particular one I found to be a little disappointing.
Yes, it has magical elements. In a way it is reminiscent of many Christmas stories, with the message that you just need to believe in Father Christmas and everything will turn out to be perfect. It had elements from stories I love, such as "The Snowman", by Raymond Briggs. In both stories a young child cannot sleep on Christmas Eve, and is magically taken to the North Pole. The difference in this case is that the journey is on a mysterious and unearthly train called the Polar Express.
But the story is very thin. Please do not read the blurb, as it tells you the ending, and that is one of the few perfect things about this book. Otherwise, it feels more like a rehash of other, better tales.
The Artwork has been highly commended, and it is pleasing - but strangely muted. It appeals to adults, but to young children? There is a large element of nostalgia about the entire book. The pictures are not immediate in any sense. They are distance views, with even Santa's elves appearing as little smudges. There are two or three where the lighting is paramount, and it can be viewed as a theatrical set, with illuminated people, reindeer and buildings. These may well be more attractive to adults than to children. Yes, they glow. But does it feel magical?
The story is very short indeed, and the use of language not very imaginative. After reading the book, it was interesting to watch the film based on it, which has also been highly acclaimed. Yet that felt strangely long and drawn-out. Yes, the story had been expanded, but it still had no depth, which it certainly needed to maintain its feature length. How many children would be able to sustain over an hour of grey fuzziness and mere expectation of possibly meeting Santa? And that droning, sentimental music! Again, "The Snowman" does it better, and the decision to keep it at a mere 20 minutes was a wise one. However it is the book of The Polar Express which is reviewed here, not the film.
It is not a bad book. There are parts of it which deserve the three star rating. The illustrations could be called beautiful, when seen through the eyes of an adult, who has grown to appreciate landscape. The ending is just right. Otherwise? In my view this is not a true classic, and since the wonderful film "Jumanji" is also based on a book by this author, it makes me apprehensive about reading Chris van Allsburg's original picture book.
Yes, it has magical elements. In a way it is reminiscent of many Christmas stories, with the message that you just need to believe in Father Christmas and everything will turn out to be perfect. It had elements from stories I love, such as "The Snowman", by Raymond Briggs. In both stories a young child cannot sleep on Christmas Eve, and is magically taken to the North Pole. The difference in this case is that the journey is on a mysterious and unearthly train called the Polar Express.
But the story is very thin. Please do not read the blurb, as it tells you the ending, and that is one of the few perfect things about this book. Otherwise, it feels more like a rehash of other, better tales.
The Artwork has been highly commended, and it is pleasing - but strangely muted. It appeals to adults, but to young children? There is a large element of nostalgia about the entire book. The pictures are not immediate in any sense. They are distance views, with even Santa's elves appearing as little smudges. There are two or three where the lighting is paramount, and it can be viewed as a theatrical set, with illuminated people, reindeer and buildings. These may well be more attractive to adults than to children. Yes, they glow. But does it feel magical?
The story is very short indeed, and the use of language not very imaginative. After reading the book, it was interesting to watch the film based on it, which has also been highly acclaimed. Yet that felt strangely long and drawn-out. Yes, the story had been expanded, but it still had no depth, which it certainly needed to maintain its feature length. How many children would be able to sustain over an hour of grey fuzziness and mere expectation of possibly meeting Santa? And that droning, sentimental music! Again, "The Snowman" does it better, and the decision to keep it at a mere 20 minutes was a wise one. However it is the book of The Polar Express which is reviewed here, not the film.
It is not a bad book. There are parts of it which deserve the three star rating. The illustrations could be called beautiful, when seen through the eyes of an adult, who has grown to appreciate landscape. The ending is just right. Otherwise? In my view this is not a true classic, and since the wonderful film "Jumanji" is also based on a book by this author, it makes me apprehensive about reading Chris van Allsburg's original picture book.
December 28, 2025
reread 2025 with my patrons
still fucking slaps!!!!!
--
2024
it is SO nice rereading this as an adult who loves and watches the movie every year because the art and story already feels SO familiar. i love the concept in children's books of being whisked away somewhere magical but then dropped right back off at home. the polar express is one of my favorite christmas movies for that reason and i loooove how the adaptation pulls so much directly from this dialogue and adds so many more cool speculative elements about the magic of the train. count me in next christmas eve!!! i want on, mr conductor :)
still fucking slaps!!!!!
