Written by Watty Piper. Illustrated by George & Doris Hauman. Republished, 1961. Platt & Munk, Publishers, New York.
The Little Engine That Could is a classic children's story that teaches the value of perseverance and optimism. The story follows a train of toys and food that is stranded on a mountain when its engine breaks down. The toys ask several passing engines for help, but they all refuse for various reasons. Finally, a small blue engine agrees to try to pull the train over the mountain, even though she has never done it before. She repeats the mantra "I think I can" as she chugs along, and eventually succeeds in reaching the other side. The story ends with the toys and children celebrating her achievement and thanking her for her kindness.
Watty Piper was a pseudonym used by Arnold Munk, who was born in Hungary and immigrated to the United States as a child. He became the co-owner of Platt & Munk, a publishing house based in New York City. He wrote and edited many children's books under the name Watty Piper, most notably The Little Engine That Could, which was published in 1930. The story was based on an American folktale that had been circulating since the early 1900s, and it became a classic of children's literature with its message of optimism and perseverance.
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Condition*: Very Good/Very Good. Dust jacket: Light shelf wear; lightly bumped at corners; small closed tear at head of the spine; creased front and back at head of the spine; small closed tear at fore edge of back flap. Black-embossed yellow cloth cover boards. Child's first name in upper right corner of front flyleaf. Pages are clean, undamaged, and complete.
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Reviews (1)
Average:
Dec 20, 2023
A perfect addition for my art journaling.
Terilyn Tapia