Locomotive

Brian Floca
The reader is whisked into the story through the second person narrative that brings
everyone along for a ride on the locomotive traveling across the country. Information on the train
and the railway being built is put into an interactive and engaging format. Onomatopoeia is used
throughout the narrative which makes the sounds of the train and people come to life. As a
family journeys from the east to west coast, readers gain an understanding of how the locomotive
functions and the special features it has. The train travels from Platte River Valley, over Dale
Creek Bridge, through Summit Tunnel until the passengers reach their destination in San
Francisco, California. The text on each page transitions between small and large fonts as each
word receives its own emphasis. Not only does the text bring about excitement during the
journey, but the illustrations evoke emotion as well using color, lines, and shapes. Most of the
images spread across a full page while others make use of white space to draw the reader’s
attention to specific details. The end papers provide more historic and valuable information on
the locomotive and the places it traveled in addition to notes and sources provided at the end of
the story. Despite the well written and illustrated story, there is controversy that centers itself
around the book. The Native Americans and Chinese were essential parts of constructing the
railway that would provide a new source of transportation. However, the only reference the
reader gets to this crucial information is in the notes section about the locomotive. The story
itself only depicts Caucasians on their journey and does not incorporate any diversity in the text
or images. Overall, this book is sure to engage children and adults alike, whether it be because of
the outstanding illustrations and interactive text or the historical information provided about an
essential form of transportation.
BIBLIO: 2013, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Ages 4 to 10, $17.99.
REVIEWER: Laura Conaway
FORMAT: Picture Book
ISBN: 978-1416994152