Locomotive

 

Written & Illustrated by: Brian Floca

Genre: Nonfiction, Informational Text

Awards: 2014 Caldecott Medal

               2014 Sibert Award Honor

Summary: 

In this book, readers follow a family as they ride on the newly built transcontinental railroad. The family boards in Omaha, Nebraska, heading West to meet up with family in San Francisco. We explore the novel sights, sounds, and landscapes as they travel across the country. This book also explains how the steam engine works and the material the railroad is made of. 

Teacher Evaluation:

Locomotive would be a fun book for second through fourth-grade classrooms. This book deals with history, geography, and engineering, making it useful for various lessons. Teachers could use this book to discuss The Great Plains landscape and how it contributed to the formation of the United States. Students could draw the environment, research animals that live there, and discuss its location in relation to their homes. Classes could work on projects where they have to create a steam-powered model using the information found in the book.