Description

---

In Appalachia each Christmas, a boy named Frankie waits beside the tracks for the Christmas Train, which will bring presents to the children who live in coal towns and hollows. Year after year, Frankie hopes that one particular gift -- one very special gift -- will be tossed to him from that train. And it is this enduring hope that will guide him to the true meaning of the season.

About the Author

---

Chris Soentpiet (pronounced: soon-peet) is an award winning illustrator and author. Aside from writing and illustrating, Chris travels all around the world promoting the love of children's literature, the arts, and multi-culturalism.

When Chris was eight years of age, an American family adopted him from Korea. His talent for watercolors has won him an art scholarship to attend the prestigious Pratt Institute in New York City. After graduating with honors, he wrote and illustrated his first picture book, Around Town. His books have won praise from many critics such as Parent's Choice, American Bookseller, Junior Library Guild, New York Times, and American Library Association.

Cynthia Rylant has written more than 100 books, including Dog Heaven, Cat Heaven, and the Newbery Medal-winning novel Missing May. She lives with her pets in Oregon.

Praise For…

---

"Rylant's story is enhanced by the paintings of Chris K. Soentpiet, whose renderings of frosty Appalachian days and a young boy's memories are vibrant. Together, Ryland and Soentpiet have created a story for children and parents too." -- The New York Times Book Review

"A well-rendered reflection on the importance of giving and sharing." -- School Library Journal