This is an excellent resource for classroom teachers and children studying the history of trains and the impact of train transportation on social and industrial development in the United States

This book gives a history of the development and use of trains. It gives extensive background information about the history of trains in an interesting way for children. Children are able to learn about trains in an active way with colorful pictures and interesting facts.

I could use this book for a 4th grade class as an independent reading that a student can pick when learning about different types of engineering. I chose 4th grade because according to science common core standards students need to be taught engineering design and I chose for it to be an independent reading for a choice of book when students are picking a book about transportation because not every student is interested in trains. This book could be used to compare and contrast early locomotives to todays and can make inferences about locomotives. Also, I could use this book for students to define a design problem in the engineering and finding a solution.

This book talks about the history of the railroad and shows children the inner workings of the train. Its does a great job on showing pictures of the trains in bold colors. ( )

This book could be an independent read for a fifth-grade student. It is long so it would be best read by a fifth grader and someone who enjoyed trains would love this book. It would be best as an independent read because it is so long and only someone who likes trains would want to read it.