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The Rain Train
All aboard! Take a train ride through a storm at night in a rhythmic readaloud chugging with sound words and full of striking illustrations.
A pitter-pat-pat, a pitter-pat-pat,
A pittery-pittery-pittery-pat.
When it’s thundering down
on the roof, in the lane,
From the storm comes the call . . .
"All aboard the Rain Train!"
What child wouldn’t like to hop on a train, hand over his ticket, and set off on an exciting ride through a rainy night? Safe from the elements, a young boy listens and watches— in his seat, in the dining car, and snug in his sleeper— as his train whooshes past city lights, over rivers, through tunnels, and straight on to morning.
A pitter-pat-pat, a pitter-pat-pat,
A pittery-pittery-pittery-pat.
When it’s thundering down
on the roof, in the lane,
From the storm comes the call . . .
"All aboard the Rain Train!"
What child wouldn’t like to hop on a train, hand over his ticket, and set off on an exciting ride through a rainy night? Safe from the elements, a young boy listens and watches— in his seat, in the dining car, and snug in his sleeper— as his train whooshes past city lights, over rivers, through tunnels, and straight on to morning.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2011
50 people want to read
About the author
Elena de Roo
8 books7 followersElena de Roo is a poet and former research librarian. The Rain Train was her first picture book. She lives in New Zealand.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
July 21, 2012
I love trains. I traveled on them frequently during my childhood and, even though I haven’t ridden one for years, I am still fond of them. I also like rain, especially when I am inside and dry; I love the sound and scent of it.
The premise of this story is, for me, a 5 star one.
I am enchanted by the colors used in the illustrations. I adore the illustrations. They are 5 star worthy.
As far as the execution of the text, well, I love the idea of it, but it was just okay for me. I liked it but I wasn’t wild about it. While this would make a great read aloud book, I think I’d actually have some problems saying the story’s sound effects exactly as they are written. What I do like about the story text is it does capture the sounds of a train ride, and those I love.
This would make an excellent bedtime story. Highly recommended for any child who loves trains or is about to travel on a train. It’s also wonderful to read a picture book that will be equally appealing to girls and boys.
The premise of this story is, for me, a 5 star one.
I am enchanted by the colors used in the illustrations. I adore the illustrations. They are 5 star worthy.
As far as the execution of the text, well, I love the idea of it, but it was just okay for me. I liked it but I wasn’t wild about it. While this would make a great read aloud book, I think I’d actually have some problems saying the story’s sound effects exactly as they are written. What I do like about the story text is it does capture the sounds of a train ride, and those I love.
This would make an excellent bedtime story. Highly recommended for any child who loves trains or is about to travel on a train. It’s also wonderful to read a picture book that will be equally appealing to girls and boys.
June 1, 2012
I love trains and rain. The combination of the two here is lovely. The illustrations are evocative, but it's the language that really strikes to one's heart. It sounds like a really-truly train ride, and I would love to read this to someone small right before taking them onto a train.
Beautifully done.
Beautifully done.
November 5, 2011
28 February 2011 Richie's Picks: THE RAIN TRAIN by Elana de Roo and Brian Lovelock, ill., Candlewick, March 2011, 32p., ISBN: 978-0-7636-5313-2
"Train whistle blowing, makes a sleepy noise
Underneath their blankets go all the girls and boys
Heading for the station out all along the bay
All bound for Morningtown, many miles away."
-- Malvina Reynolds, "Morningtown Ride," (1957)
"When the rain fingers drum out a dance on the pane,
When the windows are foggy enough for my name,
"A pitter-pat-pat, a pitter-pat-pat,
A pittery-pittery-pittery-pat."
I love being nestled under the covers in our attic bedroom, listening to the rain arriving in the middle of the night. Through the sloped ceiling, just a few feet above my head, I can hear the first few drops of rain tap on the roof, and then a few more. Gradually it builds into a steady staccato, and then into gusts and torrents, and I pull the covers tighter against my chin and smile.
"Glide from the platform
Tisssssshhhhhhhhhhhh,
"Slow through the station --
Ca-shish, ca-shish."
Growing up, I'd read stories about characters living under the eves in small, magical upstairs rooms. Unfortunately, the suburban houses in which I grew up did not have any attic rooms with a touch of magic and mystery. Instead, the attic was merely a dark storage space into which you shoved Christmas ornaments, snowsuits, and storm windows to get them out of the way until the next winter.
These days I know better.
"The ting of the rain --
Ping-itta-pang.
"The ding of the crossings --
Cling-itta-clang."
I loved reading on New Zealand author Elena de Roo's website how, in writing THE RAIN TRAIN, she sought to combine the childhood memories of overnight train rides to visit grandparents with memories of falling asleep to the sound of rain on the roof.
