And the Train Goes...

"In this very British train book, a crowd of English archetypes — whose chunky, quirky appearance brings to mind a collection of extremely eccentric Playskool Weebles — have gathered at the train station for what promises to be a thrilling ride. Among the passengers in the eight lovingly filigreed cars are "the ladies off to the races" who "chitter and chatter: Lovely cake, Doris. Lovely tea, Mabel." A few cars down are the businessmen who eat their breakfast (boiled eggs served in proper egg cups) while shouting, "Faster, faster! Time is money, time is money." To every snippet of conversation, the train offers a rhythmic rejoinder (hence the title), usually a variation on "Clickerty-click, clickerty-clack." Bee's (Whatever) full-bleed illustrations — with the train track extending across the bottom of each page — heighten the sense that readers are moving through the busy train cars as they advance through the book. The highly decorative nature of the Victorian-style ink and digital artwork will give youngsters plenty to pore over. And young Anglophiles who are already fans of Thomas the Tank Engine should find it all a bit of fun. Ages 3-up. (May)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"'In this very British train book, a crowd of English archetypes — whose chunky, quirky appearance brings to mind a collection of extremely eccentric Playskool Weebles — have gathered at the train station for what promises to be a thrilling ride. Among the passengers in the eight lovingly filigreed cars are 'the ladies off to the races' who 'chitter and chatter: Lovely cake, Doris. Lovely tea, Mabel.' A few cars down are the businessmen who eat their breakfast (boiled eggs served in proper egg cups) while shouting, 'Faster, faster! Time is money, time is money.' To every snippet of conversation, the train offers a rhythmic rejoinder (hence the title), usually a variation on 'Clickerty-click, clickerty-clack.' Bee's (Whatever) full-bleed illustrations — with the train track extending across the bottom of each page — heighten the sense that readers are moving through the busy train cars as they advance through the book. The highly decorative nature of the Victorian-style ink and digital artwork will give youngsters plenty to pore over. And young Anglophiles who are already fans of Thomas the Tank Engine should find it all a bit of fun. Ages 3-up. (May)' Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"Here's a find for those who've loved to shreds their copies of Betsy Maestro's 'Traffic,' Byron Barton's 'Airport,' Margaret Wise Brown's 'Two Little Trains,' Donald Crews' 'Freight Train' and other transportation classics. Bee, an Englishman, records the daily noises of a Victorian-era railway station, from the big clock's tick-tock, tickerty-tock to the steam train's chuff-chuff, chufferty-chuff... Washington Post Book Review (read the entire Washington Post review) and clickerty-click, clickerty-clack. Not to mention the schoolchildren's 'Are we there yet?' and the bowler-hatted businessmen's 'Faster, faster!' Finally, the station parrot reprises the whole cacophonous show. The station itself is a tribute to period architecture, done in toddler-friendly reds and greens. For parents, meanwhile, a witty word puzzle lurks in the publication details.

Elizabeth Ward can be reached at warde(at symbol)washpost.com.

" Reviewed by Lily KingRon CharlesBruce SchoenfeldSusan WareJudy BudnitzBryan BurroughKaren DeYoungJonathan YardleyDarryl Lorenzo WellingtonRobert PinskyMatthew DallekElizabeth WardElizabeth WardElizabeth Ward, Washington Post Book World (Copyright 2006 Washington Post Book World Service/Washington Post Writers Group)
(hide most of this review)

Readers are invited to climb aboard for this quirky look at life on a train, chock-full of sound words and sly surprises. Full color.

William Bee was born in London but now lives in the English countryside. In addition to writing childrens books, he races a vintage sports car, is an international skier, and when at home tends his lawns and meadows.