I have loved this book and TV show since age 1. This book was a masterpiece of when this was good, and realistic, unlike the show today

Thomas and his friends are trains on the island of Sodor. Each day they carry out their work, have adventures, and learn how to be Really Useful Engines. They are kept in line by their drivers and the Fat Controller, who are firm but gentle with these mischievous engines.

My dad is a train buff, so it surprised me that I didn't own any of these books as a child, but I guess they hadn't yet made it across the pond when I was little. Since they appear to the 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before you Die list, I knew this was my chance to read them. I wasn't disappointed. It was a fun time reading about a classic set of characters. If you've never visited the Island of Sodor, I highly recommend this book. Thomas and his friends are waiting to welcome you to their railway. ( )

Ok, it ain't Pynchon, Tolstoy, Faulkner, Delillo or Greene, but little kids love these stories. Excellent supplement to the TV series. ( )

The reason I love Thomas the Tank Engine so much is that when we were little my Dad read them to us as bedtime stories. He had a different tone of voice for each engine, and was brilliant at bringing the story to life. ( )

This is a superb collection of all the original Thomas the Tank Engine books by Rev W Awdry. These are much better than the later ones written by his son, and infinitely better than all the PR-driven TTTE marketing tools which are available now. ( )