Night Train, Night Train

by Robert Burleigh, Wendell Minor (Illustrator)

Ride the rails of the night train in this beautifully rendered journey conducted by renowned artist Wendell Minor and frequent collaborator Robert Burleigh.Rhyming, lyrical text describes the sights and sounds of a nighttime journey from country to city on a passenger train in the 1940s. Largely painted in black and white, breathtaking illustrations feature pops of color as the train continues its trip until the full-color spectrum appears as dawn breaks and passengers arrive at the station. A nostalgic and innovative choice for readers fascinated by trains.

Genres: Picture Books, Trains, Childrens, Storytime, Transport, Poetry, Juvenile

32 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2018

About the author

Over the past 35 years, I have published poems, reviews, essays, many filmstrips and videos, and more than 40 children's picture books.

Born and raised in Chicago, I graduated from DePauw University (Greencastle, Indiana) and later received an MA in humanities from the University of Chicago. I've published books for children since the early 1990s. My books - including numerous unpublished ones! - run a broad gamut, from stories geared for pre-schoolers to survival stories and biographies aimed at seven to eleven-year-olds. My work is wide-ranging because, basically, I'm a generalist by experience - and inclination!

In addition to writing, I paint regularly under the art name Burleigh Kronquist and have shown work in one-person and group shows in Chicago, New York, and elsewhere around the country.

-from robertburleigh.com

Reviews

[Faloni © · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you know there are many kinds of trains? I think my favorite is the Dreyfuss Hudson locomotive steam engine. It carried a modern design and beautiful ride in the 1930s and 1940s. I had a dream that I rode on a train and it was really fun. What you ever ridden on a train? Think about all those books and toys you could bring to your community via train.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

First sentence: Train ride! Bump-bump. Chug-chug. Slow. Faster. Faster. Off we go.

Premise/plot: A little boy goes on a train ride...at night. This picture book is told in rhyming verse.

My thoughts: I love, love, love, love, love the illustrations. I do. But I--as an adult who isn't particularly a train enthusiast--was disappointed with the rhythm and rhyme of the text. I guess part of me was hoping it would be more like Freight Train...only at night. This one does focus on colors--gray, black, red, blue, white, orange, purple, green, yellow.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Dark pencil illustrations give way to spots of color with the color names in the text shown in that color. As colors are named and shown, the illustrations incorporate those colors, mostly small areas of colors as it is nighttime but gradually expanding as the train moves toward morning. By the time the night train becomes "into-morning-bright train," the page is lit up with the sky lightening from deep blue with hint of purple to green-blue, orange, yellow of the rising sun with a purple lit window at the station and the train's red light at the rear. Rhythmic text echoes the train's movement. Underneath the jacket is a gray cover with embossed train tracks running along the bottom. The front endpapers are black and, as the narrator travels and arrives in the morning, the back endpapers are a sunny yellow.

I'm not a fan of the last image of the mother and child walking at the train station. I would have ended with the previous page where we see the boy and his teddy bear gazing out the window at the rising sun over the city.

[Aliza Werner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poetic, lyrical, onomatopoeic, and gorgeously illustrated. Mostly black and white with highlights of color.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous illustrations and fun to read. I was sitting in my office silently reading and about halfway through I had to start reading it out loud to myself.

[Eleanor W · Rating 3 out of 5]

We read this before bed tonight. Then we said our bed time prayers We prayed for our Daddy to be safe while he's at work, driving a train. Prayed for him to stay alert all night long, prayed for his conductor to stay alert and as equally attentive, prayed for green lights all the way. We even pray for every person that will drive their cars across the tracks tonight to make wise decisions and heed the warnings given to them. Prayed that Daddy would come home safely in the morning ready to jump in bed and get good rest before doing it all over again. We Thank God for a Daddy who is driving a night train....

The illustrations in this book are beautiful.

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was lovely! Probably for a bit of an older audience with the more realistic illustrations, but this would make a good bedtime book with the dreamy cadence of the language. The book shows a train going through the night, with mostly black & white images, with tiny splashes of color (orange sparks, a purple drive-in sign, a blue wind0w, etc).

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked the old-fashioned feel of this story. Loved how it was a concept book in a different sort of way and how it introduced colors (once a color has been introduced, you will see it for the rest of the story!). The rhyming mirrors the rhythm of a train, and to give it my highest praise--is not annoying at all! (haha) The illustrations are terrific, though I have to agree with another reviewer and say that I wish the story would have ended before without the last illustration (not my favorite). I think it was there to show that someone was meeting the child, as the very first illustration shows a man waving goodbye. Still, there is something a little off about the figures in in.

All in all, for those who cannot get enough of train books, this is sure to be a hit, and I want to try it out in storytime!

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you stand still, there is no sound outside tonight, not even the whisper of a north wind. As soon as you move your breath is serenaded by the crunch of snow beneath your boots. It's easy to believe in a special kind of magic on this evening in December.

If a long, low whistle sounds in the distance, you'll know passengers are traveling to a special place along the nearby rails. Night Train, Night Train (Charlesbridge, October 9, 2018) written by Robert Burleigh with illustrations by Wendell Minor is about a similar journey where the everyday becomes marvelous and new. Light and shadows cast a spell.


My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

History adds to the thrill of a child's nighttime journey on a train, because this solo train passenger was a child in the 1940s.

The text by Robert Burleigh is spare. And it rhymes in that comforting way of picture books for young readers. Remarkably, the use of color is also ispare.

Like the child, just by looking out an ordinary window, some of us readers have taken this color ride journey. If only we get up early enough, we will see colors gently emerge from the darkness. As if we alone are witnessing how God is painting color into our new day.

FIVE STARS for this beautiful writing by Robert Burleigh and also for the restrained, yet absolutely believable, illustrations by Wendell Minor.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hauntingly beautiful picture book about a young boy in the 1940s riding a passenger steam train during the night. The lyrical rhyming text works well with the warm nighttime illustrations. The illustrations are mostly in black and white with dots of color highlighting aspects of the journey. The ending with the dawn gently breaking and the child reaching his destination adds to the story's reassuring comfort.

[Olivia S · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is kind of cool. It's all about the illustrations, which transition from black and white to colour throughout the book, and are quite neat. The text is rhyming and works well rhythm-wise, but the story isn't much of anything. Might work well for a read-aloud though, and would definitely be a good way to practice colours.

[Ender · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars for me. I love how the black and white illustrations gradually reveal colors for children to spot. The poetic narrative structure also creates a beautiful cadence that is reminiscent of riding a train. Definitely a great book for parents and children who love trains or beautiful illustrations.
Teaching: Colors, purposeful illustrations, poetry
Ages: 2-5

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is such an evocative book that takes place almost entirely in the evening as a child travels across country by train. The varying perspectives, insertion of small bits of color, and the verse, carry us along for the ride. The slowly emerging colors as dawn comes are also a welcome spectrum of brightness.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young boy is riding a train through the night. He spots different objects and colors as he travels. He eventually nods off to sleep. He wakes in the morning in New York City where his mother is there to collect him.

Train lovers will thrill at all the details included in these gorgeous illustrations.

[Kifflie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nostalgic picture book, mostly done in black and white, about a young boy taking an overnight train trip. The black and white is very effective at conveying the experience of moving through the darkness.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black and white space really bring you on this train where the use of color sparks wonder. Train books might be a dime a dozen but this one is worth more then a dozen. Sweet, simple, and yet captivating.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely gorgeous with a soft soothing rhyming text. A perfect bedtime story for train loving kids.

I took a night train trip quite recently and while this is about a steam train, the story is just as evocative of an Amtrak gliding through the night.

[Kristin Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I decided not to read aloud at story time, thinking it might be better enjoyed one-on-one since the pops of color are small and subtle. The book is pleasing to the eye. I liked the chug-chug rhythm and the minimal text.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

We've been reading this to Ellie, and she likes it, though it's a bit long. The illustrations are so detailed-- I hope there's a larger, picture book version of this for when E is a bit older and can really savor the detail.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite train books. The boys love it, and I recommend it to any transportation lover. The lyrical cadence is easy to read and flows nicely off the tongue. The illustrations are gorgeous. I love this one.

[Chance Adam]

Largely painted in black and white, breathtaking illustrations feature pops of color as the train continues its trip until the full-color spectrum appears as dawn breaks and passengers arrive at the station. In the classroom, have the students write a book in black and white.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful, reads aloud well and works as a concept book about color, too. Highly recommended for ages 2-5.

[Lucia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The text reminds me of Donald Crews. Illustrations feel old. . but I like that.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous. Perfect for train lovers.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Calming, soft-focus illustrations and dreamlike text make this a natural bedtime story choice. The creator shows true enthusiasm for the subject.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic illustrations accompany a nice story.

[Syntha Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clever use of color in this concept book

[Karyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really cute, the way the story is written makes you feel like you are on the train. Reminds me of the stories I grew up reading