The Children's Train

By Viola Ardone

Book Overview

The inspiration behind the forthcoming Netflix film

"The innocence of childhood collides with the stark aftermath of war in this wrenching and ultimately redemptive tale of family, seemingly impossible choices, and the winding paths to destiny, which sometimes take us to places far beyond our imaginings." - Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of Before We Were Yours and The Book of Lost Friends

"Ardone's beautifully crafted story explores the meaning of identity and belonging...recommended to fans of Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan novels." - The Library Journal

" The Children's Train] leaves you with a great sense of the importance of family and the tough decisions that must be faced as a result of that love." - Shelf Awareness

Based on true events, this unforgettable work of historical fiction is a heartbreaking story of love, family, hope, and survival set in post-World War II Italy--written with the heart of Orphan Train and Before We Were Yours--about poor children from the south sent to live with families in the north to survive deprivation and the harsh winters.

Though Mussolini and the fascists have been defeated, the war has devastated Italy, especially the south. Seven-year-old Amerigo lives with his mother Antonietta in Naples, surviving on odd jobs and his wits like the rest of the poor in his neighborhood. But one day, Amerigo learns that a train will take him away from the rubble-strewn streets of the city to spend the winter with a family in the north, where he will be safe and have warm clothes and food to eat.

Together with thousands of other southern children, in this moving coming of age story, Amerigo will cross the entire peninsula to a new life. Through his curious, innocent eyes, we see a nation rising from the ashes of war, reborn. As he comes to enjoy his new surroundings and the possibilities for a better future, Amerigo will make the heartbreaking choice to leave his mother and become a member of his adoptive family.

Amerigo's journey is a moving story of memory, indelible bonds, artistry, and self-exploration, and a soaring examination of what family can truly mean. Ultimately Amerigo comes to understand that sometimes we must give up everything, even a mother's love, to find our destiny.

Translated from the Italian by Clarissa Botsford

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0062940511
• ISBN13: 9780062940513
• Release Date: January 2021
• Publisher: Harpervia
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.74 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

A train ride through history!

The Children's Train was an interesting slice of history to learn about. This book is based on true events back after World War 2 in Italy. Some of the people down south were having difficulties taking care of their children and so groups of people organized charity work in sending them (the kids) up north to foster families, for a season or even longer. This story is from the point of view of one of those children, Amerigo who was seven at the time that he rode the train up north to be taken care of by Derna. You get a good close up view about the differences between the north and the south living styles and I could see it all clearly with the descriptions, nicely vivid. The story was bittersweet with the hardships that Amerigo faced, and his mother (since it was very hard for her to provide for him) and it felt like a train ride itself, meandering through time. I really liked it!