Title: Katie and Kenny Tour the Railroad: Safety First!
Author: Keith Niles Corman
Publisher: ReadersMagnet, LLC
ISBN: 978-1-950947-84-3
Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book
Pages: 17
Reviewed by: Beth Adams
Pacific Book Review
All aboard for an entertaining and educational book by author Keith Niles Corman titled Katie and Kenny Tour the Railroad: Safety First!
Personified cat people Katie and Kenny are given a special tour of the trainyard in Catville by their engineer friend Timothy Tabby – but they need to put on custom hard-hats and protective eye glasses because it’s all about Safety First when dealing with such huge and powerful machines. They see a brand-new locomotive just in the finishing process of being painted. The size of the locomotive makes them gasp in a “Wow” moment. Then they meet this gruff guy Murphy who keeps the young cats in their place by being a tough-guy; but deep down a real nice fellow. Katie and Kenny learn that on slippery tracks the train will lay down sand in front of their wheels for added traction. Mr. Meower, the engineer, then shows them the levers and dials of the control area. Next, they go up to the trainyard tower so they can watch the rail cars being attached on “The Hump.” That’s a gentle hill where the train can disconnect the hitch of a car and have it roll back away gently by using gravity.
The working areas and cat-people that run the trainyard are all brought into reality in this perfectly synchronized story with illustration sequences which will captivate the imaginations of youngsters – and grownups alike – as they learn about the intricacies of a working railroad. Being mindful of safety around these large machines is an inherent theme, of which kids will get a take-away of keeping their distance from trains and tracks when they may encounter them nearby their playing areas. The trainyard tour was an exciting adventure, one which will be enjoyed by boys and girls alike. The cat-people made it more interesting as most everyone loves cats, and each have their special roles in making the train system function.
Katie and Kenny Tour the Railroad: Safety First! is a wonderful bedtime, or anytime, story for kids of the younger years to enjoy time and time again. It provides a level of understanding of the railroad system, while children witness the back-trainyard functions through the eyes of these curious feline friends. Who knows what’s in store next for this adventurous pair of cats!
