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Summary: Simply breath-taking...Christmas through the eyes of a child
Review: "On Christmas Eve, many years ago, I lay quietly in my bed. I did not rustle the sheets. I breathed slowly and silently. I was listening for a sound -- a sound a friend had told me I'd never hear ...." And so begins one the of the most beautiful stories of all time. Although I am now a senior in college, The Polar Express has remained the most valued and cherished book in my ever-expanding library. A childhood Christmas gift, Chris Van Allsburg's timeless masterpiece has become a fixture at our family gatherings each and every holiday season. Every member of the family, from the youngest to the oldest, appreciates it's simple but elegant story-telling style illustrated by the soft and soothing silhouettes of Van Allsburg's full-color art. The Polar Express is the story of a young boy and his magical journey aboard a mythical train to the North Pole. The reader is taken along this incredible ride and rediscovers the true joy and pure spirit of a child at Christmas. Van Allsburg's beautiful illustrations become as important to the story as the words themselves. These life-like pictures encourage children of ALL ages to explore their own imaginations and to become active participants in the young boy's journey. In the end, the young boy has grown into an old man, but the spirit of Christmas still rings for him, "... as it does for all who truly believe." I hope you enjoy this book half as much as I do.
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Summary: Van Allsburg takes readers on a magical Christmas journey.
Review: The Polar Express. By Chris Van Allsburg. Illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1985. 32 pages. What could be more familiar to young listeners than the Christmas Eve ritual of anxiously awaiting Santa's arrival? Multiple Caldecott Medal Award recipient Chris Van Allsburg capitalizes on such shared experiences. His text invites readers to identify with the restless narrator "listening for a sound. . . the ringing of Santa's sleigh." Van Allsburg doesn't stop there, and neither does his Polar Express as the drama of turning the page intensifies with every passing wolf-infested forest and ice-filled desert. Van Allsburg temps taste buds with sensual similes like "candies with nougat centers as white as snow" and "hot cocoa as thick and rich as melted chocolate bars," while his surreal masterpieces break out their frames to extend text. Emotions implied through words become unmistakably explicit through full-colored illustrations. Why read between the lines to discover the feeling of shock that overcomes the young passengers (as a result of the narrator's loss) when one can experience first hand the children's horror-enveloped faces by glancing at the accompanying pastel drawing? Similarly, the narrator's wonder-filled features while receiving the first gift of Christmas juxtaposed with Van Allsburg's manipulation of shadow and light articulate the tales sense of awe perfectly. Van Allsburg's use of perspective takes the reader beyond the confines of the Polar Express as glittering specks of light from the North Pole are detected beneath the majestic arcs of a passing bridge. This spectacular tale can be enjoyed by anyone who still truly believes, but its sumptuous wording- "thundered through the quiet wilderness" and "hissing steam and squeaking metal," is most satisfying when read aloud by a fluent reader to younger listeners.
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Summary: Can't you hear the whistle blowing?
Review: It must be nice to have written a real holiday classic. I imagine that author Chris Van Allsburg must be tickled pink by way his book, "The Polar Express" has slowly gained increasing attention and praise as the years have gone by. Though not my favorite Van Allsburg (a tip of the hat grants his miraculous "The Stranger" that honor) this book is perhaps more perfectly his style than any of his other texts. And in that way, it is truly wondrous.In this story, a young boy travels at night by a train bearing the book's title to the North Pole with a host of other antsy children. This combines the dual pleasure kids would feel in getting to staying up late AND taking a train all by themselves. Once at the North Pole, our hero asks Santa only for a silver bell from his reindeer's sleigh. Santa complies and though the boy looses the bell on his way home, Santa returns it to him. For years afterwards, only those who truly believe can hear the bell's magical ring (which, actually, explains why adults cannot hear Santa fly overhead at night, I suppose). It's a lovely story, complimented nicely with Van Allsburg's realistic (but not photo-realistic) illustrations. Particularly nice is how the story does not date. Though it clearly takes place at a time when children wore dressing gowns, it does not feel as if it is a period piece. The kids traveling on the train are slightly multi-cultural and the waiters on the train delightful in their white puffy hats. This book is so well loved that it has actually inspired whole communities to create their own makeshift Polar Expresses. On these trains, kids are served hot cocoa "as thick and rich as melted chocolate bars" while grown-ups read them the book. They then meet Santa and go home contented and happy. Unfortunately, as charming as this may seem, it may be greatly exploited with the late 2004 release of the CGI film version of the book. My advice is to grab this book right now, regardless of whether it's Christmas or not, and read it to your kids thoroughly. Such nice stories as this deserve extensive attention. Let us all hope that this story sinks deeply into the canon of picture books beloved by millions of kids the wide world over. It's a class act through and through.
