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Jun 11, 2008

Suzanne rated it:

This is just a classic story for children, introducing themes of perseverance in the face of difficulty. " I think I can, I think I can " (sounding like a train chugging along) vs. "I cannot, I cannot." (as the train slows down.) A timeless piece.

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Sep 22, 2008

Tony rated it:

...[this book]brought me to tears...THIS DESERVES A MEDAL!

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

Jul 18, 2007

Enoch rated it:

My momma read me this book when i was but a babe... ever since i have been telling myself that no matter what life throws at me, i can overcome it, just like the little steam engine. From the time i was in diapers, a wee little lad, I have lived by the motto "I think I can, I think I can" and thus far I have overcome insurmountable hills and mountains in my life... just like the little engine. I encourage all to read this book, but especialy those that face great trials and tribulation More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Dec 16, 2009

Patrick rated it:

Though the personificiation of an 19th century steam boiler might be classified as disturbing, this book clearly outlines mental ambition and perservearance. What's equaly facinating is how the book is ridden with antagonists: old trains, mean trains, tough trains... all telling the protagonist "choo-choo" the mountain "obstacle" is nearly impossible to overcome. The climax is a riveting edge-of-your-seat thrill ride which will leave you orgasmically shaking with tears and jo More...

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Sep 26, 2011

Toneeshia rated it:

The Little Engine that Could is a picture book that is intended for the primary age group. It was an ABA Choice Book Award Nominee. This picture book is about a little train carrying goods for the good little girls and boys over the mountain breaks down. The clown on the train got out and asked three different trains passing by to help tow the train, but would not until the little blue engine came along and decided to help tow the engine. I gave The Little Engine that Could four stars because i More...

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Sep 08, 2011

Denise rated it:

I loved this book!!! I write books to empower children overcoming various forms of adversity.

This book is a perfect example of the types of books I write and want to write!

It is inspirational and encouraging!

It fits with my motto: DREAM, BELIEVE, ACHIEVE...EVERY CHALLENGE CAN BE OVERCOME!!!

Still at my age, whenever I think "I can't", I remember this book and I say "Yes, I can!"

This book also inspired my eldest child, my daugh More...

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Sep 04, 2011

Rain rated it:

This is one of the children's books that I read for We Give Books, A Pearson Foundation Initiative to help children all around the world obtain books. It's an organization that gathers many campaigns in one spot on the web to encourage people to read many books for children. With every book you read, one gets donated to the campaign you signed up for. (There's quite a few campaigns available.) A very good friend of mine, Nicole Terazue, recommended this site to me since she knew I loved reading More...

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Sep 03, 2011

Allison rated it:

I must have read this story a thousand times as a child. It's one of my favorite children's books. Reading it again as an adult, I really appreciate how timeless the story is and how useful the message is that it contains.

I'd also never noticed before that the Little Engine is female. And, I also discovered that she is one of the few female engines in children's books about trains. While there is a lot of analysis of this story that could suggest that it is sexist that the male trains More...

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Jun 19, 2010

Jared rated it:

Piper, Watty. The Little Engine that Could. New York: The Platt & Munk Co., 1954.
Genre – Fiction
The little engine that could is a classic picture book about an engine that came along and helped a broken down train after other trains refused. The train was only a moving train that had never been over the mountain but when it thought of all the girls and boys who wouldn’t get their toys and food, it was able to help. The building up of the story was when the engine came to the mountain More...

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Feb 03, 2010

Jessica rated it:

I rated this book a "5" because it is a classic book with such a great message to children. Both little boys and girls can enjoy this book and appreciate the message in it.
This story is about a train carrying goods for children but it breaks down and is unable to get the goods to the children. The train asks several trains that pass by for help, but they all decline for various reasons. Eventually a little engine helps although she thinks she is not strong enough to More...

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Sep 20, 2009

Laura rated it:

Everyone knows the story of the little engine that could! The red engine was full of toys and delicious food that he was trying to get to the other side of the mountain with all of the goodies for the boys and girls but it got stuck! All of a sudden, a shiny new engine came and the clown asked for help but the engine wouldn’t help. Next, a big engine came but he wouldn’t help either. Another engine still came after that but he was rusty and too tired to help. Finally, a bright blue engine More...

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Jan 29, 2009

Craig added it

It was one of my favorite books as a child i could read it over and over again when i was a child

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Aug 13, 2009

Shanna rated it:

This classic book tells the story of a train whose engine stalls out before it can get over the last mountain to deliver toys and food to the good children on the other side of the mountain. The toys begin to flag down passing engines to take them the rest of the way. Several engines refuse, but a little blue engine agrees to try, even though she has never pulled such a heavy load. Through generous good will and tenacity she makes it over hill.

The well-written and original plot, a More...

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Jun 07, 2011

Simon rated it:

After reading the book "1001 children's books books you must read before you grow up", I have been swarmed with memories of the books I read when I was growing up. It's almost sad that I forgot about these books. When my old library was still standing, I remember I would go into the children's area and grab the same books and maybe every so often I'd grab a new one (only if the cover looked cool) and start reading them.

I remember this book now, my childhood memories came ru More...

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Jan 11, 2009

Jack Kirby and the X-man rated it:

I prefer my blue anthropomorphic shunting (US: switching) engine to be named Thomas!

