Hi, fellow bookwyrms!

Phew. My head is spinning. Who knew a writer could pack so many different twists and turns and improbable things into one story that still makes sense from beginning to end? Well, so long as you’re willing to accept the impossible is possible, that is.

The impossible becoming possible is exactly what you’ll find in the latest book to join my collection. The Train to Impossible Places is the very first book by Mr. P.G. Bell, and I’m going to tell you now: It’s worth the price of the ticket, plus some!

An impossible train for impossible places

Suzy Smith is an 11-year-old who loves studying physics and learning how the universe works, but when some strange sounds draw her downstairs in the middle of the night she discovers just how much she has to learn!

Behind schedule and severely understaffed, the Impossible Postal Express crew has created a secret shortcut through Suzy’s living room. But HQ made a mistake and now Suzy has discovered that there’s an entire universe that defies humanity’s understanding of physics. Desperate to know more, Suzy jumps on the moving train and finds herself deputized into the Impossible Postal Service. Her first task: delivering a package to the owner of the foreboding Obsidian Tower. 

When Suzy finds out that the package contains a secret that could unravel the entire Union of Impossible Places, she is forced to make a choice between honoring her promise to her new friend Wilmot the Troll and finding a way to break a curse and save a realm she’s only just begun to explore.

What I love about this book

If you were to combine Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Doctor Who into one story, you’d get The Train to Impossible Places. This book is filled from one cover to another with all my favorite impossible things, like living statues, pirate ghosts, and bananas that explode when you peel them! Plus, there’s lots of drawing in the book to help us see what the author is describing.

If you like mystery and adventure and stories that don’t give themselves away until the very end, then this is the book for you. The book reads like a stand-alone story, but it ends with the possibility that more may be in store for us. I really hope that’s true, because this is one adventure I don’t want to see end just yet.

Five Dark Chocolate Eggs

The Train to Impossible Places is perfect for strong readers as young as eight. But I think the best way to enjoy this story is to read a chapter or two together at night. Don’t worry, even the scary parts aren’t too scary for bedtime! Who knows? While reading about Suzy Smith’s adventures, you may find a key to unlock an impossible journey of your own!

Happy adventures in reading!

P.S. I’d like to add a special thank you to  Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for sending me a free copy of the book in exchange for my fair and honest review.