Snakes on a Train

[A] delightful panoply of sounds, shapes, and train-riding snakes ... Train-crazy kids will get a kick out of seeing serpents guide the train's journey, from the switcher snake that gets the locomotive on the right track to the "brakesnake" that brings things to a necessary halt... Silly, sibilant, and smart. 

PreS-K-Debut author Dennis parodies the suspense film Snakes on a Plane in title only. The adorable snakes on this train are anything but stealthy and terrifying. Flat, wormlike snakes with googly eyes embody bold colors on a white background. Geometric shapes abound in every object and lend an overall impression of sturdiness. Anxious eyes comically peer through a black window as the train passes through a tunnel. Rhyming couplets incorporate a broad but appropriate vocabulary: conductor, switcher, flagger, brakesnake. Kids will enjoy echoing the refrain: "Hissssssssssssssss goes the sound of the train." The minimalist layout makes this a good choice for very young readers. Deceptively simple, this book covers a lot of ground. A light and breezy read-aloud introduces shapes, onomatopoeia, rhyming, repetition, sequencing, movement, and direction. VERDICT A cute, concise, and versatile choice for all toddler and early preschool collections.-Richelle Rose, Kenton County Public Library, KY

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

[A]new variant on the perennially popular combination of trains and picture books; in this title, a simple trek on the tracks gains momentum from the giggle-worthy passengers and crew who enjoy the ride in a way only legless, armless, tubular critters can. Recommended. — Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books