Are you a parent looking to spice up your late-night parenting routine? Do you find yourself wishing for more bonding time with your little one in the wee hours? If your child’s obsession with Thomas the Tank Engine has you yearning for a more spine-tingling alternative, then prepare for the chilling arrival of Stephen King’s latest children’s book, Charlie the Choo Choo.
Penned under the alias Beryl Evans, this eerie tale stars Charlie, a “gruff” (read: psychopathic) train with an unsettling grin and lifeless eyes, who shares a sinister friendship with his conductor, Engineer Bob. When Bob’s boss, Mr. Briggs, informs him that Charlie is being retired to make room for a newer model, things take a dark turn. Left to rust in a train yard, Charlie begins to reflect on his wasted existence and impending demise, making bedtime stories a bit creepier with a cheerful reminder: “Remember, one day we will all become old, abandoned, and dead. Good night.”
While Amazon touts the book as suitable for ages 4-8, we might raise an eyebrow at that claim. King crafted this book as part of the promotional campaign for the upcoming film adaptation of his Dark Tower series, which is set to premiere in February, featuring Idris Elba. In The Waste Lands, the third book of the series, a character named Jake encounters Charlie the Choo Choo and immediately senses something is off: “As he looked down at the cover, Jake found that he did not trust the smile on Charlie the Choo-Choo’s face.” If that isn’t enough to send shivers down your spine, what is?
So, what we have here is a real children’s book birthed from a fictitious one, with the underlying theme that the train may not have the best intentions. Although it’s labeled as a story of “friendship, loyalty, and hard work,” the unsettling lyrics to Charlie’s favorite song hint at a darker reality:
“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.”
After being left to rust, Charlie ominously alters his tune:
“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.”
Oh my, Charlie! Keep that away from the kids!
Charlie the Choo Choo may be better suited for fearless youngsters and adults who revel in King’s style. While we admire Stephen King’s genius, we’re not sure we’re ready to display that cover in our homes. With Charlie’s face reminiscent of a train with sinister motives and the children possibly screaming in delight or terror, we might just pass on this one. Still, it could serve as a quirky collector’s item for fans eagerly awaiting the Dark Tower film featuring Idris Elba.
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In summary, Stephen King’s Charlie the Choo Choo presents a unique twist on children’s literature that might leave parents questioning its appropriateness. While it offers a quirky connection to the Dark Tower series, the unsettling themes may not be suitable for all young readers.