The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

I just purchased the 1oth anniversary of the PE the other day. It is a fine set with all sorts of nice add-ons. I like the art work posted. There is this almost Thomas Kinkaid look about it. Really quite beautiful and in many ways quite extraordinary.

I am hardly a PE expert or even someone that knows the whole story like the back of my hand, but I'll share this with you, I believe the PE is perhaps the most beautiful train ever created. Magical, yet, personal. Who doesn't like the movie version of that Berkshire? Those beautiful cars.

What I love about the PE story is where it can take me. The thing is: I never ever end up in the same place when the trip is done........

Pete

Thanks Tom. I hadn't heard the William Hurt narration of The Polar Express before. It makes the Polar Express even that much more memorable.

Emile

When I worked at Barnes and Noble many, many years ago, I picked up a hardbound copy of The Polar express that included a small metal ornament and a CD of Liam Neeson reading the book.  Although I don't have any children of my own I do sit down right before Christmas and I'll play the CD while looking at the book.  

Although the book did inspire the movie I do like both of them for separate reasons: the movie because it's a modern day classic that I also watch every Christmas and the book because it takes me back to when I was a little boy and I used to lay on the carpet and watch my trains under the Christmas Tree.

For my niece's first Christmas last year I bought her a copy of book with the CD.  I do hope her parents played the CD and read the book to her that year even though she was still too young to understand it yet.

You're absolutely right, that artwork is beautiful!  I remember in elementry school, probably 1st or second grade, parents use to take turns coming in once a week and reading a book to us.  Around Christmas time, my mom came in.  I'll give you one guess what she read to us   At the end she even gave us each (probably to the teacher's dismay) a beautiful sleighbell on a red ribbon.

The other Christmas/train book I loved was "The Mighty Santa Fe".  I almost wore that out looking at the Angela Trotta Thomas illustrations and dreaming of Lionel Postwar Santa Fe F3s

http://www.amazon.com/Mighty-S...=the+mighty+santa+fe

We became very familiar with the book when it was first released. Being big train fans and having a love of the Christmas season, how could you not like it. It was also interesting to us as the author lives in our home state.

I remember well the publicity that the movie received before it's release and we looked forward to the movie with great anticipation. It did not disappoint in any way.

The movie and the book both have a very special place for very different reasons. But do not underestimate the impact that the movie has had as it has brought this wonderful story to many who may not have otherwise appreciated it's true value.