This book was alright. Kate and her brother went on quite the adventure with the Silver Arrow and I thought it was just okay. I think I would have enjoyed this more when I was 10, and I guess I just wanted more from it. The narrator of the audiobook was fantastic and one of the best parts of listening to this story.

What an enchanting journey this one takes you on. Kate asks her estranged uncle for a birthday present, and he shows up with a steam train engine. Soon Kate and her brother Tom are whisked away on a magical adventure. They are tasked with helping talking animals migrate and they learn about animals, their habits, and the dangers of invasive species. Humans being the greatest invasive species of them all. I enjoyed the whimsy of this one and the excellent narration that included Simon Vance doing a broad range of voices for Kate, Tom, each of the animals, and the train!

This book reminds me of Alice in Wonderland, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Before I even get started on my thoughts, I just want to say that the audiobook narrator, Simon Vance, does a spectacular job narrating this book. He really brings all of the characters to life. 

The Silver Arrow is a middle grade novel that is perfect for those looking for a whimsical tale like The Polar Express but offers the adventure and magic of The Chronicles of Narnia. This is not to say that this book should be likened to either, but those were the feelings that I had while reading this one. 

For Kate’s 11th birthday, she decides to ask her rich Uncle Herbert for a birthday present because she is so sick and tired of her ordinary life. She craves adventure. What Kate doesn’t anticipate is the magical train that Uncle Herbert delivers. With her younger brother Tom in tow, Kate realizes this is the perfect opportunity for them to finally have an adventure, but are they up for the task at hand?

Honestly, from start to finish, this book was just so incredibly fun and full of adventure. I loved that Uncle Herbert allowed Kate and Tom to pick what kind of train cars they wanted to add to their train, and naturally, their imaginations run wild. There were so many magical creatures that I loved, and I wanted to be friends with all of them. I still think that the porcupine and train were my favorites because their honesty and low key sarcasm were refreshing. 

I think that this is a story that middle grade students will really enjoy getting wrapped up in. 

Thank you Hachette Audio for providing a review copy through NetGalley. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.

This is the story of a young girl named Kate who uncle gives her a train for her birthday. Not a tiny toy train but an actual train. Their talking animals, talking train, and amazing train cars that the kids asked for and are just added to the train. One of course is a library car and i all for hanging out there one day. The story moves along at a nice clip and the entire can be listened to in just under four hours. Which if your middle grade age is just perfect. There also the suggestion that maybe their more books like this coming in the future which would be nice. A great addition to middle grade adventures.

This is a cute middle grade story about a brother and sister who have adventures on a magical train when their uncle gifts it to Kate for her birthday. The train can look however they like and they can choose to add whatever train carriages they want. Despite the magical train with candy, library and mystery carriages and talking animals, this story perhaps isn't magical enough... it's very much rooted in the real world. It focuses very heavily on environmental issues and has a lot to educate children on regarding conservation and nature, but you're very aware of this and the author sums everything the characters have learnt and overcome at the end. Admittedly, I'm not the key demographic here, but it may feel a little patronising to children... a little on the nose.

The audiobook - narrated by Simon Vance - was fantastic and really pulled you into the story. I hope he reads the rest of the series, should there be future books.

A children's adventure story including some of their favourite things: adventure, trains and animals.  The story explores the migration of animals and the erosion of the animals' natural habitat. The main character of the story, Kate, learns a lesson in her adventure - a lesson that many of the listeners will understand. She learns to be responsible and realises that she is capable of taking on such responsibility. The pace of the story f perfect for young listeners - and narration is perfectly pitched for this age group. . I enjoyed the audio of this interesting story and am sure it will appeal to listeners who are looking for adventure stories featuring animals.

