Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
49th out of 1,129 books
—
14,687 voters
The Polar Express
For twenty-five years, The Polar Express has been a treasured holiday classic. To commemorate this special anniversary, a lavish gift edition has been created. The set includes aCD audio recording read by Liam Neeson, akeepsake "All Aboard" ornament, and a note from author Chris Van Allsburg.
Awarded the prestigious Caldecott Medal in 1986,The Polar Express has soldmore tha...more
Awarded the prestigious Caldecott Medal in 1986,The Polar Express has soldmore tha...more
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
October 28th 1985
by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
3,000)
It always feels a little pointless to write yet another positive review for a book like this that is so universally loved. But here goes. I actually saw the movie before reading the book. The movie is just okay - a little lifeless. I really wish I had read the book first. It's a very different little story - much simpler, more room for imagination. It's just a really sweet and poignant story about holding on to the magic of childhood. And it just so happens the illustrations are really top notch...more
I wanted to hear the bell ring too. For one brief moment, I also wanted to have one of Santa's sleigh bell and let it ring then listen to it across decades.
I am too old to ride the Polar express but I'll never tire of Christmas! This Picture book reminds us of that magic that Christmas morning brings. The wonderful cooking of our mother , those waking moments when we run towards our Christmas stockings just to check what Santa has brought for us.
This book contains magic, the North pole, elves,...more
I am too old to ride the Polar express but I'll never tire of Christmas! This Picture book reminds us of that magic that Christmas morning brings. The wonderful cooking of our mother , those waking moments when we run towards our Christmas stockings just to check what Santa has brought for us.
This book contains magic, the North pole, elves,...more
“The Polar Express” is a fantastic book that proudly won the Caldecott Medal and is from the creative mind of Chris Van Allsburg. This story is about how a young boy experiences the magic of the North Pole when he goes a magical ride on the Polar Express. “The Polar Express” is a brilliant Christmas story that children of all ages will enjoy for many years.
Chris Van Allsburg has done a terrific job at both writing and illustrating this book with a passion. Chris Van Allsburg portrays the boy’s...more
Chris Van Allsburg has done a terrific job at both writing and illustrating this book with a passion. Chris Van Allsburg portrays the boy’s...more
The Polar Express is all about a little boy who takes a magical journey to the North Pole to see Santa. The little boy was chosen out of everyone to receive the first gift of Christmas which was a bell that was off Santa's sleigh. This signified that if you could hear the bell ring then you truly believed. The illustrations in this book were simple, yet perfect for this kind of book. It gave you just enough to see what the storyline was talking about and at the same time you still got to use yo...more
I collect Christmas books and would eagerly scour the shelves for the newest stories each season, but for whatever reason I did not buy nor read The Polar Express - it just did not appeal to me. Then in 1987 I took my two daughters to Seattle via Amtrak to attend Maurice Sendak's stage setting of the Christmas classic The Nutcracker. Before going to the ballet, the girls and I spent an afternoon at a Christmas exhibit at the University of Washington and chanced to happen upon an older gentleman...more
I hate The Polar Express.
I don't so much dislike Chris Van Allsburg, although I consider him complicit. I think Bad Day at Riverbend is a top 5 picture book for me, and his art style is great, and he can often tell a fun story (last year's Probuditi a great example).
But holy crap do I hate The Polar Express.
It's like Love You Forever - tacky, sentimental pap designed to get you to shed a tear or tug on your heartstrings or whatever. The bell! The whole thing just...throws me. I don't get it.
But...more
I don't so much dislike Chris Van Allsburg, although I consider him complicit. I think Bad Day at Riverbend is a top 5 picture book for me, and his art style is great, and he can often tell a fun story (last year's Probuditi a great example).
But holy crap do I hate The Polar Express.
It's like Love You Forever - tacky, sentimental pap designed to get you to shed a tear or tug on your heartstrings or whatever. The bell! The whole thing just...throws me. I don't get it.
But...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I was so hesitant to read this book; I absolutely hated the movie. I figured it would just be the same, but the parts of the movie I hated, the weird computer-generated animation and the people with soul-less eyes weren't as prevalent in the story. Plus, of course, it was a whole lot shorter, thus easier to take. I think our girls enjoyed it, but I definitely don't consider it a Christmas classic. I like the message of keeping Santa alive in your heart and the whole idea of Believing and Faith.
