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Santa and the Goodnight Train
Ho-ho-hold on to your teddy bear! The Goodnight Train follows Santa’s sleigh on a magical ride through a winter wonderland in this Christmas sequel to The Goodnight Train and The Goodnight Train Rolls On! .
Fa La La! Fa La La!
Chooo! Chooo!
Next stop, the North Pole! It’s Christmas Eve, and the Goodnight Train is on a roll, racing mischievous Santa through a winter wonderland. Hear the jingle bells, taste some candy canes, and spy a flying hoof or two on a merry ride to Dreamland—with one magical detour—in this Christmas companion to The Goodnight Train and The Goodnight Train Rolls On! Ho-ho-hold on tight for this unforgettable holiday ride!
Fa La La! Fa La La!
Chooo! Chooo!
Next stop, the North Pole! It’s Christmas Eve, and the Goodnight Train is on a roll, racing mischievous Santa through a winter wonderland. Hear the jingle bells, taste some candy canes, and spy a flying hoof or two on a merry ride to Dreamland—with one magical detour—in this Christmas companion to The Goodnight Train and The Goodnight Train Rolls On! Ho-ho-hold on tight for this unforgettable holiday ride!
32 pages, Hardcover
Published September 10, 2019
About the author
June Sobel
25 books26 followersJune Sobel was born in New York City and grew up in the Long Island suburb of Oceanside, New York. She graduated Skidmore College and has an MFA in Painting from Stanford University. The birth of her son renewed her interest in the read aloud magic of picture books. June loves the challenge of creating books that awaken the wonder of words and pictures in children as well as keep the child alive in adults. She wrote her first book B IS FOR BULLDOZER illustrated by Melissa Iwai when she couldn't find an ABC book on construction for her truck obsessed three year old. Her books include SHIVER ME LETTERS - A PIRATE ABC illustrated by Henry Cole and the THE GOODNIGHT TRAIN series illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith. THE GOODNIGHT TRAIN series continues with new books coming in 2024 and 2025. She is also the author of the TOW TRUCK JOE series with HO! HO! HO! TOW TRUCK JOE released in time for the 2023 holiday season. Children beginning kindergarten can look forward to FIRST DAY! HOORAY! before the 2024 school year. When June is not enjoying adventure travel, she loves to take pictures, read, hike, watch birds and make things grow. She lives in Westlake Village, California.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 20, 2019
The children are climbing aboard the GoodNight Train on their way to find Santa on Christmas Eve! The engine runs on cookies and makes a jingle jingle sound as it chugs along. The conductor makes sure everyone has their ticket, their PJs, and a snug blanket. The train whooshes past gingerbread houses, candy canes, squirrels celebrating Christmas with acorn gifts, and finally finds Santa counting sheep as the reindeer take a nap. "Wake up! Wake up!... Next stop: North Pole!"
The story is told is delightful rhyme. I really liked the writing, and the poetry has good rhymes and a lovely rhythm in the meter. It's very easy to read out loud, and flows off the tongue smoothly. There are also places where onomatopoeia is used to mimic the train whistles, "Whoooo! Whoooo!" Those things would be fun to read aloud with a child!
The illustrations are adorable with festive colors! There is snow on the ground, and the whole train is decorated with wreaths and twinkle lights. The elves at the North Pole are colorful and cute. Each child in the train has their own little bed with comfy pillows.
There are lots of little details in the illustrations that add to the story, like drawers full of maps in Santa's workshop labeled "Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, and Outer Space". There is a lamb in the background who dreams about stealing the engine cookies and eating them all.
Santa's face is never shown as he is always one step ahead of the train. We see only his boot running off the edge of the page, or the back of his sleigh as he speeds out of sight, until the end where he gives toys to the children on the train. Even then, we only see the back of his head. It's a fun detail that adds to the mystery and magic of Santa!
One of the things that makes this book special is the hidden story line of the lost bear. At the beginning of the book, a little boy drops his teddy bear as he gets on the train, and the bear spends the rest of the book trying to catch up with his boy. He hops onto a passing reindeer, and on the next page he climbs into Santa's sled, then the bear is seen inside Santa's sack. Finally at the end of the book, Santa returns the teddy bear to the little boy in the train, and the last page is a sweet illustration of the boy hugging his teddy as he sleeps peacefully aboard the train heading home at the end of their adventures. None of this is mentioned in the actual text, but it's a lovely detail that shows just how much careful thought and imagination went into this book.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
The story is told is delightful rhyme. I really liked the writing, and the poetry has good rhymes and a lovely rhythm in the meter. It's very easy to read out loud, and flows off the tongue smoothly. There are also places where onomatopoeia is used to mimic the train whistles, "Whoooo! Whoooo!" Those things would be fun to read aloud with a child!
The illustrations are adorable with festive colors! There is snow on the ground, and the whole train is decorated with wreaths and twinkle lights. The elves at the North Pole are colorful and cute. Each child in the train has their own little bed with comfy pillows.
There are lots of little details in the illustrations that add to the story, like drawers full of maps in Santa's workshop labeled "Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, and Outer Space". There is a lamb in the background who dreams about stealing the engine cookies and eating them all.
Santa's face is never shown as he is always one step ahead of the train. We see only his boot running off the edge of the page, or the back of his sleigh as he speeds out of sight, until the end where he gives toys to the children on the train. Even then, we only see the back of his head. It's a fun detail that adds to the mystery and magic of Santa!
