THE TRAIN THEY CALL THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS

Goodman’s Grammy-winning country-music song is resurrected with illustrations rendered in scratchboard and watercolor. McCurdy’s framed and full-bleed spreads add to the folkloric appeal. The people who ride and work on the train and the gritty landscapes outside its windows are intricately etched, with earthy, overlaid color enlivening the black-and-white images. The lyrics (“Deal card games with the old men in the club car / Penny a point, ain’t no keeping score. / Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle / Feel the wheels grumbling ’neath the floor”) aren’t really for youngsters—especially train-obsessed little ones—but music fans, railroad buffs, and folk-art aficionados will appreciate McCurdy’s memorable treatment. An opening map marks the train’s 17 stops between Chicago and New Orleans. (Picture book/nonfiction. 5-9)