A few things irritated me about this book:
1. Watty Piper never existed - it is simply a pseudonym for the publishing company Platt & Munk (now part of Penguin).
2. The trademark symbol for "The Little Engine that Could" prominently displayed on the front cover - and that they bothered to attempt to trademark "I Think I Can". This is an issue especially because of the s More...

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Jan 09, 2012

Tasneem rated it:

"I think I can, I think I can, I think I can" says the tiny blue engine when all the toys and dolls ask desperately for blue engine's help because their engine breaks down and the good boys and girls on the other side of the mountain won't have any toys to play with or good food to eat! And the other engines refuse to pull them cause they're either too strong, fancy and big to pull the likes of them or too old and dusty and think they just can't! Little blue engine stands out and hitch More...

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Jan 17, 2009

Marsha rated it:

I still have my childhood copy (dog-eared some 40+ years later)!

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 06, 2009

Gina rated it:

I still to this day say to myself " I think I can, I think I can". Kind of nerdy but this book had a lasting impression.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 07, 2008

Kate rated it:

It doesn't hurt to start out in life thinking that you can, even though eventually, you get to the point where you realize that you probably can't.

2 comments like

Nov 30, 2011

Ramanda rated it:

This is a classic book about never giving up. It's about a little engine that has trouble getting up a big hill. A train is carrying toys for kids in a near city, but breaks down. Many trains come past, but refuse to help them up the hill. Finally a little engine comes along and agrees to try to get them up the hill. he chugs and chugs and can't get them up the hill, but he keeps trying and finally gets up the hill.
I would use this book in my class as a lesson on never giving up. Just b More...

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Oct 17, 2010

Kelsey rated it:

Age: 2-5
Media: watercolor and ink

A great book for younger children and children just learning to read.

Although some of the toys mentioned are out-of-date (children may not know what they are) and the pictures corresponding to the text are somewhat repetitious, the writing of the story is still captivating for younger children (phrase repetition, simplified words with few syllables, theme of accomplishing what may seem impossible).

About the original 1930 More...

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Oct 24, 2011

Michelle rated it:

My almost-two-year-old and I read this twice before bed time. I thought it would be too long for her age, but she loves it. I have fond memories of it and remember how much I liked the page with the drawings of the "big golden oranges" and "red-cheeked apples." I think she likes the repetition of the dolls and toys asking the engines for help. I'm trying to explain how an engine is the front part of a train. I'm also trying a poor attempt at doing different voices for the dif More...

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Nov 14, 2010

Benita Vehnom rated it:

Such a classic .In the tale, a bigger train filled with gift for children most be pulled over a high mountain. When the train gets stuck the little engine ask for help but many of the larger trains refuse to help.The story then shows all of the obstacles the little engine faces,But he keeps himself going by encouraging himself by saying "I think I can" I remember as a kid whenever I felt like I couldn't do something I would think of the little engine saying " I think I can, I th More...

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Sep 02, 2009

White rated it:

Great story to teach about ambition. I always wanted my children to be independent when they grew older, I taught all of my children to learn how to live on their own without clinging to a man or rely on him. Every one of them are strong and educated, even those who are married have the confidence and the means to survive if anything tragic should happen. I would like to think that reading them this book time and again as they were growing, had something to do with this outcome, if only just a s More...

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Jul 10, 2009

Mrs_M rated it:

Great story to teach about ambition. I always wanted my children to be independent when they grew older, I taught all of my children to learn how to live on their own without clinging to a man or rely on him. Every one of them are strong and educated, even those who are married have the confidence and the means to survive if anything tragic should happen. I would like to think that reading them this book time and again as they were growing, had something to do with this outcome, if only just a s More...

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Oct 31, 2011

Karla rated it:

Classic Picture Books

I would recommend this book for very young students and those just beginning to read. The classic illustrations in this picture book are timeless and enjoyable for young students, and the repetitive text, "chug, chug, chug. Puff, puff, puff" is great for those just learning to read.

This book is a good one thematically because it teaches the idea of hard work, and the idea that you can achieve anything if you try hard enough and never give More...

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Aug 11, 2011

Felicity rated it:

There was a little red train that was carrying some toys and food and dolls to the other side of the mountain. The little train couldn't go that long. It stopped and it couldn't go anymore. And there was a train coming and it was golden. The golden train didn't want to help. Then an old train came. It didn't help, though. There was another black train coming and it wouldn't help. Finally a little blue train came to help. The blue train carried the little red train down the hill to give the toys More...

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Dec 12, 2008

Kat rated it:

An old childhood favorite that never seems to stop being read.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Apr 24, 2010

Beth rated it:

I like that when I was reading this book a child said to me, "Isn't that a classic book and really famous?" Yes, it is. If a child knows this, it might even be more treasured than once thought to be.
You also learn the other parts of the train while reading that will not help get the food and toys to boys and girls on the other side of the mountain, Passenger Engine (shiny new engine), Freight Engine (big engine.
The Little Blue Engine, who was working at the switching train More...

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Mar 14, 2011

Michael rated it:

Michael Reddy
3-10-2011
ELA 702

I think i can, I think I can". These words came from the mouth of the little blue engine as he was attempting to make it up a steep hill. With a heavy load of toys with him. All of this has the engine thinking if he will make it up there and bring all the toys to the city.
Toys falling out of a train on there way to the city is some sad stuff. But the Little blue engine is ready to help and save the day. Toys after being rejected by More...

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