Kids into books: Boxer

Author: Ian Charlton

Illustrator: Trish Bowles

Publisher: Mallinson Rendel $ 11.95

Age Group: 6-10 years

Charlie jumps in the air. He's only five years old and he gets a bit excited sometimes.

'A train! A train, Dot. Hooray!'

'The lizards know they'll get squashed if they stay on the tracks.'

Charlie grabs my hand. 'We'd better get off too.'

'Wait.'

I bend down and place my hands on the iron. I can feel the train coming from a long way away.

Then I lean lower and put my ear against a track. Now I hear the rumble of the big engine, of metal on metal coming closer and closer.

I stand up. Charlie is watching from the paddock. The grass is so tall that he looks as if he's hiding in it.

'Quick!' he shouts. 'Or you'll get squashed.'

The train is coming nearer. It slithers towards us, hissing like a giant black snake through the paddocks.