--
2024
it is SO nice rereading this as an adult who loves and watches the movie every year because the art and story already feels SO familiar. i love the concept in children's books of being whisked away somewhere magical but then dropped right back off at home. the polar express is one of my favorite christmas movies for that reason and i loooove how the adaptation pulls so much directly from this dialogue and adds so many more cool speculative elements about the magic of the train. count me in next christmas eve!!! i want on, mr conductor :)
December 26, 2023
A magical Christmas story! This picture book is enhanced by an accompanying audio CD read by Liam Neeson. The music and reading are spectacular and shouldn't be missed. Intended for children, enjoyed by all!🥰🚂❄️
https://youtu.be/ELy_4fH_h0E
https://youtu.be/ELy_4fH_h0E
April 14, 2019
A wonderful and delightful book. The kids will love it. I just found the illustrations to be a bit creepy...
July 12, 2019
5 Believe ★'s
“Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see.”
Read/audiobook this for the very first time the other day with my little niece and we both love it!!! The story was sweet and very enjoyable. The narrator is Liam Neeson!!!! Ohhh, I love love love his voice and let me tell you he did NOT disappoint whatsoever! This is definitely gonna be a Christmas favorite around here :) I absolutely love the illustrations too! I will recommend this book to everyone for sure :)
*The movie is amazing as well, it's a MUST watch film!*
“Though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.”
“Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see.”
Read/audiobook this for the very first time the other day with my little niece and we both love it!!! The story was sweet and very enjoyable. The narrator is Liam Neeson!!!! Ohhh, I love love love his voice and let me tell you he did NOT disappoint whatsoever! This is definitely gonna be a Christmas favorite around here :) I absolutely love the illustrations too! I will recommend this book to everyone for sure :)
*The movie is amazing as well, it's a MUST watch film!*
“Though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.”
May 12, 2017
A Christmas favorite we read every year. Beautiful story and illustrations. A must!
December 25, 2020
"Merry Christmas!"
This book is a tradition of mine to read every year during Christmas. This season wouldn't be complete without the Polar Express! This is the best Christmas book EVER!
December 19, 2025
When I want to feel the atmosphere of Christmas this is the timeless story I turn to.
🦌🦌🦌🔔🔔🔔🦌🦌🦌
Many years ago, I was in charge of putting together a Christmas themed bulletin board for a school where I taught art. It was very last minute, but me being me I couldn't slap a Santa picture on it and call it a day. My brain doesn't work like that. I considered what feels enchanting and will stop children in their tracks to provide a moment of awe. The answer was simple a huge train headed north.
✨✨✨🐺🐺🐺✨✨✨
A boy hears a sound outside late one Christmas Eve. To his surprise, it is a huge train filled with other children headed to the North Pole. The trip is joyful with plenty of treats safe inside the train while snowy wilderness flashes by the windows as they venture into colder areas. Upon arrival they see elves, Santa, and the first gift of Christmas being given.
❄️❄️❄️🚂🚂🚂❄️❄️❄️
A hundred is a conservative estimate on how many times I've read this and it gives me chills every single time. It's one of those books that is wonderful period not "good for a children's book". The award-winning artwork inside is dreamlike and yet looks as though you could step right into the pages. When I noticed that Liam Neeson was the narrator, I was curious about what his style would bring to this favorite. He gives a spectacular voice performance. The production value is through the roof with music and background sounds. Hearing the squeal and chuff of the train added a layer of magic.
🎄🎄Do you believe?🎄🎄
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to HarperAudio Children's for providing an ALC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
🦌🦌🦌🔔🔔🔔🦌🦌🦌
Many years ago, I was in charge of putting together a Christmas themed bulletin board for a school where I taught art. It was very last minute, but me being me I couldn't slap a Santa picture on it and call it a day. My brain doesn't work like that. I considered what feels enchanting and will stop children in their tracks to provide a moment of awe. The answer was simple a huge train headed north.
