This historical picture book about 1930s Baltimore residents beating
the heat the old-fashioned way--by riding a trolley!-- is filled with
fascinating information on public transit and staying cool before the
advent of air conditioning.
Everyone in Baltimore is hot and sticky, from little Hazel playing on
the slide to the grandma knitting on the porch. So when evening comes,
they all jump at the chance for a little "cool off and ride." The whole
neighborhood-from the Taylor twins to Grandpa, and even the dog!--piles
onto a breezy homemade roller coaster, a city trolley!
In this charming, rhythmic romp, Claudia Friddell and Jenn Harney take
us back to a time before air conditioning when you had to cool off any
way you could. And the Cool Off and Ride Program was certainly a popular
way! More than 8,000 people rode the trolleys every evening in the
summer. Taking the streetcar brought the whole neighborhood together,
and everyone's fares helped keep the Baltimore streetcars running. This
STEAM title is a terrific read-aloud that will also educate kids about
weather and the history of transit in the United States.