Description

Speed. Color. Sound. Numbers. Maps. Connections. Navigation. Subway systems may be specific to certain cities around the world, but the pure thrill of a subway ride is universal to all young children.

Christoph Niemann’s graphically elegant and playful picture book is a tour de force for preschoolers and a stellar addition to the canon of books about trains, trucks, planes, and automobiles.

Based on the author’s own underground adventures with his young boys—chronicled for adult readers in Niemann’s New York Times blog, Abstract City—this innovative picture book is an invitation down underground, where a system of trains and tracks delivers millions of riders to their destinations each day.

“Underneath the city is this beautifully simple system of letters, numbers, and colors. The trains and stations are huge and impressive but also comforting, because nothing ever changes. My boys are in charge; they can read the signs, navigate the grid, and they always know what happens next.”—Christoph Niemann

About the Author

Christoph Niemann is an illustrator, author, and animator. His work has been the subject of numerous museum retrospectives and appears regularly on the covers of the New Yorker and the New York Times Magazine. His acclaimed books for children include Words, The Pet Dragon, and Subway. Christoph Niemann lives in Berlin, Germany, with his family.

Christoph Niemann is an illustrator, author, and animator. His work has been the subject of numerous museum retrospectives and appears regularly on the covers of the New Yorker and the New York Times Magazine. His acclaimed books for children include Words, The Pet Dragon, and Subway. Christoph Niemann lives in Berlin, Germany, with his family.

Praise For…

“Distinctively urban and bold…train lovers everywhere will enjoy this picture-book ride.” — ALA Booklist

“This artistic tour de force will appeal to New Yorkers and visitors alike.” — Kirkus Reviews

“An abundance of droll details will delight regular straphangers and stir the imaginations of transportation-obsessed children.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A sure hit with most youngsters, especially those who are transfixed by trains.” — School Library Journal