✨✨✨🐺🐺🐺✨✨✨
A boy hears a sound outside late one Christmas Eve. To his surprise, it is a huge train filled with other children headed to the North Pole. The trip is joyful with plenty of treats safe inside the train while snowy wilderness flashes by the windows as they venture into colder areas. Upon arrival they see elves, Santa, and the first gift of Christmas being given.
❄️❄️❄️🚂🚂🚂❄️❄️❄️
A hundred is a conservative estimate on how many times I've read this and it gives me chills every single time. It's one of those books that is wonderful period not "good for a children's book". The award-winning artwork inside is dreamlike and yet looks as though you could step right into the pages. When I noticed that Liam Neeson was the narrator, I was curious about what his style would bring to this favorite. He gives a spectacular voice performance. The production value is through the roof with music and background sounds. Hearing the squeal and chuff of the train added a layer of magic.
🎄🎄Do you believe?🎄🎄
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to HarperAudio Children's for providing an ALC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 30, 2019
Just love the sound of those old vintage sleigh bells.....and my ride on THE POLAR EXPRESS!
Wonderfully magical. Beautifully illustrated.
September 30, 2023
Catching Up...
This story book, also a Caldecott winner (the most distinguished American picture book for children), is probably most well-known as a major motion picture.
The illustrations are an impressionist style of art portraying various scenes through oil pastels. Sometimes blurred to give a sense of drama.
The story is about a magical train ride on Christmas eve for a boy heading to the North Pole to receive a special gift from Santa Claus.
Mostly…
This boy wants to believe…
Is Santa Claus real?
Would a Santa sleigh bell provide him the answer he needs?
“Though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for me as it does for all who truly believe.”
This story book, also a Caldecott winner (the most distinguished American picture book for children), is probably most well-known as a major motion picture.
The illustrations are an impressionist style of art portraying various scenes through oil pastels. Sometimes blurred to give a sense of drama.
The story is about a magical train ride on Christmas eve for a boy heading to the North Pole to receive a special gift from Santa Claus.
Mostly…
This boy wants to believe…
Is Santa Claus real?
Would a Santa sleigh bell provide him the answer he needs?
“Though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for me as it does for all who truly believe.”
December 21, 2021
A beautiful classic that puts us right in the Christmas spirit mood (and makes me want snow!).
November 17, 2022
Words cannot express the nostalgia and happiness this book brings me. I read it multiple times around the Christmas season, and it never fails to make me shed a tear. Beautiful Christmas story for all ages 😊
January 2, 2024
We read this every year on Christmas or New Year’s. Each year, it means more. ♥️
December 6, 2023
I read this book the year it was first published and I reread it every year at Christmas time. Beautiful story……. A children’s book that is appealing to adults as well!
(I even have the Christmas bell ornament for our Christmas tree 🤭😂 🎄)
(I even have the Christmas bell ornament for our Christmas tree 🤭😂 🎄)
December 22, 2025
The movie adaptation of this delightful book is a cult classic in my family. For years, we watched it every Christmas Eve before going to bed with anticipation in our hearts and glee bubbling inside us, counting the hours down until we can run out of our rooms and see what our parents left us under the tree (no, we never did Santa Claus in our house, but I bet my parents wished he did exist so he could cover the bill 😂).
But I’ve never read the book.
So when I saw that I could read it on Libby, I instantly placed a hold and waited until I could finally read it. When the notification came that it was available, I didn’t hesitate. I read this with a smile on my face, seeing the pictures and reading the familiar words that made up my entire childhood. And when I finished the book, I felt…happy, overwhelmed with the feeling of nostalgia as wonderful memories of past Christmases with my family resurfaced, filing away the losses and heartbreak this year has brought into their respective folders, knowing some day I’m going to have to go back and deal with those problems. But not today. Today, I will look back on all the happy memories I’ve made over the years and smile at the thought of how many more will be made this year and, God willing, many more years to come. Even though I don’t believe in Santa Claus, I still believe that there is good in this world, and knowing that makes all the difference. 🎄✨❤
❄“Though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.”❄
But I’ve never read the book.
