All Aboard the Alaska Train

ALL ABOARD THE ALASKA TRAIN is a cute and delightful picture book journey into Alaska. The story follows a train that travels from the South of Alaska to the North, seeing different animals along the way. The animals hop on board the train, and luckily, they are there to help when it gets stuck going up a steep mountain. The train finishes its journey with a look at the beautiful Northern Lights. The backmatter includes information about the actual train.

What I loved: This was such a cute and fun journey with a look at the different landscapes and animals in Alaska. The book manages to teach a bit about the state (and trains!) throughout an engaging story. The text is written with a good rhythm and some rhymes that make reading aloud and listening fun.

Colorful and varied illustrations give young readers a lot to visually explore on each page. The details and animals were really fantastic. A small hurdle provides a little tension, but teamwork saves the day. The font is very clear and easy to read throughout. This will work well for preschoolers and young elementary school aged readers.

What left me wanting more: As a very small thing, the rhyming scheme is somewhat inconsistent throughout the book, which can throw off the rhythm of reading a little bit. It was overall minor, so still very fun to read aloud and hear!

Final verdict: ALL ABOARD THE ALASKA TRAIN is an engaging and adorable journey through Alaska with fun illustrations and rhythmic text.

“All Aboard the Alaska Train,” written by Brooke Hartman, illustrated by John Joseph, has beautiful illustrations that explore the wonder of the Alaska terrain, including the wide variety of animals that inhabit it. While there are people on board the five cars of the train, there are also buffalo, otters, sheep, moose, porcupines, grizzly bears, and caribou that take up residence with the passengers. All of the animals prove to be a great help when the train is stuck and not able to ascend a mountain. When they finally see the Northern Lights, they are all captivated by the beauty of the night sky.

The back pages of the book show a map of the Alaska railroad route, and parts of the Alaska train are highlighted. These include access steps, the conductor, the dining car, the ticket taker, the vestibule, and so many more spots aboard the locomotive. It is a fun story that will have young readers eager to take a ride on the train themselves!