Follow the Track All the Way Back

by Timothy Knapman, Ben Mantle (Illustrator)

Woo-woo! When Little Train ventures way down the tracks, he's glad he remembers his mommy and daddy's coaching in a story with sure appeal for first-time adventurers.

Chooooo! Little Train is going out on the track all by himself for the first time. He runs through a field and rattles across a bridge. Clickety-clack! Rattly-tat! Then he climbs a mountain and races by the river. Clumpety-clip! Zippety-zoom! Oh, no! Now he's gone too far. Will Little Train recall what his mother and father said about finding his way home? With a nod to beloved classics such as The Little Engine That Could, here is a celebration of independence and parental reassurance that is sure to chug its way into the hearts of little readers everywhere.

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

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Timothy Knapman has written many books for children, including Mungo and the Picture Book Pirates, Dinosaurs in the Supermarket and Eleanor's Eyebrows. He also writes plays and co-writes musicals.

Timothy Knapman is available in a range of colours, and is washable.

Reviews

[The Library Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're a big Thomas fan, you may find this derivative. I did not. If it's derivative of anything, it's more like The Little Engine That Could, with a touch of retro, like the artwork of Feodor Rojanovsky and other illustrators of the "Golden Book" era. The pictures have a roughness to them that my assistant says is from being done with pastels, and it works beautifully.

The story itself is deeply satisfying, as Little Train goes off exploring, passing through one lovely scene after another, complete with sound effect words that fit the scenes beautifully. Little Train gets to the end of the line, panics, and then figures out how to get home, where his parents are waiting to welcome him. The message, that you can go out on your own, but then you can go home to your own safe space, is great for kids, especially in this era where kids are seldom allowed to do much on their own!

BTW, I am NOT a big fan of "Thomas the Tank Engine," though one of my daughter's was a devotee in her youth. But the Thomas stories she liked best were ones I told her, where Thomas took her on a trip, then brought her home to say good night to her parents and her baby sister. "And then, SC closed her eyes and went..to..sleep."
And that's the vibe I'm feeling from this story.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Retro Golden Book vibe with an exciting yet reassuring adventure (and YAY for very readable train books).

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Follow the Track All The Way Back. Timothy Knapman. Illustrated by Ben Mantle. 2017. Candlewick. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Today was a big day for Little Train. He was going out on the track all by himself for the very first time!

Premise/plot: Little Train's first day of independence leads to new adventures. But will Little Train remember how to get back home at the end of the day?

My thoughts: I liked this one. I am always glad to see new train books published. I'm sure I'm not alone in this. New train books mean a possible break from reading old train books, beloved old train books. The illustrations are wonderful in this one. The story is predictable. The title says it all. But predictable isn't always a bad thing. There are only so many things a train on a track can do. I liked the descriptive writing. A train book needs sound effects.


Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10

[Jennifer Matthews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review for Follow the Track All the Way Back

This story is about a little train who is going off on an adventure for the first time all by himself. His parent's trains are waiting for him and tell him they'll be there when he gets back. The little train is nervous at first but then goes off with his parent's encouragement. He adventures around when he soon reaches the end of the track. He gets scared and lonely but then remembers what his parents say. He zooms back the way he came and meets up with his family who were happy to see him.

This story is sweet and short. I love that this story encourages independence and being okay to be scared at first. This story is very comforting and would be a good bedtime story.

I could see this story being used in a classroom or therapy session to emphasize good listening skills, because the train had to listen carefully to the parent's instructions to come back home, and it teaches independence.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little Train might look like just that, a very little train. Only this is clearly a tale about a toddler, equally young, and equally worried about having adventures in the world.

What really makes this book, for this Goodreader? All the entertaining sounds that punctuate the young train's journey, including his own scat singing (as I'd call it). For instance:

Rattly-tat, Rattly-tat.

Zippety-zoom, zippety-zoom,

Clumpety-clip

Kids can learn from the wisdom of the ending. (Though no spoilers from me, no no!)

RATING THIS FINE BOOK

Of course, the happy ending is lovely, and the illustrations are adorb. But what I, personally, enjoy most about this book is how it appeals to auditory people who are reading this story. People like me, actually.

