It is the summer of 1869, and trains, crews, and families are traveling together, riding America's brand new transcontinental railroad. The story comes alive with the details of the trip and the sounds, speed, and strength of the mighty locomotives; the work that keeps them moving; and the thrill of travel from plains to mountain to ocean. Come hear the hiss of the steam, feel the heat of the engine, watch the landscape race by. Come ride the rails, come cross the young country!
"Unjustly undersung as a writer, Floca soars with his free-verse narrative, exploiting alliteration, assonance and internal rhyme to reinforce the rhythms of the journey... Nothing short of spectacular, just like the journey it describes."
Kirkus Reviews Starred review.
"...bold, detailed watercolors, which swap massive close-ups of barreling locomotives with sweeping bird's-eye views that show how even these metal giants were dwarfed by nature. It's impossible to turn a page without learning something, but it's these multiple wow moments that will knock readers from their chairs. Fantastic opening and closing notes make this the book for young train enthusiasts.
Booklist Starred review.
"...a magisterial work (even the endpapers command close reading), but always approachable in its artistry and erudition. And readers will come away understanding that the railroad wasn't just about getting a group of passengers from Point A to Point B; it carried an entire nation into a new, more rapid world."
