The Train of Lost Things by Ammi-Joan Paquette

Beagles and Books wishes a Happy Book Birthday to Ammi-Joan Paquette’s The Train of Lost Things!

On a trip with his mother, Marty loses the one possession he loves the most-his jean jacket.  This jacket is special to him because his father, who is stricken with cancer, gave it to Marty on his last birthday.  The jacket is also decorated with pins that celebrate memories Marty and his father shared together.

With his father’s life quickly deteriorating, Marty is heartbroken that his jacket could be gone forever.  But then he remembers his father’s story about The Train of Lost Things, an engine that gathers every true heart’s possession lost by a child.  When he was younger, Marty believed that the story was true, but now wasn’t he too old to believe in magic?  What if the Train of Lost Things did exist? Could he get his treasured jacket back which Marty believed was the key to healing his father?

In an attempt to fix everything,  Marty takes a brave journey to find the Train of Lost Things.  To his astonishment, the train is real!  In his travels on the train, he meets Dina and Star, two young girls also searching for cherished lost things.  Unfortunately, the train is without a conductor which makes it extremely difficult to locate his jacket and Marty’s time is running out.  Will Marty be able to recover his jacket and save his father?

The Train of Lost Things is an enchanting and bittersweet story with a message of hope and love.  Marty’s hope and love for his father drives him to find the Train of Lost Things.  On his journey, Marty discovers what truly is important and learns the precious lesson that “the only way to truly move forward is to turn back on the past.”

A very special thanks to the author, Ammi-Joann Paquette for providing an advanced reader copy of The Train of Lost Things to our #bookexcursion group.