ABOUT THE BOOK

C Train is a STEAM-based series and the first from the creative environmental and education company, The Circle Tales. This debut picture book for children ages 4-8 delightfully tells the tale of how a New York City subway train finds a new home thanks to an old friend. Created by environmentalist Brigette P. Allen, written by Meredith Rusu (author of There’s a Yeti in my Tummy, Anna, Elsa, and the Enchanting Holiday, Silenzio, Bruno!, and The DATA Set and written for many popular licenses including LEGO, Disney/Pixar, Peppa Pig, and Star Wars) and illustrated by Ángela Atuesta. C Train is a whimsical, engaging and beautifully illustrated picture book about a New York City subway train that finds a new purpose.

Above the city streets are bustling with activity and below the C Train happily takes people from all walks of life to their destinations. The train’s favorite passenger is Maya, a Latinx girl with a star barrette who loves the ocean and tells the train stories about sea life. The subway loves Maya’s stories and begins to wonder, “Where do sea creatures sleep?” Time passes and the train’s favorite rider grows up to become an engineer, all the while C Train grows older and less reliable until she is finally retired. A surprised C Train encounters Maya again, and the old friends embark on a new journey together. 

The first book in the The Circle Tales series introduces children to the concept of repurposing something at the end of its “useful life” and the creation of artificial reefs, inspired by Brigette P. Allen’s niece and the true story of the New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority repurposing old subway cars by placing them on the ocean floor as part of an artificial reef program. C Train is a “magical, messy, and marvelous” story that helps children make a connection between city and ocean life, between re-use and the environment.  

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brigette Allen, is a Sustainability and Environmentalist expert, author and the creator behind The Circle Tales a series of illustrated picture books, activities and videos that encourage children to find inventive solutions to the most pressing environmental issues of our time. Brigette is also a former investment banker, venture capitalist, and Director of Partnerships for Plastic Oceans International who now runs a consultancy business to help personal care, food and beverage, pharmaceutical and travel companies implement scalable solutions to the single-use plastic problem. She is the co-author of Living Without Plastic (Artisan 2020) and her passion is environmental change through storytelling and to write books with practical tips for people to incorporate into their daily lives. She is a firm believer that producing and consuming more responsibly will have a positive and lasting impact on the environment.

TALKING POINTS

• Reducing and recycling plastic, and using alternative materials to plastic. 

• Implementing circular systems and advocating for a circular economy to encourage the continual use of resources.

• How to write a children’s book with tips on storytelling, book publishing and building a publishing company.

• Connecting children with purposeful and engaging activities and ideas to help the environment through critical thinking by encouraging them to come up with solutions of their own.

• Repurposing materials to avoid the landfill, such as creating artificial coral reefs like the subway train in Allen’s first children’s book, C Train; even though it may not always be easy or effective. The hope is that as these children grow up they won’t be afraid to question and will one day design what they own or create to be more recyclable, reusable, biodegradable, etc. 

• STEAM education as a significant component of early childhood education so children learn from an early age about materials and where they go at the end of their “useful life”. 

• Brigette P. Allen’s past experience as a Finance expert is also available to discuss topics on measuring business profitability including why implementing circular systems will actually reduce companies costs over the long run. .

• Connecting with audiences on environmental topics in English and in Spanish, Brigette organized an event together with the Colombian delegation for the United Nations’ inaugural Ocean Conference in 2018 on the impact of single-use plastic on the oceans.