The Polar Express: 40th Anniversary Edition with free audiobook read by Liam Neeson

This has always been my favourite Christmas Eve film. When I saw this book I knew I just had to have it. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful and I just love the story. A great addition to the bookshelf to be shared with family members for years to come.

Beautiful story and illustration!

A lovely book. Just like the movie.

Anyone expecting this book to be the story of the film will be slightly disappointed, the film builds on the bones of the story and expands it, slightly losing the simplicity along the way. Both book and story have the same values though - BELIEF! The story bridges that gap in childhood that comes when the realisation dawns that Father Christmas is not a real person, but tells that there is still something to believe in your heart. In this beautifully illustrated book, the boy has a huge adventure on Christmas eve, travelling to the North Pole on a vast Steam Train, journeying through the frozen wastes to Santa's home where the elves are preparing his sleigh. The boy is chosen to receive the first gift of Christmas and, not wishing to be greedy, chooses a silver bell from the reindeer harness, which slips through a hole in his pocket and is lost. It would spoil the story to tell the outcome - you will have to read it yourself!! The verson I bought also has a CD with the story read by Liam Neeson, twice. The first part straightforwardly, in the second a silver bell rings when it is time to turn the page and so a child who canot read can enjoy the magnificent pictures in context. I cannot recommend this book too highly for all believers and almost believers. As a companion to the DVD it is perfect.

The pictures in this book were lovely and it was easy for us to read. I was a bit disappointed in that it was a bit shorter than I thought it would be - you get a very short version of the story and even my 5 year old could have handled a few more words and pages. It is such a lovely movie and there is a lot more in it. However, we enjoyed reading it by the fire and it made us all feel very Christmassy. Even my older kids loved getting involved because they loved the film from their past too.

Such a special story

The toddler that it was brought for loved it

Perfect book to accompany our trip on the Poker Express train ride at Christmas