The Little Engine That Could (1930)

A great children's book ( )

I have a policy of refusing to own books that I wouldn't read for my own enjoyment *BECAUSE I DO NOT ENJOY THEM*. For this book only, I relaxed the criterion. There's a Little Engine That Could board game, complete with a big hill for little engines to climb. Small children love it. It needs the book for context.

Reading Level: 5-6 years; Young Readers Choice Awards

When the other engines refuse, the Little Blue Engine tries to pull a stranded train full of dolls, toys, and good food over the mountain.

The Little Engine That Could was one of my childhood "heroes" so to speak. The message given in this short story related to positive thinking and the willingness to try, even if you are not certain of the outcome is one that modern children should be taught early and often. Kids should take inspiration from The Little Engine That Could instead of liberal politicians who tell them that they simply can't do something for various reasons. I'm retired now, have tried many things and failed at some of them... actually many of them. That said, I've lived a pretty adventurous life and while I have regrets, very few of them are that I didn't try something new because I was unsure whether or not I would succeed. ( )