Train I Ride

At 12, Rydr (as she takes to calling herself) has known only hurt, loss, and upheaval. She never met her father, witnessed her mother’s fatal drug overdose, and moved in with her stony grandmother, where life was “comfortably dreadful.” Mosier sets his piercing debut novel on the train carrying Rydr from Los Angeles to Chicago to live with a great-uncle she’s never met, following her grandmother’s death. Rydr’s frank internal monologue and the friendships she forges with fellow passengers shape an emotionally expansive and deeply affecting story. Among those who help Rydr overcome her anger at the family that failed her are the compassionate young man running the snack counter, who ignores her sticky fingers, and a thoughtful boy traveling with his scout troop, who shares his vulnerability with Rydr, as well as his cherished copy of Allen Ginsberg’s Howl. Through understated storytelling, Mosier movingly shows how Rydr’s bitterness gives way to self-acceptance, a willingness to trust others, and hope for the future. Heartbreaking and unforgettable. Ages 8–12. [em]Agent: Wendy Schmalz, Wendy Schmalz Agency. (Jan.) [/em]