Between Brian Lovelock's beautiful endpapers at the front of the book (a night-time scene with the train, sheep standing still in a pasture, hedgerows, and the moon depicting the conclusion of one day) and the endpapers at the conclusion of the book (the identical scene -- including the sheep each still in the same spots -- with the newly-risen sun depicting the arrival of the next morning), THE RAIN TRAIN is a sound- and rhythm-filed dream-like tale reminiscent of the old Malvina Reynolds song. Young children under umbrellas stream from houses about town and board the rain train. Operated by young conductors, the passengers settle in for tea before turning in and riding the train into the next morning.
"The wail of the wind, the sway of the train,
The strum of the wheels to the beat of the rain --
"A pitter-pat-pat, a pitter-pat-pat,
A pittery-pittery-pittery-pat."
This is the sort of story of which dreams are made.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_...
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EcolIt/
http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
"Train whistle blowing, makes a sleepy noise
Underneath their blankets go all the girls and boys
Heading for the station out all along the bay
All bound for Morningtown, many miles away."
-- Malvina Reynolds, "Morningtown Ride," (1957)
"When the rain fingers drum out a dance on the pane,
When the windows are foggy enough for my name,
"A pitter-pat-pat, a pitter-pat-pat,
A pittery-pittery-pittery-pat."
I love being nestled under the covers in our attic bedroom, listening to the rain arriving in the middle of the night. Through the sloped ceiling, just a few feet above my head, I can hear the first few drops of rain tap on the roof, and then a few more. Gradually it builds into a steady staccato, and then into gusts and torrents, and I pull the covers tighter against my chin and smile.
"Glide from the platform
Tisssssshhhhhhhhhhhh,
"Slow through the station --
Ca-shish, ca-shish."
Growing up, I'd read stories about characters living under the eves in small, magical upstairs rooms. Unfortunately, the suburban houses in which I grew up did not have any attic rooms with a touch of magic and mystery. Instead, the attic was merely a dark storage space into which you shoved Christmas ornaments, snowsuits, and storm windows to get them out of the way until the next winter.
These days I know better.
"The ting of the rain --
Ping-itta-pang.
"The ding of the crossings --
Cling-itta-clang."
I loved reading on New Zealand author Elena de Roo's website how, in writing THE RAIN TRAIN, she sought to combine the childhood memories of overnight train rides to visit grandparents with memories of falling asleep to the sound of rain on the roof.
Between Brian Lovelock's beautiful endpapers at the front of the book (a night-time scene with the train, sheep standing still in a pasture, hedgerows, and the moon depicting the conclusion of one day) and the endpapers at the conclusion of the book (the identical scene -- including the sheep each still in the same spots -- with the newly-risen sun depicting the arrival of the next morning), THE RAIN TRAIN is a sound- and rhythm-filed dream-like tale reminiscent of the old Malvina Reynolds song. Young children under umbrellas stream from houses about town and board the rain train. Operated by young conductors, the passengers settle in for tea before turning in and riding the train into the next morning.
"The wail of the wind, the sway of the train,
The strum of the wheels to the beat of the rain --
"A pitter-pat-pat, a pitter-pat-pat,
A pittery-pittery-pittery-pat."
This is the sort of story of which dreams are made.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_...
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EcolIt/
http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
November 24, 2011
This book reminds me of the Polar Express in its theme and illustrations. The story is about children who ride a "train" that takes them on a journey through a storm with all the sounds that you would hear while you are asleep. THe illustrations are wonderful in the cool blue colors that are reminiscent of rain falling and the different types of words such as Onomatopoeia that are used in the text. - I liked it.
June 12, 2016
A good book to use if wanting to do a music activity with children. Children can recite parts of the poem and choose musical instruments to highlight certain words.
Perfect for use in Key Stage 1.
Perfect for use in Key Stage 1.
February 25, 2019
Onomatopoetic in a very forceful, very cool way, and with such insistent rhythm that even the most tone-deaf of us get caught up in it. Pictures that are benevolently mythic and mysterious.
Like "In Memorium John Coltrane" but with rain.
Like "In Memorium John Coltrane" but with rain.
May 10, 2017
A good hygge book.
October 28, 2017
Lovely illustrations and lively alliteration keep this story a ratter-tat-tat and a clatter-clat-clat on track.
March 29, 2018
A book more about train sounds and less about the rain. Nicely illustrated.
October 31, 2018
Fun rhyming story using onomatopoeia about travelling on the train in the rain. Nice word usage and illustrations.
April 8, 2019
Lots of sound effect opportunities
August 22, 2019
One of few train books my son didn't enjoy, might just be he's too young for it at the moment.