So when I saw that I could read it on Libby, I instantly placed a hold and waited until I could finally read it. When the notification came that it was available, I didn’t hesitate. I read this with a smile on my face, seeing the pictures and reading the familiar words that made up my entire childhood. And when I finished the book, I felt…happy, overwhelmed with the feeling of nostalgia as wonderful memories of past Christmases with my family resurfaced, filing away the losses and heartbreak this year has brought into their respective folders, knowing some day I’m going to have to go back and deal with those problems. But not today. Today, I will look back on all the happy memories I’ve made over the years and smile at the thought of how many more will be made this year and, God willing, many more years to come. Even though I don’t believe in Santa Claus, I still believe that there is good in this world, and knowing that makes all the difference. 🎄✨❤
❄“Though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.”❄
October 11, 2016
Just gave a little nudge to my sleeping Christmas Spirit who rolled over and said, "come back in two months".
December 1, 2018
Although I really do much appreciate both the story (the presented narrative) and the accompanying illustrations, Chris Van Allsburg's The Polar Express ultimately does indeed feel but mildly entertaining and actually also manages to leave me rather flat and strangely unsatisfied.
Now Van Allsburg's text reads sweetly and to a point evocatively enough (but also rather on the surface, rather removed from what I would label as personal emotionality) and so much so that I never do feel all that engaged in and with The Polar Express and thus more like a dispassionate and even somewhat apathetic onlooker, with not all that much of a sense of Christmastime magic (and while the latter indeed might well be present, I personally have major trouble both feeling and even mildly sensing it).
And as to the accompanying illustrations, while detailed and expressive (and spectacularly highlighting Chris Van Allsburg's artistic talents), they are simply much too dark and gloomy, and actually even bordering on being potentially depressing for my personal tastes (and that is even considering that the main, the essential storyline of The Polar Express takes place at night). And while I can certainly understand and even appreciate why and how The Polar Express won the Caldecott medal, for me personally, the book has simply not been all that spectacular and in any way special (and I guess for all intents and purposes, Chris van Allsburg and I are simply not that good a fit, as it generally seems to be the case that while I can and do appreciate his work, both text and illustration wise, I never seem to be able to truly love and in any way cherish it or consider his picture books as potential favourites). Three stars (and indeed rather grudgingly given, for if half stars were possible, two and a half stars would be the highest rating for The Polar Express, as I am sorry to say, I just do not find this seemingly rather universally popular Christmastime offering all that special and all that wonderful, and rereading almost a year later has not really changed this either, and has, in fact, but cemented and strengthened my attitudes, my views).
Now Van Allsburg's text reads sweetly and to a point evocatively enough (but also rather on the surface, rather removed from what I would label as personal emotionality) and so much so that I never do feel all that engaged in and with The Polar Express and thus more like a dispassionate and even somewhat apathetic onlooker, with not all that much of a sense of Christmastime magic (and while the latter indeed might well be present, I personally have major trouble both feeling and even mildly sensing it).
And as to the accompanying illustrations, while detailed and expressive (and spectacularly highlighting Chris Van Allsburg's artistic talents), they are simply much too dark and gloomy, and actually even bordering on being potentially depressing for my personal tastes (and that is even considering that the main, the essential storyline of The Polar Express takes place at night). And while I can certainly understand and even appreciate why and how The Polar Express won the Caldecott medal, for me personally, the book has simply not been all that spectacular and in any way special (and I guess for all intents and purposes, Chris van Allsburg and I are simply not that good a fit, as it generally seems to be the case that while I can and do appreciate his work, both text and illustration wise, I never seem to be able to truly love and in any way cherish it or consider his picture books as potential favourites). Three stars (and indeed rather grudgingly given, for if half stars were possible, two and a half stars would be the highest rating for The Polar Express, as I am sorry to say, I just do not find this seemingly rather universally popular Christmastime offering all that special and all that wonderful, and rereading almost a year later has not really changed this either, and has, in fact, but cemented and strengthened my attitudes, my views).
December 19, 2019
Sweet, short and Christmas-y - just the bit of Christmas magic you need to get you in the mood 😄
December 27, 2015
What would you like for Christmas?
