Young readers are sure to love Kenneth Oppel's (Silverwing; Airborn) sprawling late-19th-century escapade.
When Will Everett's father invites him to ride across the country on the Boundless, "the longest train in the world," Will jumps at the chance and finds nothing short of the adventure of his life. At 987 cars long, the Boundless reminds Will of a "rolling city," complete with a traveling circus and a richly furnished funeral car that holds the body of Mr. Van Horne, the railroad's builder. During a routine stop, Will is inadvertently witness to a theft gone wrong and a plot to rob the funeral car. Nearly missing the train as a result, he swings himself onto the caboose--more than seven miles behind his father, who is manning the engine. Determined to thwart the intended robbery, Will begins making his way through (and sometimes over!) the train cars, with the dangerous thieves in hot pursuit. Help lies in the circus cars, where a curious Circus Master and lovely young escape artist promise to help smuggle Will to the front of the train. Moving among passengers from all walks of life and through treacherous landscapes that conceal "man-eating Wendigo of the northern forest" and sasquatch, Will's journey puts his courage and convictions to the test.
The book's carnival atmosphere and adrenaline-fueled chases will keep readers glued to the page. Oppel's imagination and sense of wonder bring this story to life, making it an unusual take on childhood dreams of adventure and one wild ride. --Julia Smith, blogger and former children's bookseller