The Children's Train: A Novel

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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

"Ardones beautifully crafted story explores the meaning of identity and belonging...recommended to fans of Elena Ferrantes Neapolitan novels."The Library Journal

[The Childrens 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, a heartbreaking story of love, family, hope, and survival set in post-World War II Italywritten with the heart of Orphan Train and Before We Were Yoursabout 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, 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.

Amerigos 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

Reviews

The novel is poignant, delicate, [and] profound. -- Bruno Elpis
The Children's Train isfor those who want to jump into a painful but hopeful historical period and for those who love fiction from the point of view of the little ones. -- Elena Naldi,Leggere a Colori
Amerigo's voice won me over. I devoured the pages of his story, because in his stories as a child there is so much lightheartedness and fear at the same time that one cannot help but love. -- Scheggia tra le Pagine

Author Bio

Viola Ardone was born in Naples in 1974. The holder of a degree in literature, she used to work in academic publishing. She is the author of two other novels, Le ricette del cuore in subuglio published in 2013 and Una revoluzzione sentimentale in 2016. Ardone currently lives in Naples and is a high school Latin and Italian teacher.