About Ivo Hugh - Zoo Cars

The Ivo Hugh with Zoo Cars pack is actually three cars. There is Ivo Hugh, a small red engine with his name on the side, the hippopotamus car -- which is a blue car with sodor zoo written on the side and a hippopotamus inside, and the last train car -- a yellow and purple boxcar with a sliding door revealing pictures of animals.

Ivo Hugh works on the Skarloey railroad. I have been unable to find any mention of him in any videos or stories. I can't find anything about his personality either, and that is explained a bit here if you are interested.

In my household we play with the wooden or metal Thomas train sets everyday and have for over a year. We were introduced to Thomas on a short plane trip-the family behind us was entertaining their twin toddlers boys (about 20 months old) with several trains. My boy was fascinated with them and the family gave us a train. I think the train was Duncan, and they said they had several of him.

In all the books and videos, the general message to our children is that the trains are hard workers who try to get along with their friends. Most of the trains, like Thomas and Percy, are always striving to "be really useful engines". Typical storylines are about trains that disobey or play tricks and then get into a scrape because of it and later, wish they hadn't -- or about two trains who aren't getting along, and then they find a way to make up. I really like the general themes of most of these stories - when my child reenacts the stories I feel he is teaching himself life lessons.

All Thomas trains are high quality and very durable. Most of our trains come used either from ebay or from friends and relatives then they all work great despite minor cosmetic flaws. Thomas trains are one of those things that your children can pass on to their children. I am certain Thomas will still be very popular when I am a grandparent.