Old tracks, new tricks by Jessica Petersen

Three tracks sit in the store, dreaming of the fun they could have if someone took them home. A few fancy tricks and they're going home in a little boy's pocket, ready for fun!

But when they join the other tracks (many of them well-worn) and three train cars, they discoverThe illusta that it's not as much fun as they expected. The trains insist that the track just lie down and let them run on them in the same old patterns.

When the three tracks show the other tracks their tricks, they decide to do things a little differently. At first, the trains are skeptical, but then they realize they can all have more fun together if they improvise and try new things!

The story is told in bouncy rhyme and ends with several pages of suggestions for trying new things with train tracks and building. Tips include keeping a journal of your activities, trying again when things don't work as you expected, and a full gallery of all the train tricks included in the books, from making track art to jumping ramps.

The illustrations are photographs of the various train tricks and arrangements with eyes/faces photoshopped onto the pieces (as you can see on the cover).

Verdict: I can see so many uses for this book, not just in storytime for kids who like trains and building things, but also in programming, for sparking imagination, and in STEM programs. Strongly recommended.

ISBN: 9781943147236; Published 2017 by The Innovation Press; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Purchased for the library