The Rain Train by Elena de Roo and Brian Lovelock

Walker Books, 2010. ISBN: 9781921529146. Recommended for Preschool- Early Junior Primary. 'When the rain fingers drum out a dance on the pane
When the windows are foggy enough for my name
When it's thundering down on the roof, in the lane
From the storm, comes the call
'All aboard the Rain Train'
The book has a wonderful rhythm and use of onomatopoeia. As the rain taps on the window at night, small children are called aboard the train. With teddies in hand and warm pajamas on, the children take their places and settle in for the journey. A place where imagination and dreams collide, the rain train carries readers across the land to the rhythm of the rain. Warm familiar sounds and train experiences will engage little ones. Illustrator Brian Lovelock has captured the feel of a dark rainy night with his pictures. Inside the rain train is warm and cosy, the contrast from the gloomy outside enhanced by the use of warm and bright colours.
Zana Thiele