We Children on the Train

“A group of children live on a train that keeps travelling nonstop along its route. Every two weeks, the train crosses a bridge. From there, the children can see their parents standing in the valley below the bridge. Each time the train approaches the bridge, the children get very excited even though they cannot get off the train. All that the parents and children can do is wave to each other through the open windows. After six minutes, everything is over, and the train continues on. One of the passengers, Jamil, is the narrator of this story. He describes all this quite calmly, because for him and the other children, everything that happens is simply their everyday life. But that is precisely what is so disturbing. Both in Andrea Hensgen’s text and in the illustrations by Hannah Brückner, the picture book tells a succinct and haunting parable about homelessness and uprootedness. Through the choice of framing and perspective, Brückner’s pictures feel dynamic and surprising but in no way overloaded.” – The White Ravens

“With her train story, Andrea Hensgen writes a metaphor about life in times of war that is understandable for the youngest readers and rich in imagery, conveying hope and confidence. Hannah Brückner’s illustrations, rendered in warm, bright colours, create a feeling of security. Highly recommended.” – Jan Roidner / ekz