One of the things that makes this book special is the hidden story line of the lost bear. At the beginning of the book, a little boy drops his teddy bear as he gets on the train, and the bear spends the rest of the book trying to catch up with his boy. He hops onto a passing reindeer, and on the next page he climbs into Santa's sled, then the bear is seen inside Santa's sack. Finally at the end of the book, Santa returns the teddy bear to the little boy in the train, and the last page is a sweet illustration of the boy hugging his teddy as he sleeps peacefully aboard the train heading home at the end of their adventures. None of this is mentioned in the actual text, but it's a lovely detail that shows just how much careful thought and imagination went into this book.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
December 18, 2019
First sentence: Santa’s coming! Ho! Ho! Ho! The Goodnight Train is all aglow!
Premise/plot: I believe this is the third book starring the Goodnight Train and its crew. Earlier books in the series include The Goodnight Train and the Goodnight Train Rolls On. In each book, characters travel to Dreamland. This one is set on Christmas Eve.
My thoughts: For little ones that love, love, love the previous books in the series, this one might prove quite the treat. I know that trains can be fascinating for young ones and that some never really outgrow their love of trains. (Others do.) This one is written in rhyme. The illustrations are very Christmasy. Santa does make an appearance.
I can at times overthink picture books, can expect sense when it is clearly nonsense being served. I don’t know why I am having trouble with the nonsense of this fantasy when I have welcomed wholeheartedly the nonsense of In The Night Garden. But my hesitation should not stop enthusiasts from picking this one up to share with their families.
Text: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Total: 6/10
Premise/plot: I believe this is the third book starring the Goodnight Train and its crew. Earlier books in the series include The Goodnight Train and the Goodnight Train Rolls On. In each book, characters travel to Dreamland. This one is set on Christmas Eve.
My thoughts: For little ones that love, love, love the previous books in the series, this one might prove quite the treat. I know that trains can be fascinating for young ones and that some never really outgrow their love of trains. (Others do.) This one is written in rhyme. The illustrations are very Christmasy. Santa does make an appearance.
I can at times overthink picture books, can expect sense when it is clearly nonsense being served. I don’t know why I am having trouble with the nonsense of this fantasy when I have welcomed wholeheartedly the nonsense of In The Night Garden. But my hesitation should not stop enthusiasts from picking this one up to share with their families.
Text: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Total: 6/10
December 22, 2019
This is a cute Christmas book. I found the illustrations to have too many green like color schemes in it, which is really just an odd thing since IT IS A CHRISTMAS BOOK. I am clearly broken.
But the book is rhyme-y and bouncey. Definitely something you could have fun reading to younger ones!
But the book is rhyme-y and bouncey. Definitely something you could have fun reading to younger ones!
December 24, 2020
A Christmas version of the Goodnight Train book we already know and love. We've read it many times, and Joey caught a detail in the illustrations that I missed: on the first page, a little boy drops his teddy, then you can see reindeer scoop it up into the sleigh. At the end, you see the bear returned to the boy. All throughout there's rhymes and Christmas-fied train noises and loads of holiday cheer.
November 12, 2022
This was such a sweet Christmas book to read. I really enjoyed the illustrations and the story of a train that runs on cookies and travels to the North Pole. I felt like I was on a little train ride to the North Pole, and was counting reindeer along the way and enjoying the whimsical drawings. I haven't read a picture book with a rhyming scheme in a while so that was a surprise; I didn't enjoy that writing form very much, but I'm sure little ones definitely would.
December 4, 2019
Read at Storytime on December 4th
Theme: Sights and Sounds of Christmas
I loved the illustrations and the different sounds of the train that the reader and their crowd can make. A quick read but a cute one.
Theme: Sights and Sounds of Christmas
I loved the illustrations and the different sounds of the train that the reader and their crowd can make. A quick read but a cute one.
July 11, 2020
This is a fun read aloud children's picture book. Lots of fun sounds and rhyming. Would be perfect for the younger set. "All aboard! Slow and steady. Careful not to drop your teddy!"My daughter wanted me to say it uses the literary device, onomatopoeia. Yes, it does, quite a lot.;)
December 31, 2020
If you are paying attention to cadence, then this story ends too soon. It’s a fine story and children will love the illustrations. They rhymes work even when interrupted with sound words. This book isn’t bad, but not one I would replace when the library copy gets worn.
January 2, 2023
Excellent Fun!
A very charming and original Christmas story and excellent illustrations make this book a new Christmas classic! Note to June and Laura: please continue to produce more Goodnight Train books. They're the best!
A very charming and original Christmas story and excellent illustrations make this book a new Christmas classic! Note to June and Laura: please continue to produce more Goodnight Train books. They're the best!
November 9, 2023
Cute story about a train that brings children to the North Pole as they sleep. Santa and the reindeer hurry to deliver all the presents as the train moves on the tracks. Brightly colored illustrations capture the joy of Christmas.
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September 27, 2019Glittery title. Cute, rhyming, fun fonts. Onomatopoeia.
December 1, 2019
Love the beautiful pictures!
October 3, 2021
I received an eARC courtesy of Clarion Books via Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.
December 8, 2021
Elliot loves trains so he enjoyed the train following after Santa and his reindeer. I wasn’t overly impressed with it overall
January 11, 2022
A great bedtime story for the holiday season....or train lovers....like me!
March 28, 2023
It's Christmas Eve and the Goodnight Train is decorated for Christmas and on its way to Dreamland while watching for Santa on his way. Bright fun full-page illustrations.
July 18, 2023
Super wordy rhyming text and busy illustrations, but if you've got a big train fan in your household, they'll probably love this Christmas/Santa book.
December 27, 2023
Cute for a Christmas storytime
November 12, 2019
Feckless and fanciful. There are much better Christmas train books out there, also doesn't have a calming focus or lullaby for a goodnight train I wanted something more soothing.
December 16, 2021
Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews