Donald Crews
Recognized in the Creative Minds Montessori 2026 Teacher’s Choice list.
Donald Crews is one of roughly one hundred authors whose work was selected by the Montessori-certified teachers at Creative Minds Montessori for the 2026 Teacher’s Choice list — 120 books chosen across four reading stages, from first lap-reads to first chapter books. The selected book was chosen for how precisely it meets children at a real developmental moment. This recognition cannot be bought: no author or publisher paid to appear on our lists, and we take no commission on any book sale.
About Donald Crews
Donald Crews is a design-school-trained artist whose bold, graphic picture books — two Caldecott Honors, including Freight Train — taught a generation that minimalism could thrill toddlers. His specialty is motion made visible.
Freight Train grew from childhood summers riding the rails south to his grandparents' Florida farm, watching trains from the window — the book is dedicated to those trips.
Also by this author: Truck · School Bus · Bigmama's
Publisher page: www.harpercollins.ca/author/cr-167257/donald-crews
Selected for the 2026 Teacher’s Choice list
Part of The Best Children’s Books by Age, chosen by the teachers at Creative Minds Montessori in Frisco, TX.