Go, Train, Go!

Thomas and Friends

by W. Awdry, Elizabeth Terrill, Tommy Stubbs (Illustrator)

Thomas is taking the judge to the train show! He speeds up a hill, across a ridge, through a tunnel, and over a bridge. But as soon as Thomas starts to go fast— screech! —he has to slow down. A goat is in the way, the wind is pushing him back, the tunnel is very dark, and logs are on the track! As soon as Thomas gets past each delay, he gets to go fast—at last! But will they reach the show on time? Go, Thomas, go!


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books, Trains, Fiction, Kids, Transport

48 pages, Library Binding

First published March 22, 2005

About the author

Wilbert Vere Awdry, OBE, better known as the Rev. W. Awdry, was an English clergyman, railway enthusiast and children's author, and creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, who starred in Awdry's acclaimed Railway Series.

The characters that would make Awdry famous, and the first stories featuring them, were invented in 1943 to amuse his son Christopher during a bout of measles. The first book (The Three Railway Engines) was published in 1945, and by the time Awdry stopped writing in 1972, The Railway Series numbered 26 books. Christopher subsequently added further books to the series.

Reviews

[Mavis’s Dad]

Thomas the Tank Engine teaches us he is, actually, a train. So Jason Keller Jr. can stop trolling me.

Moral: If you treat the judge right, the judge will treat you right. .

Length: The train show is actually shorter than you’d think.

Favorite Line: “‘Go train, go!’”

Overall Impression: The judge is running late to the train show. Thomas promises to get there for her. After a few hiccups (yes, them Brits are again letting their infrastructure fail), Thomas gets her to the event. And guess who wins the competition? I won’t tell you, but it’s none of Thomas’s friends.

Book Club Discussion Question: If Thomas enters a train show and is called a train by the judge who has hired him, is Thomas a train or a tank engine?

[Jon]

Rowan really digs trains, so some Thomas only seems logical. He loves the “SCREEEEEEEECH!” most of all.

[Sophia]

The Judge could use a lesson in manners but I like how Thomas persevered any way!

[Hendrix]

My first Thomas the train book! Read with mommy, I liked it! 🚂🚂 choo choo

[Kayla]

Meh. Even more clunky than you already expect for this type of book.

[Alex Pattison]

I cannot properly express my dislike for this book, but I am going to try. The rhyme scheme is inconsistent, making it feel like a chore to read despite its short length. The judge is selfish, demanding, and inconsiderate of Thomas’ and her own safety and this is treated as completely normal. At the end of the book, her pre-existing relationship with Thomas seemingly sways her to unfairly award him with first place at the train show. If there is a lesson here, I cannot discern it whatsoever—maybe the lesson is that if you allow your boundaries to be pressed, you will be rewarded? Easily my least favourite of my three year old’s extensive collection of books.

[Mellanie C]

Cute little board book.

[Jimminnie]

An interactive story that my children enjoy. Unfortunately the underlying message of conflict of interest is not dissuaded but celebrated. A bad message for children indeed.

[Tommy Schlosser]

Poor flow.

[Jennifer Fann-Tucker]

Classic

[Neyda]

read this for my niece

[Guy H]

I feel like the judge should have taken a train that was not entered into the competition at the end of the book. That would have preserved her impartiality.

[Jacquelyn]

Stuff happens! A well-dressed tidy judge boards Thomas the Tank Engine for the ride of her life in Go, Train, Go! Off comes her hat and on goes the mud as they hurry to get to the train show. Reverend W. Awdry’s famous train wins yet again in this Beginner Book Story illustrated by Tommy Stubbs. Wholesome, healthy, and moral, Thomas and his friends are always a safe choice for children.

Kids love Thomas and will find reading easy in this book with short sentences and small words that repeat. The colorful illustrations will be familiar to fans of the television show. The text of this story finds Thomas and his passenger at odds. She urges him to go fast, but the little train encounters multiple obstacles to overcome. Goats and cows, logs and mud, Thomas labors to satisfy the needs of his rider while staying safe. What little boy, however reluctant to read, could resist a book about Thomas that includes an authority figure getting quite messy?

[Tiffany]

PB:44

If you know who Thomas the Train is or like trains in general, you will enjoy this story! the illustrations are clear and life like and it is easy to see why Thomas the Train is so likable. The story is fast paced and keeps the readers engaged on every page. Great story for early readers because great use of the great use of repetition and word choice in the story.

3 words to describe this book: Trains, fun, fast

[Aubrey White]

Nat LOVES this book. It is right up there with his bunny. We read it at least five times a week and tonight was one of those times. As Thomas board books go, it's not terrible. Nat loves when the judge's hat blows off, Brendan loves the mud splashing on the train, Josiah loves to read it, and I love when it is over.

[Benjamin]

I have read this stupid book so, so many times. It has trains and interactive pull tabs, and my young child loves it.

At the risk of reading too much into it, the message that Thomas will not allow himself to be hurried or peer-pressured into cutting corners is great. The nepotism at the story's culmination is not so much.

my favorite quote: "Into the mud! Splish! Splash!"

[Shawn Fairweather]

My son rec'd a four pack of Thomas books for Xmas with this being one of them. All four books are of typical Thomas fashion using vivid colors, inclusion of many Thomas's friends, and age appropriate storylines that my son highly enjoys. Any book that Parker picks up and hands me to read him gets a thumbs up from me, these books get read much more than others!

[Selena]

Thomas must take the judge to the train show and fast! But he comes across a series of things interrupting his speed by being on the track. What will the judge think about her wild ride?

[Jillyholdy]

Holden really liked the sparks from the wheels whenever the train hit the brakes. He even made the sound with me. He went to bed with this book a couple time, and read it with his night(flash)light.

[Erin]

fantastic. gripping. Thomas is a beacon of hope in a hopeless world.

[Tammy Sawyer]

Boo loves his Thomas

[Dana]

reread - read a thon. One of our favorites. Fun to read.

[Ben]

So awful

[Theresa]

Go, Train, Go!
Awdry, Wilbert
an early repetitive story for thomas fans, helps with word recognition, used for preschool and elementary school

[Jenny U]

Cute interactive book for preschoolers.

[Angela]

You just can't go wrong with little kids, especially boys, and Thomas the Train. This is typical of the other Thomas books, but they are all age appropriate and fun for kids.

[Grace]

I'm not too wild about Thomas but son enjoyed the story.

[Erik Erickson]

Simple and quick little read. Sappy sweet with Thomas winning a prize for no reason. A little too one-dimensional for the kindergarten age but was pretty engaging for the two year old.

[Kellee Moye]

Reread often with the "choo choo" fascination

[Linda]

One of Abraham's favorites...