October 24, 2019
Lyrical poetry and sounds of the train, kids love these!
July 17, 2023
Most train books attempt to be exciting with all the chugga-chugga-woo-woo sound effects and racing along the tracks and whatnot, but this one is peaceful and would make a good bedtime story.
April 16, 2026
Not one that will stay in my heart, but one to stay on the annual story-time rotation. Filled with onomatopoeia that made even the noisiest child quiet to listen.
February 11, 2017
Lovely little story about sleeping on a rainy night. The book is full of fun rain-sound wordplays and beautiful illustrations.
It was a perfect read for my train-loving toddler.
It was a perfect read for my train-loving toddler.
January 22, 2014
I like trains, I like rain storms, and the idea of a "rain train" is appealing. I actually think this book would be great for a child who is nervous about storms because it shows lightning bolts and other "scary" storm elements without comment. The rain and the storm equals a peaceful trip, not a frightening or adventurous one. The whole book is very soothing with its gentle train and rain sounds and cool blue-based drawings.
My one complaint is that, if I am remembering correctly, there is nowhere in the book where you get to make a train whistle sound. That's a highlight of train books for my son and felt like it was missing here because so many other noises were included. That's such a small, nitpicky thing, I realize, but c'mon, what's a train book without a choo-choo?
My one complaint is that, if I am remembering correctly, there is nowhere in the book where you get to make a train whistle sound. That's a highlight of train books for my son and felt like it was missing here because so many other noises were included. That's such a small, nitpicky thing, I realize, but c'mon, what's a train book without a choo-choo?
February 28, 2014
1. Genre and age: fiction, ages 5 to 8
2. Summary: A train is traveling through the night in this rhythmic picture book.
3. Curriculum: The story could be tied into a lesson of rhyming.
4: Reaction: I found myself reading most of the story out loud since most of the text is describing the sounds of the train in the rain.
5. Illustrations: The dark and consistent hues and tones used to illustrate the setting and objects create a cool and calm feeling for the reader.
2. Summary: A train is traveling through the night in this rhythmic picture book.
3. Curriculum: The story could be tied into a lesson of rhyming.
4: Reaction: I found myself reading most of the story out loud since most of the text is describing the sounds of the train in the rain.
5. Illustrations: The dark and consistent hues and tones used to illustrate the setting and objects create a cool and calm feeling for the reader.
December 28, 2011
Kids who enjoy trains should enjoy this one, though the reader should be comfortable with really getting into the "train language" and making the appropriate sounds and noises as the train progresses through the night to really help the story soar (e.g., clippety-clip, spitter-spat-spit, clackety-clack)...
June 23, 2016
This was a very charming both with text and illustrated story. My grown special needs son giggled and grinned through out this book as I read it to him. Text is kind of simple and kind of repeatative so a child learning to read might need some help with some of the words but probably not to much. Maybe with some of the descriptive words they used for the rain on the train.
July 21, 2016
Passengers ride through the rainy night on a dependable train.
Train books are always popular at our house, and this one was a little different, with its dark and rainy and exciting setting. It has a little rhythm and the sound effects in the text make it a fairly vivid reading experience. There isn't much to the story, but sometimes an interesting journey is story enough.
Train books are always popular at our house, and this one was a little different, with its dark and rainy and exciting setting. It has a little rhythm and the sound effects in the text make it a fairly vivid reading experience. There isn't much to the story, but sometimes an interesting journey is story enough.
November 12, 2011
This is a gentle book for the wee train lover in your life who also loves repetitive sounds, e.g. clackety-clack... shackety-shack. Pastel artwork leads a train ride through the rainy night to end with a child sleeping in bed... shhhhhh.
January 15, 2012
This is a beautiful, dreamlike picture book for young children. Poet Elena de Roo has created an imaginary world where the sounds of the train tell of a journey through the rainy night. Wonderful bedtime story.
December 1, 2014
Great book to teach Onomatopoeia to kids. My 2 year old loved it especially with all the sounds. I used it as the last book to put her to sleep. I think she got wise to that and stopped asking for me to read it after ten days. I would utilize as a model for books with onomatopoeia.
March 29, 2015
This book is great for the sounds in it. The story itself, I don't like at all. When it rains at night, all the kids in the city get on a rain train? I can see how the sounds of the rain could sound like a train and that's where they get the story. I just don't personally like it.
June 8, 2011
Books about trains are very popular, so this one is sure to find some fans!
March 19, 2011
Good preschool reaqd aloud for a rainy day.
March 19, 2011
Good story time choice!
March 20, 2011
While a little boy sleeps, the rain train travels through the night. Unique, playful, onomatopoeia mimic the sounds of both rain and train. A great read aloud choice for primary children.
June 10, 2011
bedtime
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews