This is a great story about a train that doesn't have good memories associated with it. It's also a great story about teaching children and future generations about the past, or it will slip through the cracks, be forgotten, and repeat itself.

A young Mi'gmaq girl meets her uncle on the way home from school, and when she asks him why he looks so sad, he tells her the story of being taken away on a train to a residential school when he was a child. The subject matter is handled in an age appropriate way, though it could have been a little longer. The artwork is nicely done, with brighter colors for the present and grays and blues for the past. A heartbreaking addition to the recent books about residential schools in Canada; I hope U.S. publishers will follow suit and publish books about our country's residential schools as well.

#TheTrain #NetGalley

The Residential School scandal is one that Canada is trying to reconcile with its native people. It is a dark time in Canadian History and one that needs to be taught to all children. There is a lot of racism toward Canada's Native People and this might be one small way to bring some understanding. In this story Ashley is walking home from school one day when she finds her uncle sitting by the abandoned tracks of the old train station. He tells her about the time when the children from reservations all over Canada were taken from their families and placed in Residential Schools. While there, they were not allowed to speak their language or follow their customs. They wanted to erase the native way of life. How tragic for these children to be torn away from their families and often abused in various ways while at these schools. Ashley's uncle stresses not only the importance of remembering this part of their history so that it does not happen again, but also to remember what these children and their families lost because of these events.

This book is beautifully written and illustrated. The writing is descriptive that combined with the illustrations you feel like you are there and can feel Uncle's pain. This book would be of great use when teaching about this time in Canada's history. I think it would work with junior classrooms when learning about the development of the country, but also when learning about social justice and racism.

This is a beautiful and accessibly story about the lasting effect of residential schools on indigenous people in Canada. I really like that it was told as a reflection, a story being passed from one generation to another.

I’ve now encountered a number of picture books geared at introducing young children to the topic of Indian residential schools in Canada. This is not one of the better examples. Georgia Lesley’s pastel illustrations are bright and attractive enough, and some Mi’kmaq (East Coast indigenous) vocabulary is used in the narrative—all pluses. The problem is that Jodie Callaghan’s story itself is pretty lame and anemic. Ashley, a young child, is on her way home from school. She’s met by her great uncle, who informs her he’s waiting for the train to come in at a defunct railroad station. The reader gets the sense that this uncle’s appearance in the field isn’t a regular feature of Ashley’s day, but now, all of a sudden, the old man is here holding forth about indigenous children being taken away by train from their families many years ago. Why it should occur to him at this particular time to wait for a train “to bring back to us what it took away that day” is not clear. Although a cursory overview of the residential school experience is woven into the story (including the haircuts, the separation from siblings, and the banning of indigenous language), almost no historical context is given for young readers, and the prose is stilted and awkward. This is not an essential purchase for school or public libraries. Melanie Florence’s Stolen Words is a far more compelling and moving picture book for introducing kids to this sad chapter in Canadian history.

This tells such an important story, but I feel like the amount of text is more fitting in a longer book. This is an amazing way to educate kids on what really happened in the past, but it might be a little too dense for the intended audience.

A beautiful and evocative story about a young girl, Ashley, who finds her uncle sitting alone next to train tracks overgrown with weeds. When Ashley asks him why he sits there, he explains that he waits for what they lost that day to come back. This opens up a conversation about the residential school system in Canada (similar to the Indian Boarding School system in the United States) and how it traumatized generations of children.

The beautiful illustrations keep the book from feeling too dark, and the author brings up an important concept for children and adults alike--learning to sit with someone in their pain. A glossary of Mi'gmaq words at the end helps readers understand unfamiliar words.

Parents, teachers, librarians, and lawmakers need to read this important book in order to understand how decisions made in the past continue to affect the present and the future.

Residential schools can be a difficult topic to discuss with lower elementary school students. Books like this, which are local to the region I live it, make it a lot easier to tell these stories in a child friendly way. I plan on adding this book to my classroom library and to use it as a tool in teaching Mi’kmaq history and treaty education. Thank you!

This is a sad story that deals with the history of how native children were taken to the residential schools. It uses the abandoned train tracks to start and end the story. A young girl listens to the experiences of her great-uncle.

Going in, I didn't at first realize that the book was about the residential schools. I wish the author had made it a little more clear in the opening pages.

A quiet book to introduce a tough subject.

**Note: I received a free copy of this title from the people at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

Thank you to Netgalley and Second Story Press for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"I'm waiting for what we lost that day to come back to us" - Ashley's great uncle
Ashley is a Mi'gmaq young girl walking home from school. (Mi'gmaq being a First Nations people of Canada) when she encounters her great uncle, her grandpa Timmy's brother. He is at a train tracks. She asks what he is doing, and he explains to her about a train that used to go through this area. Through simple yet beautiful language, Uncle explains to Ashley in a very gentle way the story of the residential schools.
Uncle tells how the train always brought in supplies, but one day it took the children to residential schools, where their hair was cut, they were taught to speak and practice religion in the same way as the white people. Once he is done with his story, Ashley asks why he is at the tracks. At this time he tells her he is waiting for what they lost to be returned to them.
Residential schools are a sad and shameful part of history in both Canada and the United States. Native children were taken away from their homes and placed into boarding schools where they were forced to give up their native language, religion, etc. and assimilate to the way of the European people who had invaded their land and taken over. They are also something that children, native and the descendants of the Europeans, should be taught about. We need to know and understand what happened so it does not happen again. Callaghan's book is a step in the right direction toward that end.
At the end of the book, Callaghan places a note that says "It is estimated that over 150,000 Indigenous children in Canada were sent to residential schools where they were forced to live away from their families and their communities. While at the schools, the children were often mistreated and weren't allowed to speak their native languages or practice their traditions. These children were survivors".
This book is a fantastic way to start to teach children about the horrible things that happened in the past, and give them a basis for empathy toward the people who were victimized. It is a great way to introduce this topic in simple, easy to understand words.
Jodi Callaghan is a First Nations woman from the Mi'gmaq Nation.

Ashley spots her uncle, all alone, waiting by the old train tracks on her way home from school. Whatever could he be doing there she wonders? When she gets closer to him she notices how sad he is and asks him why.

"I'm waiting for the train," he let out in a small voice."

Ashley looked down the old rotting tracks and giggled, "Uncle! The train doesn't come here anymore."

Ashley sees his deep sadness and shares it as he relates to her why he is feeling such deep sorrow now.

The train used to bring supplies to the community and then one day it didn't give... it took. It loaded up the children from the reserve and took them away to a residential school, away from their families, their traditions and were treated very cruelly. They were punished for speaking their native language, Mi-gmaq. They were forced to cut their long hair and to obey the priests and nuns who ruled over them with iron fists and brutality. He told her how difficult it was to be separated from his family and not have a voice. He became quiet " like a little mouse" and lived in the shadows, fearing the punishments that would be bestowed upon him. How he longed for the hugs and comfort that only his loving family could provide but was denied.

He confided to Ashley how her family, she and her sister, make him very happy now and have restored his hope for the future. He is waiting today by the tracks hoping that which was stolen from him will be returned.

This is a heartbreaking story really, a terrible and shameful time in Canadian history. It is told in simple words that children can understand. The illustrations are very well done and the colour pallet seems soothing in contrast to the harsh reality of the story. They enrich and soften the harshness of the text. The author has included a Glossary of Mi'gmaq Words at the end and a synopsis of that time period in history. I love books like this that keep history alive for new generations to grasp and grapple with, never to be repeated...ever... lest we forget. I highly recommend this book.

This is a moving story that is told very well.

I really liked how the tough subject was dealt with and it is great that more awareness is being made of what happened.

I thought that it was a powerful story, the images suited the story perfectly and I do love that the parts of history that were previously somewhat hidden are now being discussed.

It is 5 stars from me for this one - very highly recommended!

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* I think it's really important that books like this are becoming more popular, so history and people's stories get told, this book is powerful and moving. I also love the art style.. It is simple compared to some other children's books that are similar so id say its better for younger children.

The Train is a delightful children's book. Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read. It is definitely a book I would buy for children of family and friends.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

This book is a simple but effective read about a little girl coming home from school one day and spotting her uncle at the disused train tracks. He explains to her why he visits there and a tale unfolds about the native chikdren in Canada who were sent away to residential schools run by nuns and cruelly treated and banned from using their native tongue. He wants to get all the childhood he missed back and this is why he visits the train track.
A beautifully written and illustrated story that is heartbreaking too.

This story was enlightening, and I think it would be a good book for children to learn about what happened many years ago.

Ashley is walking home from school one day when she discovers her uncle by the weathered tracks of the old train station. He sits her down and tells her how children from Reserves all over Canada were taken from their families and placed in Residential Schools, where they were not allowed to speak their language or follow their customs. Ashley's uncle stresses not only the importance of remembering this part of their history so that it does not happen again, but also to remember what these children and their families lost through that experience.

This book is beautifully written and illustrated. The author's physical and emotional descriptions make you feel as though you are there with Ashley's uncle as he tells his story. The perfect book to teach elementary children about this dark side of our Canadian history.

I would like to thank NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
#TheTrain #NetGalley

This proved to be a pretty affecting little work, with a girl idling her way home from school finding her elderly uncle sitting staring at a disused railway line. We find what ghosts of the past haunt the place and the man to this day – that of the cultural theft of indigenous peoples across Canada, and their indoctrination in religious schools miles from their families and their inheritance. Looking at the first couple and the last few pages you might think this is a short, quick read, but in the middle the script can get quite dense for a very young reader, and while I enjoyed the artwork it did appear a little stilted at times. But on the whole this is a success – we'll all feel for the boy that became the uncle, and will all be grateful the girl character looks like getting a better future.

Ashley sees her uncle by the train tracks, that no longer hold trains. She doesn't understand why he is there. He says he is waiting for the train.

This was the same train that took he and his friends off to residential school, where he was treated badly simply because he was indigenous.

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A sweet take on the story of the residential schools, told in picture book form, making it easy for children to understand. It speaks of hope, as the great Uncle explains that he is waiting for the train, that took them away, to bring back all it stole from them. Ashley says she will wait with him.

It is told in simple words and pictures that any child could understand.

Good addition to the growing stories of residential schools, and their horror.

Thanks to Netgalley for making book available for an honest review.