I'm still in the spirit of Christmas, because Christmas isn't until the 7th of January here in Ukraine. So.....more for me. I've always loved The Polar Express movie, It can even be said that it's my all time favourite Christmas movie, but up until now, I had never read the book. There's no "why" to the story, sorry. I've read it now, and I'm delighted to say I love it just as much as the movie-maybe even a tad bit more. I love the moral of the story, about how the principle of "seeing is believing" doesn't hold true in all situations in life. Strange and great things, the truly wondrous things are the things that can't be seen with the eyes-sometimes(The conductor in the movie makes a note of this).This book made me smile and get all swirly inside-and swirly is good in case you're wondering-so I don't regret not reading it earlier, I'm only grateful I have now.
THE TRUE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS LIES IN THE HEART
ALL ABOARD!
“At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I've grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.”
November 30, 2008
My general opinion of Chris Van Allsburg is that his books are made to appeal to adults, not children. None of his books has ever been a favorite of my children. This book is a perfect example. The overall story has potential--a Christmas Eve train that takes Santa-believing children to the North Pole to witness the ritual of Santa giving the first gift of Christmas. But page after page of illustration focuses on the landscape the train travels. When the Polar Express arrives at the North Pole, again the pictures are landscapes in which the streets thronged with elves are shown at such a distance that the elves are red smudges between the buildings.
The story is told in first person, which is normally avoided in picture books for good reason. That choice is telling, because the book is presented as "something that happened to me years ago." The first Christmas gift of the year is given to the first person narrator, a bell off of Santa's sleigh. The trick is that you can only hear the bell if you believe in Santa. This is pure nostalgia, and in my opinion and experience has no pull on the hearts of the children who should be the primary audience for a picture book.
The story is told in first person, which is normally avoided in picture books for good reason. That choice is telling, because the book is presented as "something that happened to me years ago." The first Christmas gift of the year is given to the first person narrator, a bell off of Santa's sleigh. The trick is that you can only hear the bell if you believe in Santa. This is pure nostalgia, and in my opinion and experience has no pull on the hearts of the children who should be the primary audience for a picture book.
December 9, 2025
I got teary every time I read this.
I saw the film a long time ago, but didn't like it. Don't even remember why. So I was skeptic to read this for a while, but boy I was reveled to find it really entertaining.
The audiobook was great! Liam Neeson was reading it, so I was having the time of my life.
I saw the film a long time ago, but didn't like it. Don't even remember why. So I was skeptic to read this for a while, but boy I was reveled to find it really entertaining.
The audiobook was great! Liam Neeson was reading it, so I was having the time of my life.
December 14, 2020
I read this little book last night while I was in bed listening to a train on my magical white noise box.Trains and bells, I love them both. If only this little magical box had temple bells and wind chimes, which we have in our yard, but with our back porch’s bedroom door closed during these cold winter nights, I don’t hear them; instead I hear silence.
As a child, I remember listening to sounds at night as I lay in bed. I never heard Santa’s sleigh bells; instead I heard the neighbors' dogs barking, the train in the far distant as it came through the edge of our small town every night blowing its whistle, and in the summer I heard the added sounds of crickets. How I miss those sounds. Here, where we live now we only hear sounds in the summertime when the door is open and then we may hear our dog barking at a critter or crickets singing. We may even hear those noisy cicadas that clog the airways. At least on windy nights we hear our wind chimes. The temple bells you have to peel yourself as the wind doesn’t peel them since the clappers and the bells are too heavy.
As for this book, I can understand why even adults love it; for one thing, the art is wonderful, and the story, while short, is very meaningful. It is a story of a young boy who is in bed wishing to hear Santa’s sleigh bells, when all the sudden he hears a train pull up to his window. He gets up, climbs out his window and onto this magical train that takes him to the North Pole where he gets to pick out the first gift and so asks for a sleigh bell. It ends up being a bell that not everyone could hear. I would have asked for a train to go through our town. I know that is a big order. One day my husband and I were down at the river when we heard what sounded like a train whistle. What? We have no trains here. It must have been that magical train or the ghost of trains past.
My sister and niece came to visit just before Thanksgiving, and we drove to a small town in Oklahoma, to the Pioneer Woman’s Mercantile, and what did I buy? Not pots and pans. A little wooden train whistle. And what did my sister bring me for Christmas? A wind chime that her son had made and had given to our mother. Many years ago when our mother died, my sister had taken it and since her son had made her one as well, she knew that I would love it. It sounds like church bells. Of course I love it.
