William and the Night Train

Authors: Mij Kelly & Alison Jay

Publisher: Hachette Children's Books

Age Range:  3 - 6

Overview

Tonight everyone's riding the night train — mothers and fathers, teachers and jugglers — they're all sleepyheads, ready for bed, ready to ride the train to Tomorrow. Everyone, that is, except wide-awake William, who is too excited to sleep. William can't resist exploring the train from end to end, discovering its secrets, until his mother convinces him that the train won't go and Tomorrow won't come until he settles down and shuts his eyes . . .

With dreamy illustrations and a text filled with a rocking bedtime rhythm, this appealing picture book captures the anticipation felt by any child who is setting out on an exciting new journey.

"Mothers and fathers, teachers and jugglers -- everyone's aboard the night train. They're all sleepyheads, ready for bed, ready to ride the train to tomorrow. But the train won't go until wide-awake William shuts his eyes, too

Editorial Review

Like many children when it comes to bedtime, William is wide-awake. A night train functions as the story's metaphor for sleep. The child and his mother are shown boarding a train alongside a whimsical array of people and animals. Its destination is tomorrow and for William it can't arrive fast enough. This energetic youngster disturbs the slumber of the tired conductor and a variety of other passengers with his kinetic energy. The locomotive, of course, doesn't depart until William's mother convinces him that shutting his eyes is the best way to hasten tomorrow's arrival. Only then does the train begin its nocturnal journey toward the dawn of a new day.