Book Review: Thomas Gets Tricked

Thomas Gets Tricked and Other Stories based on the Railway Series by the Rev. W. Awdry As seen on the television show Shining Time Station (which used to have Ringo Starr as the conductor).

Anyway, this is an older Thomas book. The pictures are actual photographs of train layouts. It's not the new Thomas books that are mass-produced drawing of choo-choos. These characters are older, more grizzled, more likeable, more real. It's also very British. All the engines chuff this and chuff that. They get cross with one another, and when they are happy, everything is splendid.

Here are some excerpts from the book:

Then-along came Sir Topham Hatt, the man in charge of all the engines on the
Island of Sodor.
"We will pull you out," said Sir Topham Hatt. But Henry only blew
steam at him.
Everyone pulled except Sir Topham Hatt. "Beacause," he said, "my
doctor has forbidden me to pull."

That really does sound like the man in charge, doesn't it. I'd like to point out, that by the 20th time through the story in one sitting, I refer to the Island of Sodor as the Island of Sodomy. It's just "funner" that way, but with lines like these, I can't help it.

"Ooh! I'm stiff, I'm stiff," he groaned.

"Pull hard. We'll do it. Pull hard. We'll do it," they puffed together.
"We've done it together. We've done it together," said Edward and
Henry.
Sir Topham Hatt leaned out of the window to wave at Edward and Henry, but the train was going so fast that his hat blew off into a field where a goat ate it for tea.

So, I love this book. It's got humor on many levels. It actually has a plot. The characters are likeable, and the pictures are incredibly detailed. I keep thinking about the person who designed the model railroad and how could I get that job.

So thumbs down to new Thomas. Thumbs up for Old Thomas.

Also, I bought some "classic" Clifford the Big Red Dog books on e-bay (along with some Little Golden Books). Love them. Hate the new, inane Clifford books we have. Am thinking of "losing" them when we're out one day.

Oh my gosh, I was just adding the link to the book on amazon, when I discovered that Thomas Gets Tricked is available on VHS starring Ringo Starr, Michael Angelis, George Carlin, and Alec Baldwin. Isn't George Carlin the seven words you can't say on TV guy? How did he wind up in kiddie videos?

Apparently, the photos in the book are acutally stills from the movie. See, it's educational here.