The Silver Arrow was a fun and whimsical middle grade adventure with magic at every turn. The audiobook of this was wonderfully narrated making for an entertaining and lovely reading experience.
Kate has always longed for adventure, and when her mysterious and estranged rich uncle answers her request for a birthday gift with a train promptly put in her backyard, she feels like life might finally be getting interesting - and she couldn’t be more right. Along with her brother Tom, she’s plunged headfirst into an adventure more wonderful than she could have expected.
Full with talking animals, mysterious train journeys and inexplicable magic, The Silver Arrow is fun, creative and exciting.
Kate was headstrong and brave, and I liked her character arc of excepting the responsibility that came with independence, and seeing her bloom as she experienced her very own adventure! 
The plot wasn’t the usual hero saves the world from great adversary with exciting adventure at every turn that I usually look for in middle grade, but it was unique and exciting in it’s own right. I loved how the plot was designed to shed a light on global warming and climate change, helping younger children to empathise with these struggles by having them told by the animals affected by them. This is such an important and relevant topic so I’m really glad to see fiction books discussing it.
The writing was playful, full of humour and heart.
Overall this was a great younger middle grade that I’d recommend to readers of all ages!

Oh how fun to listen to! The narrator did a wonderful job differentiating voices without it being distracting. The story in enchanting and magical with just a bit of moral to the story thrown in. Kate just wants something different for her 11th birthday and sends a note to her Uncle Herbert, an eccentric, rich uncle that she doesn't recall ever meeting, asking for a gift. When her uncle arrives on her doorstep the next morning with a REAL, full-sized steam locomotive she can't help but think that this is not quite what she had in mind. However, when she and her brother Tom climb aboard and full steam ahead adventure ensues! With talking animals, magic, and a bit of growing up, this is a birthday she'll never forget!

I thoroughly enjoyed this audio book.  The reader was perfect for the story.  His tone and accent kept the listener interested and the story kept the reader engaged.  This book could rank up there with Roald Dahl and Beverly Cleary.   It has the family drama and heart of Cleary, with the lessons, animals and fun of Dahl.  Plus the big lesson in the end I was not expecting, but it fit so perfectly and tied everything together.  It’s modern, but has that classic feel that could keep kids entertained for decades to come.  A great book for young and old alike!!!!!!

It's Kate's 11th birthday and she wishes she had more adventure in her boring, normal life. So she writes a letter to her rich Uncle Herbert to 'please' send her a present. And a present she gets- it's no ordinary present, it's a whole train, not a toy train mind you, a whole proper train, complete with carriages of their choice. Kate and her brother Tom, set out on a journey of exploration where they meet exotic and endangered animals from far and beyond and visit habitats both displaced and their own and learn a lot of things about themselves, about impact of humans on the animal species and the meaning of an adventure. 
The story will be enjoyed by children 8 to 11 years old and is full of descriptions of animals- that we usually do not come across in books or even the zoos and the safaris as many of these species have become endangered due to human activity. 
There are a few bits that I missed -
1. Building of a plot that helps give a direction to the story and helps readers understand where the train is headed
2. I enjoyed the narration that but I would have liked the text to be visible as well to see some the of the words, and their spellings.

This short, but adventurous story of two children aboard The Silver Arrow train is sure to keep children and preteens interested start to finish. What starts out as a fun birthday excursion quickly becomes a learning experience for the kids who learn about the effects of humanity upon the environment, including the adorable animals on the journey with them. Even the trees themselves have an important message for these two. Simon Vance is an incredible narrator and does this story justice.

