Where Do Steam Trains Sleep at Night?

by Brianna Caplan Sayres, Christian Slade (Illustrator)

The same team who brought you Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night? have engineered another rollicking bedtime story—for train lovers everywhere!
 
Have you ever wondered what little trains do when it’s time for bed? The same things you do! Freight trains, passenger trains, subways, trolleys—and more—wash up, have a snack, load their teddies for story time, and get rocked to sleep by mommy and daddy trains beneath a blanket of stars. Little train lovers with a one-track mind will gain a new affinity for their bedtime routine when they find they share it with their favorite vehicles.

“Sayres and Slade move naturally from their truck lullaby, Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night? , to this nighttime serenade to all things train. Hopeful engineers will want to be able to identify the many different types of trains, and their out-of-the-know adults will appreciate this inclusive primer.” — Kirkus Reviews

Genres: Picture Books, Trains, Childrens, Transport, Storytime, Fiction, Fantasy

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 24, 2016

About the author

Brianna Caplan Sayres used to tell her second graders, "When I grow up, I'm going to be a writer." "But you are grown up, Mrs. Sayres," her students would protest. Well, Brianna is still not sure she's grown up, but she has grown into a writer. Her debut picture book, "Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night?" was published by Random House, and her upcoming picture book, "Tiara Saurus Rex," will soon be published by Bloomsbury. Brianna has recently returned to her hometown, Seattle, Washington, where she and her husband are kept busy by their two wonderful boys. You can visit Brianna on the web at www.briannacaplansayres.com or at facebook.com/authorbrianna.

Reviews

[John]

It had funny showers and cups of cocoa. We don't do that. Why do trains do that?

[Christine Kallner]

Vehicle books will never be my favorites, but these ones are pretty good -- it sure could be a lot worse! I enjoy the artwork and my son loves looking for the mouse on each page as well.

[Eric Franklin]

A little too much a derivative of its predecessor. Other than that, the kid liked it.

[Sara Grochowski]

This landed at 2-stars instead of 3-stars because the rhythm seemed a bit off to me. It features all different types of trains - snowplow trains to monorail - which I thought was interesting. Though, to be honest, it was also those super specific labels that stilted the text. For a young train lover, I'm sure this book will fit the bill, but other kids won't be as charmed.

[Danica Midlil]

Not quite as beloved as , but still pretty good.

[Allison Faught]

What an awesome book! Bought this for my niece and I loved it so much I want to buy it for my daughter too. Cute book on relationships between parent and child but with trains. Highly recommend especially for train fans!

[Tara]

I really liked the illustrations, especially the mouse that appeared on each page. I felt that the rhyming in the story didn't really work. It didn't flow correctly, it felt forced.

[Jasmine]

A book crafted to lull the reader to sleep, which it does admirably. Not a lot of character or plot, though.

[San Diego Book Review]

Reviewed by Josh Harrison for San Diego Book Review

"Where Do Steam Trains Sleep at Night?" by Brianna Caplan Sayres is a sibling of the author and illustrator’s other collaborations, "Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night?"and "Where Do Jet Planes Sleep at Night?". The book seems to be a market hybrid. Its 6” by 7.5” trim and thick cardboard give it the look and durability of a board book. But twelve full spreads, each with a stanza of rhyme feel more like a bedtime picture book for slightly older little readers.

You can read this entire review and others like it at San Diego Book Review.

[Emmanuel Nevers]

I bought this for my friend's daughter for Christmas and upon arriving home, really needed to read it! Since I was a kid I have loved trains and this book recaptured how a child views trains and what they mean to them. Brianna Caplan Sayres has beautifully told a story in couplets of trains and answering the age-old question "Where do they sleep at night?"

[Katrina De Leon]

I MAY be a tad biased, because my kid is obsessed with trains and memorized this book in his cute little 2-year-old voice, but I LOVE this book!

The illustrations are gorgeous - this could be a cartoon or TV show!

The rhymes are adorable, and the story in itself is so creative. Adore this whole series.

[Ali Book&Seaglasshunter]

A fun bedtime story for train lovers. We also have the truck and plane version of this book. The concept of the book is fun, with an imagining of what different pets of the bedtime routine could be like for different types of trains. However I don’t like the rhyme scheme used/forced rhymes, nor do I like the illustrations which are a little creepy in my opinion.

[Berenice]

The illustrations are beautiful, thoughtful and sweet. However the rhymes and text are terrible (regardless of British vs USA English differences). I feel inclined to give this book only three stars, but my 18 months old son and I love so much the pictures and talk so much over them, that I give this book an extra star.

[Jill]

A continued favorite…not sure if my son at 4 1/2 is too old for this book but he continues to love it and ask for it. He/we especially love the subway page since he always thinks fondly of our NYC weekends riding the subway. And he just got a snowplow train so that page is extra fun too. It’s great that “it goes with” so many trains he has

[Kristen]

My son loves all of the books in this series, which also includes books about airplanes and diggers. I like the rhyming language and the colorful, playful illustrations. This is one I’m happy to re-read.

[David H.]

Not nearly as good a rhyme as Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night?, but still a fun thing to read to my kid.

[Christina]

A story that asks the questions of where do trains sleep at night. Very similar to the where do diggers sleep at night but I think this one has better rhythms. The pictures are cute and it has lots of ways people put their kids to bed plus you learn about different kinds of trains.

[Melanie Hetrick]

Children will enjoy this rhyming tale of various trains going to bed. And there is always more room for more train books!

[Ngan Children]

The words seemed forced and barely English but the illustrations are nice. Verity likes to look for the mouse on every page. Most importantly, it has trains. Choo-choo

[Molly]

This has been the most decent train picture book, so far.

[Jennifer]

No character or plot, but nice illustrations and train-obsessed kids will probably love it. It would work for a story time, but there are better train books out there.

[Iris Nevers]

A cute little book my husband read to me before wrapping it up at a Christmas gift

[Colorado Buck]

love it. families, trains, rhyming, used it for two storytimes - one on trains one on families... toddlers and preschoolers

[Kimberly]

Cute!

[Nichole]

This was cute. I think my nephew will love it.

[Awjtf]

cute book!

[Megan]

M liked that the train was drinking hot cocoa, but she didn't understand why it used a straw.

[Cynthia June Long]

I read the Board Book edition. (Not sure if it comes in multiple editions)
Mediocre.
Forced rhyme.
Might be helpful for a last-book-at-end-of-storytime or maybe use in a bedtime storytime.

[Elizabeth]

Where Do Steam Trains Sleep at Night? By Brianna Caplan Sayres – A sweet bedtime book for any little reader! Happy Reading!

[Richelle Starke]

Got for Bennett's 2nd bday