So when the nights get warm again and the winds come up, I will open our bedroom door and be able listen to church bells, and I will sometimes think of the little boy who wished for a bell, and how his wish came true.
As a child, I remember listening to sounds at night as I lay in bed. I never heard Santa’s sleigh bells; instead I heard the neighbors' dogs barking, the train in the far distant as it came through the edge of our small town every night blowing its whistle, and in the summer I heard the added sounds of crickets. How I miss those sounds. Here, where we live now we only hear sounds in the summertime when the door is open and then we may hear our dog barking at a critter or crickets singing. We may even hear those noisy cicadas that clog the airways. At least on windy nights we hear our wind chimes. The temple bells you have to peel yourself as the wind doesn’t peel them since the clappers and the bells are too heavy.
As for this book, I can understand why even adults love it; for one thing, the art is wonderful, and the story, while short, is very meaningful. It is a story of a young boy who is in bed wishing to hear Santa’s sleigh bells, when all the sudden he hears a train pull up to his window. He gets up, climbs out his window and onto this magical train that takes him to the North Pole where he gets to pick out the first gift and so asks for a sleigh bell. It ends up being a bell that not everyone could hear. I would have asked for a train to go through our town. I know that is a big order. One day my husband and I were down at the river when we heard what sounded like a train whistle. What? We have no trains here. It must have been that magical train or the ghost of trains past.
My sister and niece came to visit just before Thanksgiving, and we drove to a small town in Oklahoma, to the Pioneer Woman’s Mercantile, and what did I buy? Not pots and pans. A little wooden train whistle. And what did my sister bring me for Christmas? A wind chime that her son had made and had given to our mother. Many years ago when our mother died, my sister had taken it and since her son had made her one as well, she knew that I would love it. It sounds like church bells. Of course I love it.
So when the nights get warm again and the winds come up, I will open our bedroom door and be able listen to church bells, and I will sometimes think of the little boy who wished for a bell, and how his wish came true.
December 25, 2017
Brings back wonderful memories for me. A childhood favorite (and timeless classic). Beautiful story and gorgeous illustrations.
December 19, 2015
Though I've grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.
4.5
I watched The Polar Express the movie as soon as it came out. And it became one of my favorite Christmas movies. And now I finally decided to read (well, listen actually) the book. And the book was just as magical as the movie (even though I do have to admit that I liked the movie a little bit more)
One more thing I want to mention is that Liam Neeson did an amazing job narrating the book. If you haven't already read this book, I suggest listening to his audiobook.
4.5
I watched The Polar Express the movie as soon as it came out. And it became one of my favorite Christmas movies. And now I finally decided to read (well, listen actually) the book. And the book was just as magical as the movie (even though I do have to admit that I liked the movie a little bit more)
One more thing I want to mention is that Liam Neeson did an amazing job narrating the book. If you haven't already read this book, I suggest listening to his audiobook.
January 16, 2024
Circa the year 2001, my young 8-year-old self strolled into the tiny, yet cozy, school library alongside other fellow 3rd graders, all decked out in our matching Catholic school uniforms. Upon tiptoeing and reaching into the shelf for a new book to read, there stood out a rather tall and thin hardcover, among the dozens of rather small bundles of literature. Chris Van Allsburg’s “The Polar Express” and its title above his wonderfully painted titular steamroller glimmered in front of me. Was it during the Christmas season, on the road towards our anticipated wintry break that my senses tingled upon this discovery? My mind seems to forget. But knowing myself, among hundreds of movies, television shows, and books that increased love and eagerness, the innocent kid in me, from the ages of 1 to… well even now, was obsessed with two things: trains and Christmas.
My little school being stationed right next to the railroad tracks, my eyes always wandered off in Kindergarten class towards the windows as Santa Fe’s whistle blew through the green shrubbery. Christmas, of course undeniably being the mystical reality of Christ’s birth, was also for me a time of anticipating, come Christmas Eve, as put on the jacket sleeve of this marvelously worded and painted wonder, “the sweet sound of a reindeer’s bell.”
