Big Choo

November 20, 2017
Little Choo, a small locomotive, persuades his father that he’s big enough to run on the main line. Big Choo, as he now insists on being called, seems to know what he’s doing—he even expertly tows a line of freight cars. “Chugga-chugga! Chugga-chugga!” he says proudly, and Papa Pufferbelly responds with an approving “Choo-Choo!” But when the small locomotive derails while trying to scale a mountain, his confidence is shaken: “I’m not Big Choo,” he sobs. “I’m Little Choo.” Papa reminds his son that he’s “brave, fast, strong, and smart” (words that Big Choo had previously used to describe himself), and soon he’s back on track. In an afterword, Shaskan (Toad on the Road) cites Virginia Lee Burton as an aesthetic inspiration; her influence can be seen in his swoopy organic shapes and decorative treatment of the landscape, but the backgrounds feel at odds with the cutesy detailing of the trains, which have little emotional range in their expressions. Instead, the narrative propulsion comes from playful typography, the text’s eager tone, and the recurring train sounds. Ages 3–5. Agent: Teresa Kietlinski, Bookmark Literary.

December 1, 2017

PreS-K-With a clear artistic and imaginative nod to Virginia Lee Burton's picture books, Shaskan's adorable tale centers a young talking engine, Choo, learning to ride the rails with his father, Papa Pufferbelly. Choo is riding confidently as he rolls off the loop and switches to the main line, rolls over a bridge, hauls freight, and charges up a mountain-until his wheels slip! When Choo derails, Papa assures him that he is brave, fast, strong, and smart, and not to let "a little tumble ruin [his] big day." Choo tries again and makes it to the top of the mountain. The digital art uses bold, bright colors to create lyrical landscapes and bring the trains to life with animated facial expressions. The high-energy story line has clear read-aloud appeal and the encouraging message of overcoming obstacles is one that will resonate positively with young listeners. VERDICT A modern book with a classic feel. This is a perfect choice for a preschool storytime, and a must-buy for libraries where trains, railway stories, and Thomas the Tank Engine are in demand.-Brianne Colombo, Fairfield Free Public Library, NJ

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2017
How will a little engine fare on his first trip on the main line?Little Choo decides he wants to be called Big Choo when he and Papa Pufferbelly head out for a ride on the rails that will send him onto the main line for the first time. Papa cheers him on at every step, with illustrations depicting the anthropomorphic trains zipping through landscapes that Shaskan's endnote says were inspired by his study of Virginia Lee Burton's illustrations. His style, particularly in the visual characterization of the trains, is more cartoonish then Burton's, and the trains' lime-green faces do not seem particularly Burton-esque, but certain graphic elements such as twisting roads and rails and patterned beams of light do recall her work. Another train story, Watty Piper's The Little Engine That Could, comes to mind when Big Choo derails, though Shaskan's protagonist initially shows little of that archetypal character's can-do spirit. But Papa Pufferbelly is there to offer encouragement, and soon Big Choo is literally and figuratively "back on track" and ready to climb a mountain before heading back home. Plenty of "chug"s and "choo"s printed in prominent display type invite readers to chime in.Little train enthusiasts will be ready for an "All aboard!" for storytime. (Picture book. 3-5)

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December 1, 2017
Preschool-K In this riff on The Little Engine That Could, a big steam engine, Papa Pufferbelly, cheers on the efforts of his ambitious son. Little Choo wants to be called Big Choo and to be brave, fast, and strong like his father, which means moving from his little loop onto the main track. As Little Choo crosses an old bridge, picks up speed, and starts to haul some freight, the father and son keep up a steady call-and-response refrain of encouragement. Chugga-Chugga! toots Little Choo twice, with Papa responding, in large purple letters, Choo! Choo! The story's two-dimensional digital artwork carries a suitably playful vibe, with Little Choo resembling a squishy, plush toy, and the trains' bright colors contrasting with a rolling landscape punctuated by a city, farm, and mountains. In a dramatic turn, Little Choo gets overambitious while trying to haul a ton of freight up a very high mountain, and is derailed. But Papa, using train-speak ( Let's get you back on track! and Full steam ahead! ) restores Little Choo's shaken confidence.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)