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Summary: If you have a little kid in your life, it's a MUST READ
Review: Gorgeous illustrations.
Amazingly mesmerizing language, almost poetry.
Magical story about Santa's visit on Christmas Eve. Santa, however, arrives on a train instead of a sleigh, and he takes the boy on a train ride to the North Pole (a trip that is so exquisitely illustrated that you can come to believe it's real), where, from among hundreds, he's chosen to receive the first Christmas present, which he can choose. He could choose anything, anything at all - and he chooses one of the bells from Santa's sleigh, which is loaded, ready and waiting.
When he returns home and the train pulls away, he's devastated to discover the bell has fallen through a hole in his pocket. What happens next to restore this child's believe in Christmas magic.
Buy the book and find out. Buy it. But it now and read it yearly at Christmas. When your kids grow up and leave home, read it to yourself. Then read it to grandchildren. Take it to your retirement community and keep reading it.
For sure.
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Summary: Santa's Gift
Review: The Polar Express is a train that picks up children on Christmas Even and takes them the North Pole, where they can hopefully receive the first Christmas present from Santa Claus. The boy we follow wants a bell from Santa's sleigh and gets it, but loses it through the hole in his pocket. The next morning, the bell is under his tree with a note from "Mr. C." He and his sister can hear it ring, but not his parents because they do not truly believe. The pastel drawings are beautiful and very realistic. They have just the right balance of hard lines and detail with softness and subtlety. I remember receiving this book as a gift from my father when it was new. I was just a small child and I remember how much I enjoyed the beautiful illustrations and longing to receive that special gift just like the boy in the story. Unfortunately so many years have passed that I don't think I could hear the bell either - except when I read this book. It is truly a special gift in itself. Why 5 stars?:
The illustrations are absolutely wonderful. Clearly, one can see why this book won a Caldecott Award. The magic of Santa Claus is brought back to everyone who reads this book. A wonderful story to read to children at Christmastime - or any time of year.
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Summary: Wintery Exploration
Review: I have loved this book since I first heard it in second grade. That little boy reminds me of how I used to stay awake all night Christmas Eve and then sneak downstairs when I heard the first little noise. The artwork is wonderfull, I would just sit there and imagine I was part of the book. I am diffently going to get this book for my children.
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Summary: Magical
Review: The Polar Express captures the innocence, charm and magic of childhood. The story is about two siblings that climb aboard "the Polar Express" that takes them to the North Pole at Christmas time. There they meet Santa, see the sleigh and reindeer, and receive a special gift. The drawings are almost Victorian in form and are incredibly detailed, which adds to the power and magic of the book. It would make a wonderful Christmas gift for a child, and is a joy to read as an adult.
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Summary: Timeless Magic
Review: I am now seventeen years old, but I first read this book when I was very young, and it, amoung other various children's books from Dr. Suess, and others, is what inspired me to want to write chrildren's books someday. This is a goal that I am still aiming for, and everytime I read The Polar Express, I get inspired once again. It is simply magical...timeless in it's wonderful illustrations and it's childlike joy. I am most positive in saying that it is impossible that you could not like this book...whatever age you might be. Afterall, the real goal of Children's books is not just to inspire the children, but to remind us all about our own childhoods. You can not be disappointed with this book. Buy for your children, and you are insuring that someday, they will be buying it for theirs.
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Summary: Mom of a 5yr old and 3 yr old
Review: This is the ultimate Christmas book! "Magical" is the best way to describe it. Every child should have this. My girls love this book so, so much and we read it all year long. I have purchased this book for many gifts. It's a definite keepsake. It deserves every award it has won! I would give it more stars if I could! Don't let your kids miss out on such a wonderful story.
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Summary: One of my favorites
Review: I believe we owned this book even before we had children. The beautiful illustrations bring this touching story to life. This was one of the books we looked at when developing "Mint's Christmas Message" by Mary Y. Spitz.
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