Freight Train
A colorful journey through a train of cars, each with its own color and name. The sparse text and beautiful, almost wordless spreads allow toddlers to point and identify colors and cars.
Freight Train by Donald Crews is estimated to take about 3 minutes to read aloud (60 words, about 1 sentence a page), and it lands best with children aged 0-4.
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- Estimated read-aloud time
- about 3 minutesEstimated read-aloud time
- Estimated word count
- 60Our estimate
- Sentences per page
- 1Sentence per page
- Re-read tolerance
- 4/5repeat friendly
- Vocabulary level
- 2/5everyday words
- Best for
- Ages 0-4Our editorial fit
Our review
This is a visually driven book that focuses on movement and color. As the cars pass by, the text builds a sense of a continuous, moving line.
It’s ideal for very young children who are still learning to name objects and colors. It rewards the curious child who wants to point at everything on the page.
Before you buy it
There isn't a story here, just a sequence of trains passing by. If your little one wants a plot rather than a machine, they might find this boring.
Themes
- trains
- colours
- movement
- first words
Books like Freight Train
Matched by refrain, density, length, and listener—not just the subject.
Little Blue Truckabout 5.5 minutes estimated · 5/5 re-read
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?about 4 minutes estimated · 5/5 re-read
Dinosaur Roar!about 3 minutes estimated · 4/5 re-read
Ten, Nine, Eightabout 2.5 minutes estimated · 4/5 re-read
Dinosaur Dig!about 3.5 minutes estimated · 4/5 re-read
Questions parents ask
How long does it take to read Freight Train aloud?
About 3 minutes at an unhurried pace, including a standard allowance for page turns, pictures and participation, from a word count of 60. Stopping for a longer conversation on every page will add more time.
What age is Freight Train actually for?
Ages 0-4 in our testing, which is narrower than the publisher's range. With 1 sentence a page and vocabulary at 2 out of 5, it asks for that much attention span and no more.
Does Freight Train survive being read on repeat?
Yes. It survives a fortnight of nightly repeats, which is the real test.
Is Freight Train a good book for a child who will not sit still?
It helps that it has a refrain a child can join in with, and it asks the child questions to answer out loud. Those three features are what keep a wriggling toddler listening, far more than the subject matter does.
Will my child memorise Freight Train?
Probably, and fast. The book leans on a repeated refrain, and at 4 out of 5 for re-read tolerance it survives the nightly repeats that get a book memorised. Expect your child to chant the pattern back before they can actually read.
Can a beginning reader read Freight Train on their own?
It is closer than most picture books. With 1 sentence a page and plain vocabulary (2 out of 5), a confident early reader can attempt it, though it is written to be read aloud first.
What themes does Freight Train cover?
We tag it with trains, colours, movement and first words. Those are the threads that actually run through the book, not just the ones on the cover, which is how it earns its place on our themed lists rather than a keyword match.
Lists Freight Train is on
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48 reviewed booksBooks for 1 Year OldsFind board books, touch-and-feel books, and flaps for 1 year olds. Includes realistic read-aloud times and age-appropriate selections.