Faith Takes the Train

On the “same old train ride home” with Mama, young narrator Faith eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, “gooey with honey from Grandma’s beehive,” as other passengers chat. Soon, the narrator’s former neighbor Isaiah, who “sings to us every day,” enters the car, asking, “Could anyone please spare some change?... A bite to eat?” Silence fills the compartment. In fluid, expressive lines, Mokshini draws a view straight down the aisle from where Isaiah stands; the child, in full color, smiles as other riders fade into dark blues and grays. Writing moment-by-moment, and paying close attention to physical sensations and perceptions, Augustine captures a child reacting mindfully to a request that others ignore—offering the last piece of sandwich and asking, “Would you like a snack?” Affectionate spreads of the subway and beyond show a city filled with activity, then pivot to exuberant fantasy as Faith imagines serving Isaiah and his son a sky-high mound of sandwiches. One generous gesture uncaps a well, Faith discovers in this resonant, community-focused double debut: in the subway station, musicians buoy passengers, and “a little girl smiles at me through the train window. I smile back.” Characters are portrayed with various abilities and skin tones. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Stephanie Fretwell-Hill, Red Fox Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Karen Kaller, IllustrationX. (Mar.)