The Children's Train seems like it is going to be a hard-hitting yet heartwarming novel that deals with some heavy topics through the eyes of a young boy named Amerigo. This deals with the post-WWII era in Italy. I love the fact that this author is from Italy and has previously published books in Italian -- I think her experiences in Italy will really help to color the atmosphere in the book. The excerpt had a very immersive and detailed setting. I already got the feeling that this young boy has had to experience too much hardship in his short lifetime and yet he seems to have a positive and confident attitude. I can't wait to see how his time in Bologna pans out and eventually his trip back to his family in Naples. I think the fact that his time away opens his eyes to the poverty that he lives in in Naples will be a very interesting topic to explore. I also love how much perspective Amerigo has in this story. I oftentimes find that adults tend to minimize how perceptive and smart children are -- this story seems to be true to how much Amerigo would know as a 7-year-old while not minimizing his actions, emotions, and perceptions of his situation.