The Polar Express: A Christmas Holiday Book for Kids

By Chris Van Allsburg

Book Overview

This beautiful hardcover edition of The Polar Express is the perfect gift for all those--of any age--who believe, come Christmas Eve, that they too will hear the sweet sound of a reindeer's silver bell. This edition includes a keepsake ornament.

A young boy, lying awake one Christmas Eve, is welcomed aboard a magical train to the North Pole . . .

Through dark forests, over tall mountains, and across a barren desert of ice, the Polar Express makes its way to the huge city standing alone at the top of the world, where the boy will make his Christmas wish.

For millions of readers around the world, this mysterious journey to the North Pole has become a beloved Christmas classic. In this thirtieth-anniversary edition, the inimitable artistry of Chris Van Allsburg is showcased with a bold new jacket design and expanded interior layout.

The Polar Express is a Caldecott Medal winner, and reading the story together is a beloved holiday tradition held by generations of families. It has also become a favorite holiday movie and been translated into stage productions that take place across the United States during the holiday season.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0544580141
• ISBN13: 9780544580145
• Release Date: September 2015
• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 1.14 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 11.8" x 9.3"
• Age Range: 4 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 2

Customer Reviews

Misleading condition

“Good condition” but it came without the beautiful dust jacket :/

Great Book!

Received in great condition and as described. Very happy!

Just what i expected out of the quality I chose.

My kids love the movie and we decided to go ahead and read the book and we were not disappointed. Good quality, pictures are nice and it's quick and easy so toddlers don't get too bored sitting around.

Sophisticated Children's Christmas Book

My kids love the art and the story is enchanting.A wonderful train ride full of children who want to believe churns its way to the North Pole and a meeting with Santa. Keeping with traditon, Santa selects one boy to present the first present of Christmas to before he mounts to the sky to visit all the homes of good boys and girls. Rather than ask for a bike, or Pokemon or any other "big" gift, the boy asks for one of Santa's sleigh bells, proof he can hold onto that yes, Santa does exist.This tale of Christmas belief (in Santa, that is) works well on adults, too. It has a message about belief and wonderment that touch all who want to believe in the magic associated with the gift giving part of Christmas.Warning, The Polar Express is best for children a little older than mine (5 1/2, 4). It introduces the concept that Santa may not exist. I get around this by not reading two paragraphs in the book, but you should be forwarned if that particular discussion in your household is several years away. (My kids also tell me everytime that the boy in the story should not get on the train at the invitation of a stranger.) At the right age, this is a magical and wonderful Christmas tale of belief.

It is a great book, a wonderful Christmas adventure!

This book is great to read to your kids. The illustrations are beautiful. The story is full of Christmas magic. Your kids will love it!

Simply breath-taking...Christmas through the eyes of a child

"On Christmas Eve, many years ago, I lay quietly in my bed. I did not rustle the sheets. I breathed slowly and silently. I was listening for a sound -- a sound a friend had told me I'd never hear ...." And so begins one the of the most beautiful stories of all time. Although I am now a senior in college, The Polar Express has remained the most valued and cherished book in my ever-expanding library. A childhood Christmas gift, Chris Van Allsburg's timeless masterpiece has become a fixture at our family gatherings each and every holiday season. Every member of the family, from the youngest to the oldest, appreciates it's simple but elegant story-telling style illustrated by the soft and soothing silhouettes of Van Allsburg's full-color art. The Polar Express is the story of a young boy and his magical journey aboard a mythical train to the North Pole. The reader is taken along this incredible ride and rediscovers the true joy and pure spirit of a child at Christmas. Van Allsburg's beautiful illustrations become as important to the story as the words themselves. These life-like pictures encourage children of ALL ages to explore their own imaginations and to become active participants in the young boy's journey. In the end, the young boy has grown into an old man, but the spirit of Christmas still rings for him, "... as it does for all who truly believe." I hope you enjoy this book half as much as I do.