Choo Choo Read!

I am constantly reading new middle grade fiction and there have have been some exceptional books published this year. Coincidentally, two of the books that I particularly enjoyed are mystery/adventures set on historic steam engine trains.

Going chronologically the first book, The Boundless, by Kenneth Oppel takes place primarily in the Canadian Wilderness during the end of the 19th century. Oppel is well known for writing the Silverwing trilogy, but you will not find any talking bats in this book.

Will Everitt had the honor of pounding the final spike into the Canadian transcontinental railway.  A few years later he is a passenger aboard the Boundless; the largest, longest, most luxurious steam locomotive ever built.  There are cars with swimming pools, restaurants, gardens, theaters, etc. The most important car, however, is the funeral car of, Cornelius Van Horne, the rail baron who designed the Boundless, but died before the train's inaugural journey. Loaded with gold bars, priceless art, and other treasures collected by Van Horne; the funeral car is a target for murderous thieves. It is up to Will and Miraculous Maren, a circus wire walker and escape artist, to protect the Boundless and stop the criminals in their tracks (ha ha you know I love puns!). 

One of the things that I love about The Boundless is how Oppel weaves a few threads of fantasy in with the historical fiction. Don't get me wrong, the historical content (the building of the transcontinental railroad, class division and inequality, steam engines, etc.) is fascinating and it makes a remarkable backdrop for the mystery and action. The inclusion of Sasquatch, wendigo, and some other mystical creatures makes The Boundless even more fun to read, though.

There is also a very intriguing homage to The Picture of Dorian Grey and that is all I am going to say, because I don't want to give anything away.

Now as a warning, the book does contain violence and some darker themes so I would recommend The Boundless for readers above the age of 11.

Lantern Sam and the Blue Streak Bandits by Michael D. Beil is also a mystery that takes place on a train, but it is more appropriate for younger readers. You could probably guess that from the cover since the title character is a talking cat.

It is the mid 1930s and Henry Shipley is returning home from New York City on the Lake Eerie Shoreliner train. Soon after boarding the train Henry becomes friends with the incredibly wealthy Ellie Strasbourg, Clarence the Conductor, and Lantern Sam, Clarence's cat. Amazingly Henry is one of the few people that can hear Sam talking much to Ellie's chagrin. When Ellie is kidnapped for ransom Sam and Henry work together to find her and stop the thieves from getting away with Mrs. Strasbourg's priceless jeweled necklace, the blue streak.

In alternating chapters Sam narrates the history of his previous lives with lots of amiable snarkiness (I am pretty sure that is not a word, but I hope you know what I mean by snark). Alternating narrators can sometimes confuse younger readers, but there is a change in font which helps differentiate the voices. I think that most kids will love hearing how Sam used up his early lives and how he came to live on the Lake Eerie Shoreliner train.

I found Lantern Sam and the Blue Streak Bandits to be lighthearted fun with a good dose of slapstick thrown in. It is perfect for kids who love funny books and/or mysteries. Lantern Sam could also be a great read-aloud for kids not quite ready to tackle it on their own too.