wears a banana yellow suit and is a bit unorthodox, presents her with a most unusual gift: a train. Not a toy. This is a mammoth-sized steam-belching machine on a track in her backyard. When Kate and her younger brother Tom climb aboard, they begin an adventure that is beyond their wildest imaginings.
The Silver Arrow is a dream come true. Tom and a Kate create their ideal train with such delightful cars as a library car, a swimming pool car, and even a candy car. But the children soon learn that this will not be a pleasure excursion. They are tasked with transporting endangered species to less hostile environments. Kate is the conductor. She is charged with protecting and finding proper homes for animals such as a white bellied heron and a fishing cat.  Yes, they really exist. I looked them up.
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There is no evil villain in this tale. The nemesis is time. Kate must deliver all the animals to a new habitat. But the engine’s coal supply is rapidly depleting, the train is running out of track, and the polar bear can't survive much longer in a warm passenger car. While it is clear that humans are responsible for endangering the animals’ existence, this isn’t a blame game. It’s a race to save, to repair, to protect.
Although the story is told in third person, the narrator is obviously speaking from Kate’s point of view. Grossman keeps the tale focused on Kate and her perceptions of the world, from her developing realization of a larger life purpose to her admiration for science, particularly her hero Grace Hopper.
Vance is the perfect match for Grossman’s fantasy. His smooth narration draws listeners in and keeps them enthralled. His phrasing and subtle emphasis on specific words is sublime. The voices for the individual characters match the personality of each, from the rumbling engine and the gruff porcupine to the wondering awe of two youngsters. 
​The ride careens to a wild and wondrous conclusion that will leave readers breathless. But it's served along alongside the comfort of French toast with loads of syrup and melted butter.
Good news: Uncle Herbert makes clear that more adventures await these siblings.
This magical tale is an incredible mix of science and fantasy. There is an unusual selection of intriguing animals with distinctive personalities. Who knew that I would be enchanted by a porcupine, a pangolin, and green mamba? Kate's hero is Grace Hopper and the narrative is sprinkled with delightful Hopper trivia. Grossman has fashioned a fantastic amalgam of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, falling into a strange and wonderful land with droll talking animals and The Magic School Bus, journeying on extraordinary scientific expeditions.  It's a winning, winsome combination.

4/5 stars 

** I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review** 

I had a great time listening to this, It's whimsical and magical. This book has an overall message of never give up and always keep trying. A message that never grows old. I highly recommend this book, I just enjoyed my entire time listening and reading to this book.

Listening to the audiobook of The Silver Arrow was made particularly delightful by the narration by Simon Vance.  A tale of time and space travel through the means of a train will capture the attention of children of all ages (as well as adults who are yet children at heart).  

A wise and magical uncle who completely understands children manages to salvage what could have been the worst birthday ever! It all started when his niece asked for a birthday present. When uncle shows up with a train, the results were not as expected; parents (who are so often unimaginative) gave the child one week (1 week?!!) to enjoy her new present and then the uncle was instructed to remove it.

Not liking that ultimatum, the birthday girl threw a fit and was promptly sent to her room (on her birthday?!) where she smoldered with indignation. Until she and her brother decide to explore the train and get swept up in the wildest of adventures with talking animals, exotic locations, and a train that runs itself.  For those who grew up on children's books by C.S. Lewis and Roald Dahl, The Silver Bullet offers a breath of fresh magic that will enthrall many generations to come. I sincerely hope there will be a sequel (and that Simon Vance will lend his marvelous voice to any future audios)!

Disclaimer: I received a free digital audiobook of The Silver Arrow from NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

The Silver Arrow by Lev Grossman is a wonderful new addition to children's fiction. Grossman takes us back to the classic style and feel of children's literature akin to the Chronicles of Narnia, Roald Dahl, and a touch of Lemony Snicket. For her 11th birthday Kate has sent a desperate request to her estranged rich uncle to give her some sort of delightful present. She did not expect Uncle Herbert to show up with a steam engine named the Silver Arrow, let alone the adventures said train would take her and her brother Tom on. Full of talking animals for passengers, readers are introduced to many endangered (or close) animals as they embark to new places hoping to find peace from the invading humans. While the message of conservation is certainly a theme, it doesn't ring too heavy as to turn off readers. Simon Vance's reading is wonderfully done, especially as he takes on different accents for each animal that reflect not just its region of origin, but also its attributes as an animal. While other reviews seem to be marking The Silver Arrow as Middle Grade, I would argue it's not a true Middle Grade and should be targeted toward slightly younger readers (again think of your typical readers for Narnia, Dahl, Snicket, even L'Engle). Either way it was a swell ride and I'll look to see where the Silver Arrow takes Kate and Tom next.

