The best of the "Little Golden Books" series were first published in that Golden Era, the early 1950s. There was a simple naivety to childhood then. A child's world was uncomplicated and full of innocence. "The Little Red Caboose" is a classic children's book from that period. The fact that it is still popular and in print tells us what a timeless classic it is.

The story could not be simpler. The caboose always came last. He was sad because the loco and the wagons got all the waves from the children. He thought, "nobody cares for me".

However, one day, the train was so heavily loaded that it started to slip backwards when going up a tall mountain. The caboose slammed on his brakes and kept the train from sliding backwards. He saves the train.

The illustrations by Tibor Gergely are what make this book so appealing. The scenes are full of life and activity, be it the forests with its friendly animals and the colourful towns, farms with lots of happy people.

Everybody loves the era of steam trains with their solid, comforting dependability. Go back and revisit the world of "The Little Red Caboose". There were still some horses and buggies on the roads back then, but there is a portent of the busier modern world soon to come. In one scene we see an airliner in the sky.

Tibor Gergely was a great children's book illustrator from this period. In addition to his artwork in the Caboose you can enjoy his illustrations in those other "Little Golden Book" classics, "Scuffy the Tugboat" and "Tootle". These three books are perfect companions in any young person's library.