Good Night, Little Engine

Toddler-PreS–This gentle bedtime book featuring the Little Engine retains much of the old-fashioned charm of the original.This time, a more contemporary Little Engine battles insomnia and cannot seem to settle down to sleep. Hearing an unfamiliar noise, the Little Engine is roused completely, and she embarks on a quest to save a baby bird who has fallen from its nest. Although those familiar with the classic book will see the characters reimagined faithfully by Howarth, the edges and colors of the cast have been softened here. While the Little Engine is clearly concerned with her sleeplessness in the first few pages, the rest of the book is soothing and contains lots of positive problem solving. The text rhymes and provides the lovely ending image of “dreams descend[ing] along the track.” As anxiety in younger children becomes more common, this book is rather timely.