Even if you're not lovers of sound, Goodreaders, you'll likely get a kick out of this FIVE STAR book if you put in the effort to read it out loud.

[Cornmaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little train's first trip by himself, away from mom and dad. He experiences a lot of different environments, then ends up at the end, far away from home. But instead of panicking, he remembers how to back track and find his way home.

Perfect for kids who are ready to try something on their own, but hesitant. Mom and Dad are always there waiting, encouraging. And the train learns some self-sufficiency.

End papers show Little Train's route, and Ben Mantle's illustrations are nicely done. Very soothing, yet very colorful.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

The little trains sets off on his first solo adventure. He explores the tracks all the way to the ocean. He's scared that he won't get home until he remembers what his mom and dad told him - follow the tracks all the way back.
Nice message about taking risks and knowing you have someone supporting you as you do.

[Jonathan Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

The pictures are really good, but the story doesn't really make sense. Why is there a track going to the edge of a cliff with no station there? How does little train turn around?
But those are quibbles compared to, how does little train remember what he has to do, if he hadn't been listening properly to his parents advice at the start as is explicitly stated?

[Desiree · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a huge hit at storytime & the group totally identified with the little train. I loved its old-timey feel (minus a lot of the problems of old-timey books) -- if your kiddo is a Thomas fan, you won't want to miss this!

[Jade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story of a little train's first solo adventures out on the track. Reinforces the moral of remembering your parents' simple instructions if you get in an unfamiliar situation. Appreciated the comedy of the small mouse who hitches a ride with Little Train.

[emyrose8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5- not one I’d read to older kids, but I can see young kids getting into this story. It’s one to read aloud with just one or a group. The illustrations have lots of animals to be counted, and there’s a little mouse riding on the train in almost every picture.

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably a preschool appropriate amounts of text. A little train goes off on an adventure, and when it’s the end of the day, he follows the track back home. Pictures are very kid-friendly. I think this one somehow escaped our library's printed "train picture books" list.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Train ventures a bit too far from home and needs some help finding his way back. Reassuring and appealing in its retro style.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think my grandson will like this adventure, but does it differ enough from Thomas the Train?

[Tracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little train is ready for his first trip with love and advice from his parents.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute vintage looking illustrations and a fun story with good options for repetition.

[Taylor Kundel-Gower · Rating 2 out of 5]

The pictures are nice.

[Joan Arbogast · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little Train remembers what his mother told him when he realizes he's lost. He takes her advice and finds his way home.

[Allison Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

My almost 3 year old loved this book. The illustrations are adorable and the story was fun to read.

[M. Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simple and slight story with just the right amount of drama, plus it's about trains.

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story about listening to instructions.

[Ayesha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this to my son casually and then I re-read it few times. It was very enjoyable book and had a good theme that touched my heart and soul.

[D Fichera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great way to discuss venturing out with safety and coming home to the known, yet spreading your wings.

[Michelle Halber · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars

Adorable, sweet book perfect for storytime.

[Sandra]

Very cute book about always being able to come home to mommy and daddy. Great for little train lovers.

[Ms.Gaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and appealing but disappointing...Little Train is going in the same direction AFTER he turns himself around to go back home. One reviewer even wrote, "[he] retraces his journey home..., proceeding backward through scenes" - because that's what it looks like in 4 different scenes! The last image of Little Train returning home DOES have him aimed in the correct direction, so a little reverse imagery in the previous scenes could have made this more enjoyable. Sharp preschoolers are bound to catch this discrepancy. Ages 3-5

[Kelly]

This was a nice simple but adventurous story about a train.

[Alexandra Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little train goes out on a journey for the very first time, leaving Mummy & Daddy train behind. He goes on a journey through a field, over a bridge etc and gets to the end of the track. However he can't remember the way back as he wasn't listening to instructions. Little mouse is with him. Hegets scared and lonely and eventually remembers and the next day goes on even bigger adventure.
Great example for small ones of following instructions and listening. Good onomatopoeiac words throughout for reading aloud.