Un tren llamado Esperanza/A Train Called Hope

K-Gr 3–A brown-skinned boy reminisces about his first present, a small toy train with a little girl as a passenger, that took his imagination on many adventures all over the world. Now, he boards a life-size train in the hopes that it will reunite him with his family. The young narrator shares the beauty found on the vehicle: a smiling girl like the one on his toy train and fireflies that light up the night. But there is also sadness—the thought of being found and taken off the train, the fear of someone falling off. When he finally arrives at the border, the narrator hopes the next part of his trip will finally help him reach his mother. This bilingual picture book shares a young boy’s journey in often-rhyming stanzas in English and Spanish. Realistic illustrations show readers the simple joys of the young boy’s life as well as the fears and worries of his crossing. This is a much-needed introduction for young readers to the migration many children make every day. And, those who have experienced this themselves will be able to identify with the protaganist who is assumed Latinx.