Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
The Polar Express
Picture Book
For ages 4 to 8
Houghton Mifflin, 2009 ISBN: 978-0395389492
A boy is lying in bed one night on Christmas Eve wondering about Santa. A friend is convinced that Santa does not exist but the boy is sure that Santa is real. Then, out in the dark snowy night, he hears something. When he looks out of his window he sees a large black steam train pulling up in front of his house. There is only one thing to do - the boy goes to see what the train is doing there.
In no time at all he finds himself sitting on the train in the company of many other children clad in their night clothes. They are all going to the North Pole and the purpose of their journey is to meet, once and for all, that wonderful man who flies through the night on Christmas Eve.
When they get to the North Pole the boy finds out that the big event of the night is the giving of the first gift of Christmas. Who will be chosen for this wonderful honor and what will Santa give that lucky child?
This splendid and enchanting picture book filled with Chris Van Allsburg’s famous evocative artwork, perfectly captures the magic and mystery of Christmas. Children and their families will delight in reading about how one little boy discovers Santa’s magic, and better still how that little boy never loses the gift he is given.
