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The Train They Call the City of New Orleans
Centering around the famous campfire song, "City of New Orleans", the era of train travel and the diversity of America as experienced by passengers is presented by the illustrator of Iron Horses.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published June 16, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 2, 2020
This story is historical fiction and includes a CD of the song. People who read this book to children will find things in the story to either highlight, ignore, or discuss. The illustrator does an excellent job of using a Lionel train set given to him by his father to draw the train cars in this story. The illustrations are stunning. Anyone who had a family member who worked with or saved train sets will relate to the illustrations. The CD has the story track with signals for turning the page, and a track without the sounds. Either way, there are many train sounds, and when the train passes by cows there is even mooing! The song is sung by Tom Chapin.
The appearance of the cars and clothing of the people helps children understand the book is from a different time period, the olden days as some people say. Things to highlight include trains used to be a way for families to travel and not everyone could drive or have a car. Do the children notice mothers holding babies and the absence of car seats or baby carriers? Old fashioned cars are easy for children to recognize from the film CARS. They even know what a Hudson car is, which was something that was forgotten for many decades. The children may think riding at night would be exciting, and may notice some people had sleeping bunks and some didn't. The "pass the bottle" line would probably not be too noticed by children, but be aware the illustration includes a brown paper bag. The gambling and cigarette could also be skipped-over unless the children notice, but they may not. You may want to gently guide some discussion about the references to "old black men" and "the sons of Pullman Porters" as part of the children's education about civil rights. This book could become an entire history lesson or enjoyed as a song.
The appearance of the cars and clothing of the people helps children understand the book is from a different time period, the olden days as some people say. Things to highlight include trains used to be a way for families to travel and not everyone could drive or have a car. Do the children notice mothers holding babies and the absence of car seats or baby carriers? Old fashioned cars are easy for children to recognize from the film CARS. They even know what a Hudson car is, which was something that was forgotten for many decades. The children may think riding at night would be exciting, and may notice some people had sleeping bunks and some didn't. The "pass the bottle" line would probably not be too noticed by children, but be aware the illustration includes a brown paper bag. The gambling and cigarette could also be skipped-over unless the children notice, but they may not. You may want to gently guide some discussion about the references to "old black men" and "the sons of Pullman Porters" as part of the children's education about civil rights. This book could become an entire history lesson or enjoyed as a song.
July 4, 2020
Steve Goodman is one of my favorite musicians (as is "Weird Al" Yankovic, which is why I also got his children's picture book, but I digress), which was the reason I initially bought The Train They Call the City of New Orleans when I visited a small art museum in southern Vermont; that small museum had the book for sale because they'd exhibited illustrator Michael McCurdy's work there in the past. It's only over the weekend that I got to read and examine the book really closely, and it's simply a beautiful book of art, as well as excellent children's literature.
Essentially an edition of Goodman's most famous song, "The City Of New Orleans" (although the book seems to use the version of the lyrics sung by Arlo Guthrie), and illustrated with vintage-looking woodcuts by McCurdy, The Train They Call the City of New Orleans transcends the genre of children's picture books, and rightly warrants being included in an art museum; the book bleeds nostalgia and sentimentality, and at the same time doesn't mince the more adult themes contained in Goodman's original song, even as the art is subtle enough that it won't offend parents reading this book to their kids. (I know I read/sang it to my daughter when she was a baby, as I did with the picture book for Pete Seeger's Abiyoyo.) That McCurdy explains his art choices for the woodcuts, as well as that the publisher includes Goodman's own motivations in writing the song, simply bolsters the quality of the book itself. Yes, Goodman's version of the song is jauntier and arguably the "original", but Guthrie's was the bigger hit, and McCurdy's woodcuts more closely match Guthrie's version accordingly. (It even "feels" quieter to read the book than it does to listen to Goodman's version of "The City Of New Orleans".)
Simply put, The Train They Call the City of New Orleans is a gift, not just in the conventional sense, but insofar as it's a real gift to any reader, child, or child-at-heart who encounters this book. A gem.
Essentially an edition of Goodman's most famous song, "The City Of New Orleans" (although the book seems to use the version of the lyrics sung by Arlo Guthrie), and illustrated with vintage-looking woodcuts by McCurdy, The Train They Call the City of New Orleans transcends the genre of children's picture books, and rightly warrants being included in an art museum; the book bleeds nostalgia and sentimentality, and at the same time doesn't mince the more adult themes contained in Goodman's original song, even as the art is subtle enough that it won't offend parents reading this book to their kids. (I know I read/sang it to my daughter when she was a baby, as I did with the picture book for Pete Seeger's Abiyoyo.) That McCurdy explains his art choices for the woodcuts, as well as that the publisher includes Goodman's own motivations in writing the song, simply bolsters the quality of the book itself. Yes, Goodman's version of the song is jauntier and arguably the "original", but Guthrie's was the bigger hit, and McCurdy's woodcuts more closely match Guthrie's version accordingly. (It even "feels" quieter to read the book than it does to listen to Goodman's version of "The City Of New Orleans".)
