The Train by Jodie Callaghan

The Train is a children's picture book that introduces the topic of residential schools to young readers. In this short but important picture book, a young girl named Ashley is on her way home from school.  Walking along collecting bits of glass, she meets her great-uncle near where the old train station once stood. After embracing he tells her that he is waiting for the train. This puzzles Ashley who knows that there is no train able to travel along the broken tracks, no longer in use.

Sitting on a piece of the concrete foundation left from the old train station, Uncle tells Ashley his story about the train station. When he was a young boy, many young people from the reserve including Uncle and Ashley's grandfather, Timmy would wait for the train to bring rations from outside the reserve. One day the four oldest, including Timmy and Uncle were sent to the train station with baskets, wearing their winter coats to the station. To their surprise, they were made to board the boxcars and were taken to a school. At the school, the nuns took their clothes, cut their hair and weren't allowed to speak their native language. If they disobeyed, they were punished, sometimes severely. Uncle stayed at the school for six years, afraid and unhappy.

Ashley's elderly great-uncle now comes to the tracks to remember and  to wait "...for what we lost that day to come back to us." But he is also happy that Ashley doesn't have to attend a residential school. Her laughter and joy at playing and running give him hope for the future.

Discussion

Jodie Callaghan is a member of Listuguj First Nation located in Gespegewa'gi near Quebec. Callaghan who is Mi'gmaq heritage was inspired to write The Train after hearing the stories of many people who attended residential schools. The Train was the winner of the 2010 Mi'gmaq Writers Award.

This picture book offers a gentle treatment of the residential school issue, introducing the basic facts of what happened to over one hundred fifty thousand First Nations children throughout Canada in the 19th and 20th centuries. As such it can be used as a spring board to discuss more in-depth what happened to the Indigenous peoples of Canada and how their culture was stolen from several generations. Georgia Lesley's lovely oil paintings bring to life this sad story. Callaghan includes a short glossary of Mi'gmaq words that have been used in the story.


Book Details:

The Train by Jodie Callaghan
Toronto: Second Story Press      2020