I was looking forward to reading this book because I tend to love middle-grade adventure stories. They usually feel so carefree and magical to me. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel the same about The Silver Arrow, and I ended up being very disappointed. 

This book sort of feels like a mix of The Polar Express and The Chronicles of Narnia, but not done well. It honestly felt very contrived and forced, which really hindered my enjoyment of it. 

The story starts out with rich Uncle Herbert gifting his niece Kate with a train—a real, metal, life-size train. Although her parents were initially upset about this gift, Kate and her brother Tom set out alone together on an adventure on this train, which is called the Silver Arrow.

I thought the beginning was very slow and weird. Just the fact that the uncle got her a real train for her birthday that he put in her backyard (like, what?) and the parents were angry but were still like, “Okay have fun playing in it,” rubbed me the wrong way for some reason. The story just felt very forced to me at that point, like Lev Grossman had a cool idea about two young kids getting lost on a magical train adventure but didn’t know how to actually introduce the train into the story so he invented a rich uncle to just hand-deliver it to them. That was not believable at all, and my absolute least favorite thing about any fictional story is when the story is not believable within the boundaries of its own world, and I felt like this book suffered from that at the very beginning.

So Kate and Tom go on this adventure and meet all kinds of talking animals, who tell them all about themselves. The Silver Arrow feels like an ecological novel for kids. Lev Grossman tells us about different animals from around the world and explains details like the animal kingdom hierarchy and what happens if it gets out of balance, what animals eat, what their habitats are, what they like to do, why they migrate, and why humans need to help preserve them from going extinct. 

This sounds like a cool concept, but honestly, the whole book felt very contrived to me, like Grossman’s hidden agenda was to indoctrinate children with the desire to make a good ecological impact on our planet. Now don’t get me wrong, I think it’s important to teach children (and adults) the importance of caring for animals and nature and protecting our planet, but I don’t like how that information was presented here. I felt like this whole concept took away from the actual plot of the book because every scene had to be paused so one animal could talk about their natural habitat or their predators or how human impact was harming them. It was very obvious, as an adult reader, what Grossman was trying to do here, and it put me off a lot. 

I honestly just felt really bored with this story. It was very slow-moving for how short it was and it had me rolling my eyes at some of the scenes in it. It read very young for its intended audience of kids ages 8 to 12, and it felt pretty silly to me at times. This seemed like a kind of story someone tells their young kids before bed but not one that was ever supposed to be published. That sounds kind of harsh but there are so many similar stories out there that are much more interesting and well-written, ones that communicate the same messages in a more natural and engaging way. I honestly don’t think if Lev Grossman was already a best-selling author that this book would have been published at all. 

Besides the aforementioned issues I had, I also thought that the writing was unimpressive and unenjoyable to read. Lev Grossman’s Magicians trilogy has been on my to-read list, but after reading this book, I honestly don’t know if I even want to read that series because the writing style in this book really got on my nerves and I suspect that what I didn’t like here will be present in his other works as well. 

I listened to the audiobook for The Silver Arrow and I thought the narrator, Simon Vance, was alright. Good but not great. The way his voice sounds when he narrates almost reminded me of a knock-off Jim Dale narration because of his British accent and the inflections he used to tell the story, and some of the character voices sounded similar to me. The story takes place in the modern-day but his voice made me feel like it was a story of the past. I particularly didn’t like how he narrated the adults at the beginning when the train gets introduced because they sounded whiny and strange to me. Eventually, I did feel like the narration got better as the story progressed, and I would listen to more books narrated by Simon Vance in the future, but he’s not my favorite narrator. 

