The Little Engine That Could

Starred review from August 22, 2005
Long (I Dream of Trains
) pays respectful homage to George and Doris Hauman's compositions in his visual interpretation of the classic tale of determination and perseverance, first published in 1930. Yet the artist adds a lushness to the spreads and injects even more personality into the characters; he uses the larger format to play up the vistas of mountain and valley that pose such a challenge to the engines on this route, and gives "the funniest little toy clown you ever saw" a starring role. A cheerful purple elephant whose eyes droop as one engine after another declines to pull their load, a pair of pull-toys containing curious giraffes (their necks bow in disappointment) and a cuddly, expressive stuffed monkey are among the supporting cast. The spacious spreads also allow for a more dramatic flow of the text (the original often broke a paragraph in the middle of a climactic moment). Long adorns the different engines with wry human characteristics. The cowcatcher of the haughty Shiny New Engine resembles teeth exposed by a snarl, while the Rusty Old Engine (who says, "I can not. I can not") sports a smokestack in the shape of a dilapidated top hat, a mop of gray hair and a monocle. The pièce de résistance is the brave Little Blue Engine that could, with bright blue eyes in place of windows, a wide smile and—while chugging up that daunting mountain—a pink tongue protruding from her mouth. Both faithful fans and newcomers will enjoy this triumphant ride and eagerly climb aboard for repeat excursions. Ages 3-up.

September 1, 2005
PreS-Gr 2 -This classic tale has been re-released with updated illustrations and a larger format. The text remains the same. The art, done with acrylics, is stylized and still retains a bit of an old-fashioned flavor. Nevertheless, the '30s look is definitely gone. In its place, readers will find artwork suggestive of a retro '50s look. As with the original, the clown takes center stage. His outfit, however, has changed from green polka dots to red pants, yellow shirt, and a colorful stocking cap. The text, with its, -I think I can, I think I can - refrain, is a timeless piece of children's literature and so familiar that it needs no elaboration. It's hard to improve upon a classic, and one advantage that the traditional edition has over this one is that the quaint and sentimental text pairs nicely with the -antique - artwork. The modern illustrations undoubtedly work better with a group but they have a faux feel to them. As such they are a little out of sync with the prim and proper style of writing in the story about the -good little boys and girls on the other side of the mountain [who will be] without the wonderful toys to play with and the good food to eat -&. - Nevertheless, this is an acceptable purchase, especially for those libraries without a copy of the first edition or larger libraries wishing to collect all versions of classic tales." -Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CA"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 23, 2019
This tale of the little engine who cheers herself on in order to rescue a heavy train remains a bestseller almost a century after publication. For its 90th anniversary, Caldecott Medalist Santat pays homage to the story’s original artwork while giving it his own distinctive polish. His usual sizzling energy is gentled here with warm sunlight and big skies. The train cars have a blocky, streamlined look, and he illuminates the scenes with genuine drama, as when the clown pleads with the Big Freight Engine to pull the train, and the huge train, in inky shadow, bellows “I won’t pull the likes of you!” Though the text is dated (“The good little boys and girls in the city will be happy because you helped us, Little Blue Engine”), Santat’s figures are more inclusive, and the clown and bear and the rest of the animals wear expressions that are more warmly animated and engaging than the stiff toys of the original. The Little Engine has the same cheerful light blue smokestack and cow tender, and a diminutive toy airplane shadows the travelers, soaring through the sky as the stalwart rescuer pulls the train over the mountain and down to the city. Her trainlike “I think I can, I think I can” is as compelling a chant as ever. Ages 3–7.

September 1, 2005
PreS-Gr. 1. The new edition of this American classic pairs the original (1930) text with artwork by Loren Long, whose previous picture books include Madonna's " Mr. Peabody's Apples" (2003) and Walt Whitman's " When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer" (2004). Grand in scale but cozy in effect, the impressive acrylic paintings use subtle strokes of rich colors to create a series of narrative scenes large enough to be clearly visible back to the last row of storytime or classroom. The characters remain convincing as dolls, toys, and trains despite the slight changes in expression, position, and emotion that bring them to life. The most memorable elements of the artwork, though, are the fluid lines, rounded shapes, and warm colors of the lyrical landscapes, which are reminiscent of paintings by Thomas Hart Benton. Chances are the unassuming Little Blue Engine never expected such a handsome showcase, even for her finest hour, but this edition provides a brilliant new setting that many readers will prefer to the original picture book. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2006
This new oversize edition is quite handsome; the illustrations, using the same palette as the original, are lovely. But it's too big, the illustrations too lush, the slender little story almost crushed under this version's good intentions. It's one thing to rescue an out-of-print gem; it's an entirely different matter to tamper with a never-out-of-print classic.

(Copyright 2006 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)