Are you a parent who craves a little less sleep and a bit more midnight bonding time with your little ones? Have you had enough of that endless Thomas the Tank Engine phase? Well, look no further than Stephen King’s latest venture into the world of children’s literature, Charlie the Choo Choo.
Published under the pseudonym Beryl Evans, this peculiar tale follows Charlie, a “gruff” little engine with a sinister grin and vacant eyes, who shares a special bond with his conductor, Engineer Bob. But when Bob’s boss, Mr. Briggs, decides it’s time for Charlie to retire in favor of a shiny new diesel engine, things take a dark turn. As Charlie rusts away in the train yard, he reflects on his wasted existence and impending demise. Perfect bedtime material, right? Just imagine tucking your kids in with a cheerful, “Good night! Just remember, we all eventually fade away!”
Amazon suggests this book is suitable for ages 4-8, but we might beg to differ. Created to promote the upcoming movie adaptation of King’s Dark Tower series, this book features a chilling nod to the original story. In The Waste Lands, a boy named Jake discovers Charlie the Choo Choo and immediately senses that something is off about the train’s grin: “You look happy, but I think that’s just the mask you wear.” Nothing like a little existential dread for the kiddos, right?
So, here we have a genuine children’s book inspired by a fictional one—where the child in the story perceives the train as having ill intentions. The upcoming book, set to release on November 22nd, isn’t outright scary, but let’s be honest: would you really feel comfortable letting that train babysit your kids? While it’s marketed as “a story about friendship, loyalty, and hard work,” it also features a train whose favorite tune goes:
“Don’t ask me silly questions, I won’t play silly games, I’m just a simple choo-choo train, and I’ll always be the same, I only want to race along, beneath a bright blue sky, and be a happy choo-choo train, until the day I die.”
Yikes! And the last two lines take a darker twist after Charlie’s abandonment:
“Now that I can’t race along, beneath a bright blue sky, I guess that I’ll just sit right here, until I finally die.”
Whoa there, Charlie! This is a children’s book, after all!
Charlie the Choo Choo may be best suited for fearless kids and adults who are die-hard fans of King’s Dark Tower saga. While we adore Stephen King’s work, we might hesitate to display that cover in our homes. With Charlie’s unsettling grin—clearly the face of a train that could have taken out Thomas—and the dubious joy of the children in the caboose, we might just be too squeamish for this ride. However, it could make for a fun collector’s item for those eager to see Idris Elba in the Dark Tower movie.
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In summary, Charlie the Choo Choo is a curious blend of children’s literature and horror, ideal for those who enjoy a touch of the macabre in their bedtime stories. While not overtly frightening, it certainly raises questions about what lies beneath that cheerful exterior.