There was nothing wrong with this book. It was just very different from what I was expecting.

Content: nothing to worry about

3 Stars ( )

After she mails an unaddressed, and unstamped, birthday request to an uncle she never met, Kate is taken aback to find Uncle Herbert and his massive present in her family’s front yard the following morning. Her parents want him to return the real life steam engine locomotive, despite it belonging to the daughter they mostly ignore, which causes a short fight between the birthday girl and her parents. Tom, Kate’s younger brother, checks in on her later, sulking in her room, and tells her that the train is actually on fire.

The siblings sneak aboard, and against their Uncle’s warnings, stay on the train when it begins moving and magically heading into the woods. Instead of feeling frightened though, Kate is enjoying the adventurous turn of events until a massive cliff comes into view. Rather than crashing, both Kate and Tom are surprised as the train transports them into a snowy forest where they encounter animals awaiting with tickets on a platform and their uncle working at the rail yard. Ready to go with multiple cars now attached, Kate and Tom get a taste for being conductors of the magical train that travels all over the world. And maybe even beyond…

This story, like a real train, picks up with speed as the reader dives deeper into the pages. I really enjoyed the morals of the story line and how Kate’s eyes are opened to a world that is simultaneously adventurous, scary and complicated. There is a meaningful connection to environmental awareness the author has woven into this magical tale, providing hope in the form of an individual’s light. That being said, I didn't give this five stars because I felt like the author pushed environmentalism a little too strongly. ( )

This was a super fun read. It was what I wanted out of the train to impossible places and did not quite get. I really liked how this focused on the brother and sister realtionship. It also tackled had the right amount of adventure and also harder issued likes climate change and animals going extinct and it was really quick read. I will def be checking out the sequel! ( )

This was a super fun read. It was what I wanted out of the train to impossible places and did not quite get. I really liked how this focused on the brother and sister realtionship. It also tackled had the right amount of adventure and also harder issued likes climate change and animals going extinct and it was really quick read. I will def be checking out the sequel! ( )

This will be a nice read aloud for the family. Great audiobook since Simon Vance is narrating it. ( )