________________ CM . . . . Volume XVII Number 13. . . .November 26, 2010

cover

Ultimate Trains. (Machines of the Future).

Peter McMahon. Illustrated by Andy Mora.
Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press, 2010.
40 pp., hardcover, $18.95.
ISBN 978-1-55453-366-4.

Subject Headings:
Railroad trains-Juvenile literature.
High speed trains-Juvenile literature.
Magnetic levitation vehicles-Juvenile literature.

Grades 4-7 / Ages 9-12.

Review by Sherry Faller.

**½ /4

   

excerpt:

The push for energy efficiency has made train travel cheaper (less fuel is needed to power the engine) … and greener. From cleaner diesel engines to biofuel-powered locomotives to electric monorails, many of today’s trains let you travel in style while being kind to the Earth.

Ultimate Trains is a history of the development of trains from the steam engine to today’s maglevs which run with electromagnets. While the intended audience is for children, adults will find the scientific explanations quite intriguing. As each innovative improvement to trains is historically explained, an experimental project for the reader is featured that demonstrates the science behind the invention. Recycled and some purchased materials are used in the project, and the instructions include step-by-step procedures that are easy to follow for middle years students. Some examples are: Steam Engine in a Salad Bowl, Turning up the Juice, and Make a Maglev Test Track. All experiments have safety warnings and colourful drawings and diagrams.

internal art     Another interesting feature with each innovation is the “Expert Interview” with pictures and quotes from people like railway conductors and the president of Maglev Transport, Inc. The index, contents and glossary are all helpful tools to understanding the contents of this book. Illustrations include photos, diagrams and even a timeline on a train track. The amount of text on each page is not overwhelming, making Ultimate Trains a friendlier read for reluctant readers. However the vocabulary is rated high, making the use of the glossary and possibly a dictionary essential. Ultimate Trains is recommended to anyone with a keen interest in trains. All Aboard!

Recommended.

Sherry Faller is a teacher-librarian in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364
Hosted by the University of Manitoba.
 

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