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The Friendship Train is the heartwarming true story of Americans pitching in to relieve European hunger after World War II.
The Friendship Train by Debbie Levy, illustrated by Boris Kulikov. Bloomsbury, 2025. 42 pages.
- Reading Level: Picture books, ages 4-8
- Recommended For: Ages 4-10
One side of the ocean, children’s bellies grumbled.
A war had ended.
Fighting had destroyed farms. Winter was coming to Europe, and there was no time to grow food before the cold set in.
The United States, “last man standing” after the devastation of World War II, was enjoying a boom as wartime industry and agriculture returned to peacetime production. Meanwhile, near-starvation was spreading over Europe, intensified by a brutal winter. A journalist in Washington, DC, had an idea that would be instantly relatable across regions and ages: Why not charter a train to travel from Los Angeles to New York City, with frequent stops to allow ordinary Americans to load up boxcars with food?
The “Friendship Train” was a great success, inspiring reciprocal gestures from France and Great Britain. The story is told in simple terms that very young readers can understand. Older readers will find more details, as well as notes and a brief bibliography, in the appendix. Detailed, stylized illustrations complement the text by incorporating maps and regional landmarks. As a side note, I was curious enough to look up Drew Pearson in Wikipedia and was surprised that the narrative didn’t include his wife. The Friendship Train was a joint project, with husband and wife each supervising trains that followed a northern and southern route.
Considerations: none.
Bottom Line: An accessible story of generosity and healing after destruction and chaos.
Recommended Reading at Redeemed Reader
- Reviews: Novels about the Home Front include: My Friend the Enemy, Enemies in the Orchard (starred review), and Keep ‘Em Flying. See also Home Front Girl, a memoir.
- Reviews: Train aficionados will enjoy: Locomotive, Big Boy 4014, On Track, and Train.
- Booklist: See also “Picture Books About Transportation”
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