Shortcut

Shortcut is a picture book by Donald Crews, the Caldecott Honor artist who created Bigmama's and Freight Train. It is a companion to Bigmama's.

After a long day of play it is getting late, and seven children decide to take the shortcut home to Bigmama's. That means walking along the train tracks, even though they know they should always take the road. At first the coast seems clear.

The story is exciting and builds suspense, so young listeners will stay on the edge of their seats. It carries a clear but unspoken lesson and ends happily. It works well as a read-aloud at home or in a classroom, and it helps children ages 3 to 6 learn how to share details of place when telling a story. Together, Shortcut and Bigmama's celebrate family bonds across generations.