The Sleeper Train, written by Mick Jackson and illustrated by Baljinder Kaur. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House. 2025. $24.99 ages 4 and up

 

"I thought about that one time 
I slept in a tent in a field in a sleeping bag. 
There were all sorts of sounds at night
out in the country. 
The birds get up very early 
and make a lot of noise."

As darkness falls, a Sikh family boards a sleeper train in India that will take them overnight to visit friends in a different city. Shown to their cabin, they unpack and acclimate themselves to this new space. Watching what is happening outside the train's window provides entertainment before bedtime is announced and the three settle into their own bunks. Mum and Dad are quickly asleep; the little one is too excited to got to sleep right away. 

There were many questions in her head about what others are doing while she and her family are on the sleeper train. Perhaps thinking about the different places that have offered sleep will help her settle. Her first memory is of home where she silently tucks herself between her parents on nights when she is scared. Still awake, she remembers the hotel from last summer where the windows looked out on the sea. 

Every turn of the page offers up further memories that are not what she needs to help her find slumber. As she begins to feel sleepy, thanks to the rocking motion of the train as it travels through the night, she thinks of the people in the towns and villages they are passing. Perhaps another small child having trouble sleeping can hear the train as it goes by.

In the morning, the three go to the dining car where they enjoy breakfast before returning to pack their things and prepare for disembarking in the city where their friends are waiting to welcome them. The child knows that if another time comes when getting to sleep is difficult, she has the memory of the sleeper train and its rocking motion to help. 

Digital illustrations by Baljinder Kaur are filled with bold colors and familiar images of South Asian families and settings. A story of family time and love, it will soothe sleepy listeners. They will be encouraged to talk about their own memorable bedtimes in places away from home.