The Silver Arrow has adventure, talking animals, magical trains, and lots of presumably factual ecological information. I would recommend this book for kids ages 5 to 8 who want an easygoing adventure on a magical train ride that will teach them real facts about all kinds of animals from around the world, as well as teach them how to be more eco-conscious.

What a fun little ride (pun fully intended) with a wonderful cast if characters!

This book caught my eye because of the author. Lev Grossman as you probably know is the author of the renowned The Magicians Trilogy. I wasn't sure what to expect from a children's book from him, but I can certainly say it didn't disappoint.

Right from the beginning I really enjoyed the main characters. Everyone seemed to have a personality all there own. Brother and Sister Kate and Tom bumped heads enough to be a believable couple but at the same time clearly loved each other. I like it when sibling stuff feels good like this in books, I feel like it's so easy to get wrong.

From the we get on The Silver Arrow and we meet a wonderful cast of anthropomorphic animals. They all feel like a funny, albeit real, caricature of their animal forms and I loved it.

I think my one minor gripe with the book was at times it felt like a bunch of shirt stories sort of thrown together and I wasn't sure where the story was going. I got a little lost on the way, although I still enjoyed the stories. By the end of it though I felt like I completely understood what he was doing, and to be fair, I don't think a kid reading this would care as it's just a bunch of fun!

The narration. Oh the wonderful narration! Simon Vance was absolutely and utterly brilliant! I have seen his name in a bunch of audiobooks that I'm interested in and I just hadn't heard anything by him before. Well now I'm slapping myself for not. He did some of the best voice work I've ever heard in this book and I will be keeping an eye out for more of his narrations. He nailed all the voices to perfection and his mellow normal narrator voice was sublime and soothing.

If you want something fun to read then you can't do much better than this book. It was a fun adventure to go on.

This a great gateway book for reluctant reader to get into the fantasy genre with good use of humour and fantasy quest type story line.  The characters I feel to be a bit on the young side than the age of the character would indicate. Apart from that the character development with even the minor characters is fantastic with wonderful detail and unique. The tackling of climate change and biodiversity is done in a smooth, positive  and shocking way which gets the readers thinking of their place in the world.  

Lev Grossman's humour comes through and like animated movies is aimed at a wide range in age groups.  Being librarian from secondary school I love The Silver Arrow's thoughts on Learning which I found rang so true and the way it was delivered nearly made me drive onto the school oval than turn into the car park. That is one of the best highlights is that Lev Grossman has worked into this novel a lot of life lessons and would make an ideal English text for year 7's to study in Australia.  

The chose of narrator Simon Vance was interesting given the main is female. Normally female characters have female narrators but the choice of a male narrator doesn't take from the story but I found that it added to it and I was easily lost in the story by just listening to Simon's voice.

I received a much-appreciated audio-galley of this from Hachette Audio and NetGalley.  I am a huge fan of middle-grade fiction. The title and description for The Silver Arrow instantly appealed to me because I love portal fantasy and because I’ve always wanted to run a train, and end up somewhere magical. I also was very excited to see Simon Vance narrating, as he does amazing work on several other books that I love.

This is a book about Kate, a young girl who’s bored and wants adventure. She writes a letter to her mysterious Uncle Herbert, and on her birthday, he arrives with an amazing present for her. A train. Due to a combination of circumstances, Kate and her little brother Tom, end up away on the train, set for adventure and ready to save the world.

The premise of this book is fantastic, and reminds me of two of my favorite books of all time: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe;  and The Phantom Tollbooth. There are talking animals, a fascinating train, and a hint of adventure.

Unfortunately, it was just a hint. The writing of this story is beautiful and evocative, and the parts concerning the train and the outside world have a VERY strong sense of place. The descriptions are lush, and it’s very easy to picture these animals and places in your mind. But nothing happens. It’s a slow to start story and it stays very slow. I listened to the audiobook in two sittings (and Simon Vance is an AMAZING narrator for this book) and it was diffficult to want to carry on at several points.

