I've learned my lesson. Not everything Thomas the Tank Engine is reliably good. This book - picked up in a hurry at the grocery store - is one of the most negative children's book I've ever read.

The Stories
In spite of what it says on the cover, this book is really only 2 stories. The first several "stories" are about Diesel and Duck, belong together, and cannot be understood unless read together and in order. The second story is completely unrelated and is about Percy.

The Diesel story - Diesel arrives in the yard and Sir Topham Hatt asks Duck to show him the ropes. Diesel ingratiates himself with Gordon, Henry, and James, but Duck sees through Diesel and is immediately suspicious of the newcomer. Wanting to put Diesel in his place, Duck assigns him to an impossible task, then laughs at him. Humiliated, Diesel decides to get even and make the other engines dislike Duck. Eventually, Diesel is of course found out.

The Percy story - Through no fault of his own, Percy has been late every day for the past week. This irritates Thomas, who proceeds to call him an ugly and slow. By the end of the story, poor Percy doesn't prevail. Instead, he gives Thomas and Toby even more reason to make fun of him.

Complaints
As you can see from my descriptions above, these stories are really negative. Beyond that, though, they teach my son things I don't really want him to know.

First, the phrase "shut up" is used, which my 2-year-old has never heard before, and no parent really wants their child saying that. I now insert "be quiet" instead, but I have to wonder what the publishers were thinking by using that ugly phrase.

Second, I don't agree with the lessons "taught" by these books. Duck wronged Diesel in the beginning, and then we're supposed to feel sympathy for him when Diesel gets back at him. In the Percy story, he's made fun of from beginning to end, and at no point in the story is Thomas sorry, nor is there a point made anywhere about Percy's feelings being hurt. We're evidently supposed to just laugh at poor little Percy right along with everyone else.

I absolutely detest this book and really wish I'd read it before buying it for my son.

There's my lesson learned.

FIND RELATED REVIEWS BELOW

Books
Thomas: The Really Useful Engine

Wooden Railway System
Annie - Thomas' Beloved Coach
Barrel Car
Bertie the Bus
Clarabel- Thomas' Beloved Coach
Edward the Blue Engine
Gordon the Big Express Engine
Harold the Helicoptor
Henry the Green Engine
James the Red Engine
Lady
Percy the Small Engine
Rusty with Construction Cars
Thomas the Tank Engine
Tidmouth Milk Tanker
Toby the Tram Engine
Arched Stone Bridge
Single Stone Tunnel
6.5 inch Curved Switch Track
6.5 inch Curved Track
Circle Set

Buying Thomas
All Aboard Toys

Train Table
Nilo Train Table

Recommended: No