Rating: - Thomas and the school trip
In this book tomas is awaiting to take the kids home due to a broke down bus so he is very happy he gets to take these kids home but in the mean while tomas has to run arrons for his boss first he has to make a bunch of stops befor he can return to the train station.

So tomas is racing as fast as he can with all his jobs he has to do and trying to get back to the train station befor Henry is ready James is ready and even Sir topham Hatt is ready but tomas says he will hurry so he chugs and chugs he goes up the hill over the bridge through a tunnel and tomas stops at everystation at last his work is done right on time now he has to hurry back.

But tomas cant hurry tomas has to wait and wait and wait agin oh no will tomas be late will james or henry take the chirlden home? Oh my now what will come ahead it is bertie the bus he has broken down. But tomas wanted to help his friend but then he though he would be much to late h though stop or go help or hurry what do you think tomas should do but tomas cannot leave his friend behind will you take a passenger asks bertie?

Look at last tomas reaches back to the train station it is the hirlden bertie was taking hem home but hten agin hooray for tomas you have saved the day.

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Rating: - Great book to read to toddlers!
We received this book in a book club offer and it was our first experience with Thomas. That said, it's one of our favorites after 4 years of constant reading! The illustrations are SO much better than other books - the children and other characters look more like cartoon drawings instead of the "wooden" figures that you see in the videos. We prefer that in our house quite a bit. Also, the children are so grateful for Thomas picking them up in the end when Bertie breaks down, that one of the little girls gives him a kiss. Thus, sending Thomas into a very cute blush at the end of the story.

A very cute story - Ages newborn up to first to second grade. Highly recommend!

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Rating: - Thomas and the School Tripp: A Good Addition to the Home Library
What a delightful story. It is one of our new favorites and I think it would make a fine addition to the home sheds of many a young Thomas fan.

As the story begins, everyone at the train yard is getting ready. The engines are getting shined up and are waiting... but for what? Why, the local school children are going on an outing.

Well, as we know, Thomas loves children and he very much wants to take them on a ride, but he has work to do on his branch line. Sir Topham Hatt tells him, however, that if he finishes his work fast, that he may take the children home. Thomas works hard to accomplish this goal, but is thwarted by fate, sheep and cows. The book builds excitement about whether Thomas will get back in time.

"Oh, no!
Will Thomas be late?
Will James or Henry take the children home?"

The climax comes when Thomas is finally free to race home, only to be confronted by the scene of his friend, Bertie, who has broken down.

"Thomas wants to help.
But then he will be late-
much too late.
Stop or go.
Help or hurry.
What should Thomas do?"

Well, OF COURSE, Thomas stops to help his friend and it's a good thing he does because Berties' passengers are the very children that Thomas was racing back to see.

The pictures in this little book are great. The drawings show Thomas up close and with lots of facial expression. The print is large and clear. (I don't need my spec's. LOL) But...

...Here is where I have to disagree with the publishers. They say that children from `preschoolers to grade 1' should be able to "recognize familiar words and sound out new words with help."

I've included some text above so you can judge for yourself if the level is appropriate for your child, but in my opinion this is not at kindergarten level.

Five Stars. Great Price. Story and drawings are great, and if your child (like mine) can't read it now, they will be able to in the future.

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Rating: - Loving Children
In this little book we have Thomas, a train who loves children.
The children are going on a school trip, but Thomas has work that he must do and he can't take them. Thomas is sad. Sir Topham Hatt tells Thomas if he does his job and hurries back, he can take them home. On his journey Thomas learns that by doing his job things have a way of working out for us. He learns how important it is to help others. This is a simple book for children to read, with short sentences and colorful illustrations.

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Rating: - Thomas the Tank Engine on a school trip
Briefly the school children are shown as they arrive in their uniforms, the girls are in straw hats with the boys wearing red ties. It is never mentioned where exactly this class trip is and hard to tell by the way they are dressed. What is portrayed is how much fun it would be to be the train that takes the kids on the school trip. Before they depart the trains, known as Henry, Thomas and James are scrubbed so their engines are shiny and bright. " The train yard is ready."

Thomas the Tank Engine is all excited when the children arrive wanting them to see him push and pull. But it turns out that Thomas the Tank Engine has work to do on his regular branch line, which makes him sad as he would rather have fun taking the children on their school trip. " Sir Topham Hat has an idea. Do your job, Thomas. Then hurry back. You can take the children home." This sets the train in motion to rush about his regular routine just so he can take the kids home. What this shows in my opinion is Thomas the Tank Engine slacking off on his duties just so he can have fun. This is not a good message for my son to learn at this point in time.

Instead of the happy Thomas the Tank Engine content on his rides he is sad and thinking of hurrying back for the kids instead of focusing on the task at hand and gets upset when he has to wait for his loads and obstacles along the route. His face is red as he is riding up a hill and over a bridge and then through a tunnel. All the while the coaches Annie and Clarabel are reminding him to hurry back so they can take the children home. If they are late another train will do the job. Up ahead Thomas sees Bertie the Bus broken down, but first he ponders whether he should stop and help or continue on hurrying to get to the station before another train to take the kids home.

My son was able to read through Thomas the Tank Engine and the School Trip several times, but it was boring for him since he knew the ending. He also had many questions like where the kids were going on the trip and why they were all dressed in the same clothes. The last page is a green background that makes the text hard to read for my son also. He also wanted to know about what age the kids were on the school trip. It was hard to tell but they appear to be older like ten to thirteen perhaps.

For kids who are fans of Thomas the Tank Engine they will like the book. I would hope others reading will instill to their children how rushing through a job is not the answer.