The Polar Express

The Polar Express, written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg. What can I say? I have never been a huge fan of The Polar Express, the idea is cutsie enough, but I never got past the fact that a train that was supposed to go around the world to pick up children to meet Santa,, that is was filled entirely with white children, usually blonds. I do not think that I would share this book to children, I mean the main idea is about preserving childhood innocence, and that might be a cool and all as a "just for fun" story, but I think there are better stories that don't focus on Aryan supremacy, but still convey the same message. It could be a story to read to kids, but I personally would not think that I would be comfortable reading it in a public school district. The policy on stories about Santa probably vary from district to district, but still I do not think I would be comfortable, just based on all of my training in the University so far on teaching in the public school setting. Now to the positives of the book; the illustrations are wonderfully clean and vivid, very fancifully, but still an idealized version of children who are privileged enough to enjoy a Christmas.