James the Red Engine

By Rev. W. Awdry
James the Red Engine (The Railway Series, #3)
Synopsis
Book 3 of 26 in the Railway Series. This classic small hardcover includes four stories. James has an accident, gets the hiccups, and has trouble with his freight cars, but still saves the day by pulling the express when Gordon loses his way.
  • Virtue
    VIRTUE
    Is this the way I want my child to think and act?
    Ratings are based on how much a book extols Islamic morality and espouses classical ideals.
    ★★★★☆
  • Language
    LANGUAGE
    Is this the way I want my child to speak?
    Ratings are based on a book's vocabulary, cadence, and overall eloquence suited to age level.
    ★★★★☆
  • Story
    STORY
    Does this story resonate with my child?
    Ratings are based on the integrity of plot structure, the depth of characters, the palpability of the book's conflict and resolution, and the lure of its setting.
    ★★★★☆
  • Beauty
    BEAUTY
    Does this book develop my child's ability to recognize beauty?
    Ratings are based on aesthetics, linguistic beauty, poignancy, and how well a book embodies ihsan—harmonizing excellence.
    ★★★★☆
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Mindful Muslim Review

The original Thomas the Tank Engine series, by Reverend W. Awdry, is a rare but impressive set of stories for young children: it includes moral lessons, complexity of character and distinctive and deep use of language. (Unfortunately, these are not captured in the more recent books spawned by the popular franchise.) The original series uses an assortment of transportation machinery (engines, buses, tractors, trucks, carriages, etc.) to bring to life various personality types and temperaments. The engines, mirroring the maturity-level of young boys, have adventures, learn about their own weaknesses, face the consequences of their decisions, and grow in character.

Mindful Muslim Reader recommends additional books in this series.

Ages: , ,
Genres: ,
Series:
Illustrator: C. Reginald Dalby
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Published: 2000 (originally published in 1948)
Page Count: 72
ISBN13: 9780375805318
*This review applies only to ISBN number noted above.
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