Train Song

From boxcars to diners, from rural towns to city stations, the intriguing world of trains is evoked in this stunningly illustrated poem. As with Heartland and Truck Song , Siebert does not tell a story so much as present stunning images: the ``great trains / freight trains / talk about your late trains / the 509 / right on time / straight through to L.A.'' roar through tunnels and across the countryside. While the syntax and rhythms of the poem are not always immediately clear, Siebert's eclectic assemblage of details allows the reader to ``feel the rhythm'' and ``hear the sound'' of the trains. Wimmer's luminous, nostalgic paintings will enable readers to grasp the beauty and power of the trains and the landscape across which they travel, ``clickety-clacking / homeward bound.'' Ages 4-8. (Sept.)