Two Little Trains by Margaret Wise Brown illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon

"Two little trains went down the track, two little trains went west. Puff, puff, puff and chug, chug chug, two little trains to the West."

On the cover you can see the real train - the silver train - at the station. On the station there are two cases and a present. The present is a toy train and as you turn inside the present is unwrapped and then the dual story begins. On the left side we watch the journey of the huge silver train across a variety of landscapes meanwhile on the right or facing page the little toy train navigates landscapes inside the house. This idea is just genius and so different from the interpretations of the text by the two previous illustrators. My edition from 2001 takes this simple text to a whole new and completely wonderful level.

Look down, look down that long steel track

That long steel track to the west.

Take your time when you read this with your young reading companion because each pairing of outside and inside is such a visual treat. See inside here.

Two Little trains was first published in 1949 with illustrations by Jean Charlot. In 2000 the publisher released a new edition with illustrations by Greg Pizzoli. All editions are now out of print but you might be lucky and find one in a library - hopefully the one illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon.

Image from the Jean Charlot foundation

The Dillons illustrate both the charming domestic interiors and the sweep of landscape with elegant geometric forms, colors of great depth and richness, and their magical touch ... The relationship between the two trains is also illuminated on the cover, where, next to the silver train sits a set of luggage with a beribboned gift whose box is stamped with the image of the toy train. Kirkus Star review

I am little bit obsessed with Margaret Wise Brown (1920-1952) although oddly not because of her really famous book Goodnight Moon. Luckily my friend from Kinderbookswitheverything has plenty of books by Margaret Wise Brown in her school library but of course this is only a tiny portion of her amazing output which was over 100 books.