All about Reverend W. Awdry

Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry, often known as Reverend W. Awdry, was the wonderful man who created the famous "Thomas the Tank Engine" stories. He was born on June 15, 1911, in England. As a child, Wilbert loved trains and would often watch them go by. When he grew up, he became a church minister, but he never forgot his love for trains.

One day, when his son Christopher was sick, Wilbert decided to cheer him up by telling him stories about a little blue engine named Thomas and his friends who lived on the Island of Sodor. Christopher loved the stories so much that Wilbert decided to write them down and share them with other children.

In 1945, the first book, "The Three Railway Engines," was published, and soon many more books followed. The stories became very popular and eventually turned into a TV show called "Thomas & Friends," which children all around the world enjoy.

Reverend Awdry wrote 26 books about Thomas and his friends. Even after he stopped writing, his son Christopher continued the series. Reverend Awdry passed away in 1997, but his delightful train stories continue to make children happy. His love for trains and storytelling has created a magical world that will be cherished for generations.

1. When was Reverend W. Awdry born?
2. What did Reverend Awdry become when he grew up?
3. What was the name of the first book Reverend Awdry published?
4. Why do you think Reverend Awdry's stories about Thomas became so popular?
5. How do you think Reverend Awdry felt when he saw children enjoying his stories?

Symbols and Traditions

Hi everyone! My name is Nathan, and I am 8 years old. Today, I want to tell you about my amazing visit to Sodor! Do you know who Reverend W. Awdry is? He is the person who created Thomas the Tank Engine and all his friends. I was so excited to visit the place where all the stories happened.

We went to a really cool tourist attraction called the Sodor Steamworks. It was just like in the books and TV show! There were lots of trains that looked like Thomas, Percy, and James. I even got to ride on a train that looked just like Thomas! There were also fun activities like building with train tracks and listening to stories about Sodor. I learned that Reverend W. Awdry wrote the stories for his son when he was sick. Isn’t that nice?

After the Steamworks, we went to the gift shop. I got a Thomas the Tank Engine toy to remember my trip. I had so much fun and I can’t wait to go back to Sodor again. If you love trains and Thomas, you should visit Sodor too!

1. Who is Reverend W. Awdry and why is he famous?
2. What was the name of the tourist attraction Nathan visited in Sodor?
3. Why did Reverend W. Awdry write the stories about Thomas the Tank Engine?
4. How did Nathan feel about his visit to Sodor?
5. What would you do if you visited Sodor? Describe an activity you would enjoy.

Profile of Reverend W. Awdry

A Timeline of Reverend W. Awdry to another Festival

After learning all about Reverend W. Awdry, your job is to create a timeline of their life. You should add all the important events in their life but you can be inventive and add some interesting things that people might like to read about. You can make it as simply as you like with pen and paper or you can be very inventive and create a 3D diorama or hanging banner. The sky's the limit - go for it!

Slideshow - Reverend W. Awdry
A full set of teaching plans for Reverend W. Awdryteaching.