And that mystery, that anticipation, and uncovered innocence is something my adult self misses. How lost in pure escape I was upon reading Allsburg’s words, when the gargantuan steamroller pulls up to the young boy’s house to take him on an adventure overnight, and right onto the North Pole’s grounds. Alongside other kids, full of anticipation and unbridled purity not at all erased from their bright eyes, could we as adults return to this state of saccharine, gingerbread, and warm cocoa-by-the-fire love, adjacent to a window pane with snow outlining its virile corners? Allsburg’s simple words which keep mysteries as they are, and yet infuse readers with the utmost imaginative thoughts are a prime example of “less is more.” Second to such is his gentle painterly style, establishing a welcoming air of breathable bewilderment where even the child within the adult can return for just a brief moment.
As the years pass, Christmas Day only ever becomes a bit bittersweet, enjoying more so the season when everyone is merry — some in the anticipation of Christ’s birth and others merely trying to “get through the holidays” amidst all the shopping for family and friends, and painstakingly finding the time to be together. But why has it become bittersweet for me? It’s really the fact that knowing Christmas Day marks the end of the joyous season for many, while I and others try to keep the celebration going even past what marks the end of celebration for the general public. Santa Claus once existed for me as a kid, as he did for many. In fact, I was innocently taught he was Jesus’ friend and a saint, who helped Him keep the bright ebullience and purity progressing in the hearts of children and adults. Good ol’ St. Nick. But as the years have passed, of course, the season matures within my heart. And really the meaning of Christmas has only grown to become a bell that must keep ringing through all the trials and tribulations, and God Willing… has evolved into an unopened gift I’m aching to share with a family of my own so they can unwrap it themselves with the same bright-eyed purity and merriment that my young self and as the kids of this story had brimming in their hearts. Someday, Lord. Someday.
“At one time most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for me as it does for all who truly believe.”
My little school being stationed right next to the railroad tracks, my eyes always wandered off in Kindergarten class towards the windows as Santa Fe’s whistle blew through the green shrubbery. Christmas, of course undeniably being the mystical reality of Christ’s birth, was also for me a time of anticipating, come Christmas Eve, as put on the jacket sleeve of this marvelously worded and painted wonder, “the sweet sound of a reindeer’s bell.”
And that mystery, that anticipation, and uncovered innocence is something my adult self misses. How lost in pure escape I was upon reading Allsburg’s words, when the gargantuan steamroller pulls up to the young boy’s house to take him on an adventure overnight, and right onto the North Pole’s grounds. Alongside other kids, full of anticipation and unbridled purity not at all erased from their bright eyes, could we as adults return to this state of saccharine, gingerbread, and warm cocoa-by-the-fire love, adjacent to a window pane with snow outlining its virile corners? Allsburg’s simple words which keep mysteries as they are, and yet infuse readers with the utmost imaginative thoughts are a prime example of “less is more.” Second to such is his gentle painterly style, establishing a welcoming air of breathable bewilderment where even the child within the adult can return for just a brief moment.
As the years pass, Christmas Day only ever becomes a bit bittersweet, enjoying more so the season when everyone is merry — some in the anticipation of Christ’s birth and others merely trying to “get through the holidays” amidst all the shopping for family and friends, and painstakingly finding the time to be together. But why has it become bittersweet for me? It’s really the fact that knowing Christmas Day marks the end of the joyous season for many, while I and others try to keep the celebration going even past what marks the end of celebration for the general public. Santa Claus once existed for me as a kid, as he did for many. In fact, I was innocently taught he was Jesus’ friend and a saint, who helped Him keep the bright ebullience and purity progressing in the hearts of children and adults. Good ol’ St. Nick. But as the years have passed, of course, the season matures within my heart. And really the meaning of Christmas has only grown to become a bell that must keep ringing through all the trials and tribulations, and God Willing… has evolved into an unopened gift I’m aching to share with a family of my own so they can unwrap it themselves with the same bright-eyed purity and merriment that my young self and as the kids of this story had brimming in their hearts. Someday, Lord. Someday.
“At one time most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for me as it does for all who truly believe.”
September 26, 2017
This is one of those classics I read over and over again with my children and with my kindergarten students. The movie is also lovely.
December 18, 2018
Not the first time I've read this book (obviously) but I read it again for the Oh What Fun Readathon & it adds a book to my yearly total so 💁🏼
December 16, 2021
A very short, but charming little Christmas story - one that I'll definitely be reading to my kids someday ❤️
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