Kate and her brother Tom seemed to mevto have no actual growth in this story. Tom, in particular, is MIA for most of it, and is conveniently thought of when a tough decision needs to be made, and ingenuity is needed. Apart from that, he seems not to matter much. As for Kate, she is a very narrow character. She is a certain way at the beginning, and though she talks a lot  about taking more responsibility, she doesn’t ever seem to take any care. The animals interact with her, but far more with each other. Towards the ending of the story, Kate says and does things that are in no way believable, based on what we’ve seen of her throughout the book. There are also several instances where the novel seems to remember that it’s from the POV of an 11 year old, and so it throws in video game speech and some text lingo to make it feel modern. 

This is billed as a fantasy, but it several times seemed to try to also be literary fiction and environmentalist nonfiction. And this leads me to my real issue with the book. Throughout, we are led to believe that we are in one place, a place outside time, a fantasy place, only to realize (in Chapter 20 of a 26 chapter book), that there is a Message in all of this, and that Steps Must Be Taken, and that Humans Are Responsible. I found the last six chapters of this audiobook to be heavy handed in a way that I wouldn’t allow my children to read. There are problems caused, yes, but this book leads the reader, especially if they are an HSP, or impressionable, to believe that everything is their fault. I don’t like preachy books, and I don’t know that kids would either. There are ways to teach and to share ideas without throwing it in literally in the last 40 minutes of the audio, and beating the reader over the head with it.

As I say, the writing was beautiful and evocative. The descriptions are fantastic. There just wasn’t much more substance to it than that. The most likable characters in the story were the train and the animals. In short, there was a lot of potential but it ended up becoming entangled in heavy handed messages, and tried to be realism, nonfiction, editorial, and fantasy all at once.

The Silver Arrow is the latest release from Lev Grossman. Most will be familiar with the critic-turned-author from his series The Magicians. While The Magicians series was decidedly adult, this time around Grossman takes a crack at some middle-grade magic. I received a copy of the audiobook version of The Silver Arrow through NetGalley, but I’d had it on my wishlist already. I enjoyed The Magicians a lot and was curious to see how Grossman would handle a new challenge. The audiobook is narrated by one of the stars of the field in Simon Vance.

The Silver Arrow is stuffed cover to cover with some of the most classic tropes of children’s fantasy. There’s mysterious relatives, magic trains, talking animals, and more. Despite all this, the book never feels contrived or boring. I found The Silver Arrow to be quite a lot of fun. The adventures of Kate and Tom feel whimsical and appropriately childlike. I don’t mean childlike as a conveyance of simplicity, but just an acknowledgment that children care about different things than adults. Grossman captures that tendency children have to be imaginative and always question why the world operates in the way it does quite effectively.

Grossman pairs the adventure and whimsy with some moral lessons. What would a middle-grade book be, after all, without children learning about the world. In The Silver Arrow, Grossman uses the interaction with talking animals as an opportunity to talk about the environmental impact that humans have on the places they live. It doesn’t feel too forced and never distracts from the narrative or the fun. It’s also just a good message for children to learn.

Aside from the writing, Vance’s narration is fantastic. I enjoy British narrators. For whatever reason, it helps elevate the feeling of fantasy and adventure. Vance seems to have been a perfect selection for the story. He is adept at bringing to life the colorful cast of characters, from Kate and Tom to talking trains and herons. I would think it would do a great job of keeping the attention of the age-group that this book is targeting.

I had a good time with The Silver Arrow. It’s whimsical and adventurous. Despite it’s use of some familiar middle-grade fantasy tropes, it never feels too predictable or stale. Grossman seems to have proved that he can write fantasy for adults and children alike. It’s not always easy for a writer to pen a book for all-ages that appeals to more than just children, but I feel like The Silver Arrow accomplishes that feat.