Simply put, The Train They Call the City of New Orleans is a gift, not just in the conventional sense, but insofar as it's a real gift to any reader, child, or child-at-heart who encounters this book. A gem.
April 4, 2018
This scratchboard and watercolor visual of the story brings the song to life. A second edition, which included a compact disc, earned a Grammy for best spoken word album for children.
Steve Goodman wrote the song in nineteen seventy, inspired by his trips on the train and the rhythm on the rail. The story was nostalgic enough when Steve wrote it. The illustrator set the images back about twenty years while modeling the train on his Lionel set, powered by coal. The actual train used diesel locomotives and colorful paint scheme.
Someday, for the jazz and blues, I will make my pilgrimage to The Crescent City, ...
Riding on The City of New Orleans, ...
https://www.amtrak.com/city-of-new-or...
Steve Goodman wrote the song in nineteen seventy, inspired by his trips on the train and the rhythm on the rail. The story was nostalgic enough when Steve wrote it. The illustrator set the images back about twenty years while modeling the train on his Lionel set, powered by coal. The actual train used diesel locomotives and colorful paint scheme.
Someday, for the jazz and blues, I will make my pilgrimage to The Crescent City, ...
Riding on The City of New Orleans, ...
https://www.amtrak.com/city-of-new-or...
March 12, 2018
If you like this song, you'll love the book. Entertaining, and a chance for parents to think about the social and economic history, and benefits of railroad transportation. This book may hopefully bring up questions about yesteryear and probable causes for extinction.
July 11, 2013
this is one of those rare instances where i feel the goodreads rating is much lower than it should be! terrific.
July 12, 2026
There is something especially beautiful about a picture book of a song-- so lovely to sing it with children. I grew up with Arlo Guthrie's version of this song, in fact I had a 45 record of it. The song was actually written by Steve Goodman, and has been covered by many other artists. Sadly Goodman, who connected with all kinds of well known figures (i.e. Kristofferson) died very young of cancer.
I was delighted when my children were small to find that this beloved song had been made into a picture book by Michael McCurdy. The illustrations have the quality of prints, although I don't know what media the illustrator used. And while the song was written in the early 70s, it speaks to earlier decades-- the heyday of train travel and that way of life-- and likewise the prints look like they could be out of the Depression or ensuing decades.
Our copy got buried on a bookcase and when I showed it to my youngest son--a musician just graduated from the Peabody Institute-- I was dismayed that he had no memory of us singing this song or reading the book together. He has vivid memories of us reading and illustrated version of Peter and the Wolf, listening to the Bowie/Ormandy recording and even acting it out. I had written a Christmas message in the book for him, and even taped the gift tag inside the book. I found this so bittersweet to consider how fleeting childhood is, and the mystery of what we did or didn't do, and what is or isn't remembered.
I was delighted when my children were small to find that this beloved song had been made into a picture book by Michael McCurdy. The illustrations have the quality of prints, although I don't know what media the illustrator used. And while the song was written in the early 70s, it speaks to earlier decades-- the heyday of train travel and that way of life-- and likewise the prints look like they could be out of the Depression or ensuing decades.
Our copy got buried on a bookcase and when I showed it to my youngest son--a musician just graduated from the Peabody Institute-- I was dismayed that he had no memory of us singing this song or reading the book together. He has vivid memories of us reading and illustrated version of Peter and the Wolf, listening to the Bowie/Ormandy recording and even acting it out. I had written a Christmas message in the book for him, and even taped the gift tag inside the book. I found this so bittersweet to consider how fleeting childhood is, and the mystery of what we did or didn't do, and what is or isn't remembered.
January 13, 2013
This book features the title and lyrics to the great song of the title by the late Steve Goodman.
As stand alone pieces and as an ongoing illustration of the story the artwork by Michael McCurdy is wonderful and awesome. A lovely read and re-read; this book would go in my permanent collection if the library were not so possessive of their books on loan.
As stand alone pieces and as an ongoing illustration of the story the artwork by Michael McCurdy is wonderful and awesome. A lovely read and re-read; this book would go in my permanent collection if the library were not so possessive of their books on loan.
October 21, 2008
Journey along the Mississippi by train.
Illustrations : 5
Content : 4
Originality : 4
Humor : n/a
Age Level : 2-8
Illustrations : 5
Content : 4
Originality : 4
Humor : n/a
Age Level : 2-8
Want to Read
April 25, 2013As seen in the New York Times.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews