THIS TRAIN

Passenger trains may be disappearing from the American landscape but Collicutt’s resplendent illustrations portray them in all their streamlined glory. He puts trains in scenes resembling old railroad calendar shots, showing them winding through the countryside, or depicting flashy steam engines and diesels pulling away from futuristic cities. The text is basic—“This is a train in the country. This is a train in the city,”—which gives the pictures obvious precedence. Endpapers attach names and countries of origin to the various types, from the Japanese high speed electric train to the Santa Fe Super Chief. Collicutt offers a tribute void of fustiness, a salute that looks too “now” to be nostalgic. (Picture book. 2-7)