Nov 30, 2008
Jennifer
rated it
1 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
adults trying to recapture their mythic childhoods
Shelves:
books-i-ve-read-to-my-children
My general opinion of Chris Van Allsburg is that his books are made to appeal to adults, not children. None of his books has ever been a favorite of my children. This book is a perfect example. The overall story has potential--a Christmas Eve train that takes Santa-believing children to the North Pole to witness the ritual of Santa giving the first gift of Christmas. But page after page of illustration focuses on the landscape the train travels. When the Polar Express arrives at the North Pole,...more
I was never read this book as a child. Our christmas story was always "The night before Christmas." The first time I read it was when the movie came out years ago staring Tom Hanks. I thought it would be prudent to pick up the book and read it before seeing the movie and I find it quite charming. As a young realistic boy it did not take me long to start questioning the reality of santa but like most kids I still was enthralled with the christmas spirit and the influence that these types of stori...more
I chose to read this book because the illustrations in this book are incredible. The story is a wonderful Christmas Story about believing in something, hope, and friendship, as well. I would consider this book a classic. I think that the pictures in the book really bring the text to life. The illustrations are so real that it is almost like you are watching a movie. The illustrator worked so hard on the detail in these pictures that he even has the detail down the the snowflakes on the page. Als...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
The Polar Express is a timeless classic written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg. He does an amazing job with the illustrations! They are in such detail and wonderful color! The Polar Express is about a boy who on Christmas eve boards a train to the north pole. The boy has always believed in Santa Claus. When the boy boarded the train there was other children going to the north pole as well. Each place they passed the illustrations showed in great detail. They reach the north pole and Santa...more
I adore The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. I am a Christmas junkie, so to have a book that captures the magic of Christmas and Santa Claus so remarkably is wonderful to me. This story follows a young boy who is struggling with his faith in Santa as he goes on a journey on the Polar Express, a train that picks up select children and takes them to the North Pole. Van Allsburg was able to create a story with suspense, joy, and the essence of the Christmas spirit in it. I love the last line of...more
The Polar Express written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg was the second Caldecott Medal winner I read and I absolutely love this book. I grew up reading this book every Christmas and the illustrations are amazing. The pictures in this book are very large and realistic, much like they are in other books illustrated by Allsburg. I think my favorite picture is the one of the mountain scene because the snow on the mountains looks like it does when I drive over the pass. The pictures make you...more
My 3 1/2 year old stumbled across "The Polar Express" movie by chance and fell in love with it. It has brave kids, Santa, Christmas, adventures, and best of all... trains! TRAINS! What could be more perfect?
I hate the movie, and not for the reasons most people do. I find the story both thin and horrific, accurately capturing the nonsensical terror of nightmares. I'd heard the book was pretty different, and a lot more straightforward, and ordered it for Bozic (Orthodox Christmas, in January).
The...more
I hate the movie, and not for the reasons most people do. I find the story both thin and horrific, accurately capturing the nonsensical terror of nightmares. I'd heard the book was pretty different, and a lot more straightforward, and ordered it for Bozic (Orthodox Christmas, in January).
The...more
This is a story about a boy who travels to the North Pole on Christmas Eve on a train known as the Polar Express. He receives a bell from Santa that signifies the belief in Santa and Christmas. The illustrations in this story have some detail and shading. There are many types of brush strokes that make snow falling from the sky, the textures in the mountains, and the elves in the city to name a few. The color scheme is on the darker side for nighttime, with a few bright whites and yellows for th...more
Nov 16, 2012
Kristi
added it
Interest Level: K-2nd Grade
Lexile Leve: 520L
Genre: Picture Book
Setting: On the Polar Express and in the North Pole
Main Character: The young boy, Santa
Point of View: First Person
A young boy is at the point in his life when he begins to question Christmas. On Christmas Eve, he hears a train whistle and goes outside to find a train is waiting for him to board. Once he gets on the train, he learns that he is headed to the North Pole. The train is filled with candy, chocolate, and other children...more
Lexile Leve: 520L
Genre: Picture Book
Setting: On the Polar Express and in the North Pole
Main Character: The young boy, Santa
Point of View: First Person
A young boy is at the point in his life when he begins to question Christmas. On Christmas Eve, he hears a train whistle and goes outside to find a train is waiting for him to board. Once he gets on the train, he learns that he is headed to the North Pole. The train is filled with candy, chocolate, and other children...more
The Polar Express is captures the reader’s attention within the first few pages because the detail of the train and the little boy walking through the sleepy town, it gives you a warm feeling like you would get during the Christmas holiday. The illustrations have so much detail, and every picture looks real and like the children are having so much fun on the train. The story goes throughout Christmas Eve night, where the little boy gets to chose one gift, and he chooses the silver bell. When he...more
The first thing that came to mind when I chose this book was the movie. I loved the movie. It’s perfect to watch on Christmas and brings back that good old Christmas spirit. Also a good advantage of the movie as compared to the book is that the movie offers more of a “lengthy” adventure than the book. I would still choose to read the book first, introduce it to the child, but watching the movie afterwards is like a good incentive. Anyways, what I really liked about this book was that the picture...more
This book opens the possibility that Santa Claus -- as presented to most of us -- may not physically exist. It does this in a way that will allow children and their parents to ease into that question, a graceful move from the belief in a living St. Nick, to a belief in the spirit of Christmas.
It begins like this: "On Christmas Eve, many years ago, I lay quietly in my bed. I did not rustle the sheets. I breathed slowly and silently. I was listening for a sound -- a sound a friend had told me I'd...more
It begins like this: "On Christmas Eve, many years ago, I lay quietly in my bed. I did not rustle the sheets. I breathed slowly and silently. I was listening for a sound -- a sound a friend had told me I'd...more
1. The genre this falls under is a picture book:
2. This picture book is about a little boy who believes in Santa but has a friend who tells him he isn't real. He gets to ride a train "The Polar Express" back to the North Pole where he meets Santa and the elves. He is chosen to receive the first gift of Christmas. He ends up losing the bell he asks for and finds it under the tree on Christmas morning. The bell is super special because it is only herd by those who 'believe'.
