The Polar Express

Chris Van Allsburg

It is Christmas Eve. The boy is in his bed waiting. His friends have been trying to tell him that Santa Claus doesn't exist. He wants to believe in Santa, but wants to believe his friends as well. He is waiting to hear the bells to Santa's sleigh.

But something unexpected happens instead. A train pulls up to his house. The conductor calls to the boy to board the train. To where? Why, to the North Pole! The boy boards the train. There he finds other children, all heading to the North Pole to see Santa Claus.

This classic picture book won the Caldecott Medal for excellence in children's literature. It is full of pictures that are charming. The pictures are well defined, yet will a a blurred edge all the way through, maintaining the fantasy of the story. Adults and children alike enjoy this book. The magic of the story is timeless. The pictures and the words mesh together, each needing the other to complete this charming book.

It's been twenty years since The Polar Express was first published. If you haven't read it before, don't miss the chance. If you have read it before, you'll enjoy the chance to read it again. OK, December is a better time to read it, but it works any time of year. (Let's hope the movie that is being released this winter can keep the magic of the book.) The age range of reader for this book is around 6 to 8, and is a great book to be read to those younger.

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