#blogbookaday: Sleep Train

Summary:  “A little boy climbs into bed with a book and starts counting the train cars in it, between the engine and caboose. “Ten sleepy cars going clickety-clack,” reads the refrain. But as the boy counts cars and gets sleepier and sleepier, his room looks more and more like one of the train cars from his book–the sleeping car, of course!

Rhythmically told by the author of the Froggy books, Sleep Train is also stunning to look at. 3D illustrator, Lauren Eldridge, has sculpted an entire train full of intricate details. Part bedtime story, part counting book, part children’s fantasy, Sleep Train is a magical ride to dreamland.” (Taken from Goodreads)

Review: A counting, bedtime story filled with intricately created train cars as a young boy gets sleepier and sleepier counting the train cars. With dark colors and soothing, rhyming text this is a perfect bedtime story for train lovers.

Personal Reaction: The illustrator actually sculpted the entire train from household parts making this a unique way to illustrate a book. The little boy, our main character, is sculpted from clay and each image is a photograph that is then manipulated on the computer. This would be a great book to use when talking about illustration style and technique as it is different from a lot of other artists’ styles. This is truly a work of art with text that reminds you of the clickety-clack of train tracks as you settle into sleep.

Title: Sleep Train
Author: Jonathan London
Illustrator: Lauren Eldrige
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 3, 2018

This is a new idea I’m trying on my blog this year that was inspired by @donalynbooks and @heisereads – to provide a brief review of a picture book every day of 2018. You’ll get a brief summary of the story, a review of the content, illustrations and theme, my personal reaction to the book and all the pertinent publication information! Enjoy!