3. A). The area for com...more
2. This picture book is about a little boy who believes in Santa but has a friend who tells him he isn't real. He gets to ride a train "The Polar Express" back to the North Pole where he meets Santa and the elves. He is chosen to receive the first gift of Christmas. He ends up losing the bell he asks for and finds it under the tree on Christmas morning. The bell is super special because it is only herd by those who 'believe'.
3. A). The area for com...more
Some families have some peculiar Christmas traditions – like us, for example... Part of the celebration for the past couple of years has been reading – and listening – to The Polar Express on Christmas Eve. It’s always in the evening, with nothing but a couple of candles burning, that we gather around, pop the CD in the player, and flip through the amazingly illustrated pages while the story is being read. We started when my oldest child was either in kindergarten or in grade 1. He came from sch...more
This book is so special in so many ways. It is also one of Chris Van Allsburgs books that was depicted into a movie. The story is about a boy who is taken into the story of christmas. Finding a train outside in the snow that travels a long distance to the north pole along with santa and his helpers he comes across a number of characters who help him understand the lesson in believing in something. I liked this book a lot as a child. I will admit not one of my favorites, but it was very beautiful...more
This book is the perfect story to read around the holidays. The story is a bit longer than most picture books, but has a heartwarming message behind it. A little boy on Christmas Eve is distraught because his friend told him Santa is not real. That night he hears an engine and sees a train outside his door. He boards the "Polar Express" and there are tons of children his age that all believe in Santa. They take a magical journey to the North Pole, where they see Santa and all his elves. The boy...more
Sep 20, 2012
Melissa Gross
added it
This ever so popular book is on of Chris Van Allsburgs books that was made into a movie. Now, I hated the movie. It was horrible. But the book however, left a slightly different impression. The artwork alone illuminated each page with its life like drawings and detail. The story line was also interesting in that no one has ever written about this before. Little kids think about Santa going around the world in one night and delivering toys that they wake up to in the morning, but there was never...more
This book, written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg, to me is one of the greatest picture books ever made. The whole story is about a little boy who's Christmas Spirit just keeps growing. He gets to ride a train to the North Pole and meet Santa Claus. When he is asked what he wants for Christmas he says a silver bell from Santa's sleigh. He gets the bell but loses it before getting home. When he wakes up on Christmas morning the bell is there with a note from Santa. Being a child who grew u...more
The Polar Express is written by Chris Van Allsburg and is a Caldecott Award winning book. The story begins on the night of Christmas Eve. A young boy lies in bed when suddenly he hears Santa's Sleigh. The book is about this young boy as he goes on an adventure where he boards a very magical train that takes him on the ride of his life. He is on his way to the North Pole to realize that maybe just what he needs is to believe. He embarks on this journey when he looks out his window and hears the w...more
This book always puts me in the Christmas mood, no matter what season it is. The illustrations and the text is so vibrant and vivid, it is almost like the reader is actually there, on the train or even in the North Pole. I love how the majority of the page is the illustration, that is the focus of the book. The illustrations are very detailed, however they do not completely dictate what the reader imagines, there is still room for reader interpretation and imagination. The text aids in helping t...more
The Polar Express is the Caldecott winner for 1986. It's become a classic holiday picture book for families with a fantastic movie to go with it. The story follows a young boy who believes in Santa. On Christmas Eve, a magical train arrives in his front yard. He boards it hesitantly only to discover many other children on the train. They share several adventures on the train including a fantastic presentation of hot chocolate. The reach the north pole and see where the Christmas toys are made by...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| chris van allsburg | 4 | 25 | Nov 29, 2012 03:28pm | |
| Ashland 566 Autum...: Picture Book 6 | 1 | 1 | Nov 14, 2012 08:44am | |
| MCC Children's Li...: Outstanding Illustrations | 2 | 3 | Feb 16, 2012 11:30pm | |
| MCC Children's Li...: Challice - NY | 1 | 2 | Feb 10, 2012 01:17pm |
Chris was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on June 18, 1949, the second child of Doris Christiansen Van Allsburg and Richard Van Allsburg. His sister Karen was born in 1947.
Chris’s paternal grandfather, Peter, owned and operated a creamery, a place where milk was turned into butter, cream, cottage cheese, and ice cream. It was named East End Creamery and after they bottled the milk (and made the ot...more
More about Chris Van Allsburg...
Chris’s paternal grandfather, Peter, owned and operated a creamery, a place where milk was turned into butter, cream, cottage cheese, and ice cream. It was named East End Creamery and after they bottled the milk (and made the ot...more
Share This Book
10 trivia questions
2 quizzes
More quizzes & trivia...
2 quizzes
“At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I've grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.”
—
29 people liked it
More quotes…
Jan 10, 2011 04:07am