The Silver Arrow

July 20, 2020
Blending elements of conservation and magic, Grossman (The Magicians, for adults) crafts a timeless-feeling, Travers-tinged adventure in his middle grade debut. On her 11th birthday, Kate’s uncle Herbert, “very rich and totally irresponsible,” gives her an unexpected present: a life-size steam locomotive named the Silver Arrow. Kate and her younger brother Tom, finding the train fueled, are soon swept away by the sentient locomotive—which communicates with them via printed messages—first to acquire a selection of train cars (including delightfully stuffed candy and library compartments), and then to serve as conductors on an international rail system that transports talking animals, large and small, to new habitats. While learning to run the train and solve problems on their own, the siblings bond with myriad passengers and begin to understand global issues surrounding endangered and invasive species, habitat loss, and environmental stewardship. Though it’s unclear why the magic train burns coal—a nonrenewable resource—in service of otherwise strong ecological messaging, whimsical details and well-wrought moments of adventure are neverthless certain to draw young readers. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–up.

Acclaimed narrator Simon Vance brings his special blend of magic and cheek to Lev Grossman's middle-grade debut. In a moment of ennui, Kate requests an 11th birthday present from her estranged uncle and, surprisingly, is given a fully functioning life-size steam train. Her younger brother, Thomas, joins her on a fantastic adventure in which they pick up all manner of chatty animal passengers all over the world. Vance's character voices are perfect for the young train conductors, and his choices for the animals are exceptional. They include a burly porcupine, a kindly, wise heron, and many others--all of whom have deft accents that indicate their national habitats. This story of wonder serves up a gently delivered message about conservation and the effect of humans on the animal world. S.T.C. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

December 1, 2020

Gr 5-8-Kate is about to turn 11, and she doesn't expect anything interesting to happen. Longing for adventure, she sends a note to her Uncle Herbert, whom she's never met, asking him to send her a birthday present. He shows up with one of the more interesting gifts anyone could imagine: a full-size steam train with talking animals as passengers. Against their parents' wishes, Kate and her younger brother Tom set off on extraordinary journey around the world, ferrying their extraordinary passengers to their destinations. Information about climate change, invasive species, and other human effects on animal life are woven throughout. Though veteran reader Simon Vance may seem a strange choice to voice a book whose point-of-view character is a young girl, his narrative skills carry listeners along, immersing them in Kate's world. VERDICT Fans of adventure stories and magic will enjoy the Silver Arrow's journey and getting to know its quirky passengers.-Stephanie Klose, Library Journal

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