Even in this day and age, preschoolers love trains! A train-themed storytime will always be popular, and not just with boys. Here in the Bay Area, many children have been on a BART train, or at least seen a train while driving with a parent. Be sure to sing "I've Been Working on the Railroad," and "Down by the Station," www.kididdles.com/lyrics/d008.html along with your usual opening and closing songs. For a craft, there are several you can try. I like to make trains out of shapes - a rectangle for the main portion, a square for a window, a triangle for the cowcatcher, circles for wheels, etc. You can also make a train whistle, following the instructions here: www.everythingpreschool.com/themes/trains/art.htm

Crews, Donald. FREIGHT TRAIN.
   A very simple story that teaches the concept of colors is brought to life in this Caldecott Honor book.

Aylesworth, Jim. COUNTRY CROSSING.
   A rhythmic text and the nighttime setting make this a unique participatory book for storytime.

Merriam, Eve. TRAIN LEAVES THE STATION.
   A rhyming text and brightly colored illustrations make for a great readaloud.

Voake, Charlotte. HERE COMES THE TRAIN.
   Dad and two kids watch a train from the top of an overpass.

Neitzel, Shirley. I'M TAKING A TRIP ON A TRAIN.
   Rebus pictures and a cumulative text make this a storytime winner.

Piper, Wally. THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD.
   A classic that will have the audience repeating ,"I think I can, I think I can…,"

Sturges, Philemon. I LOVE TRAINS.
   A little boy describes the assets of a train, in rhyming text and cartoon illustrations that will appeal to toddlers.

Brown, Margaret Wise. TWO LITTLE TRAINS.
   A new streamlined train and an old-fashioned toy train take similar trips.

Rockwell, Anne. TRAINS.
   With a format seen in all of Rockwell's easy nonfiction books, here the text describes what a train is and why trains are imprtant.

Various. DOWN BY THE STATION.
   This song has been turned into several picture books, including one by Will Hillenbrand that is set in a zoo.

Various. I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE RAILROAD.
   The popular song has been adapted into several picture book versions.

Ziefert, Harriet. TRAIN SONG.
   A rhyming story of a boy with a toy train watching a real train go by.

Lewis, Kevin. CHUGGA CHUGGA CHOO CHOO.
   Listeners will call out the train sounds in this simple rhyming story set on a toy train in a child's bedroom.

Sobel, June. THE GOODNIGHT TRAIN.
   Great for a nighttime storytime, this rhyming tale has plenty of train sounds for the listeners to repeat, along with a description of customary ,"going to bed," routines.