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Northbound: A Train Ride Out of Segregation
On his first train ride, Michael meets a new friend from the "whites only" car--but finds they can hang together for only part of the trip--in the last story in a trilogy about the author's life growing up in the segregated South.
Michael and his granddaddy always stop working to watch the trains as they rush by their Alabama farm on the way to distant places. One day Michael gets what he's always dreamed of: his first train journey, to visit cousins in Ohio! Boarding the train in the bustling station, Michael and his grandma follow the conductor to the car with the "colored only" sign. But when the train pulls out of Atlanta, the signs come down, and a boy from the next car runs up to Michael, inviting him to explore. The two new friends happily scour the train together and play in Bobby Ray's car--until the conductor calls out "Chattanooga!" and abruptly ushers Michael back to his grandma for the rest of the ride. How could the rules be so changeable from state to state--and so unfair? Based on author Michael Bandy's own recollections of taking the train as a boy during the segregation era, this story of a child's magical first experience is intercut with a sense of baffling injustice, offering both a hopeful tale of friendship and a window into a dark period of history that still resonates today.
Michael and his granddaddy always stop working to watch the trains as they rush by their Alabama farm on the way to distant places. One day Michael gets what he's always dreamed of: his first train journey, to visit cousins in Ohio! Boarding the train in the bustling station, Michael and his grandma follow the conductor to the car with the "colored only" sign. But when the train pulls out of Atlanta, the signs come down, and a boy from the next car runs up to Michael, inviting him to explore. The two new friends happily scour the train together and play in Bobby Ray's car--until the conductor calls out "Chattanooga!" and abruptly ushers Michael back to his grandma for the rest of the ride. How could the rules be so changeable from state to state--and so unfair? Based on author Michael Bandy's own recollections of taking the train as a boy during the segregation era, this story of a child's magical first experience is intercut with a sense of baffling injustice, offering both a hopeful tale of friendship and a window into a dark period of history that still resonates today.
40 pages, Hardcover
Published October 13, 2020
49 people want to read
About the author
Michael S. Bandy
3 books12 followersMichael S. Bandy caught the writing bug when his third-grade teacher surprised him with a set of Dr. Seuss books. He’s been writing plays, screenplays, and books ever since. He lives in Los Angeles and is involved in a number of children’s charities.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
October 22, 2020
This book is billed as the last in a trilogy, but it works perfectly as a stand-alone. It shares the autobiographically based story of a young black boy traveling by train and bonding with a white boy on the way. They are only able to play together during some parts of the trip, however, because segregation laws differ based on what area the train is passing through.
This book provides an interesting, memorable glimpse into the legalistic intricacies of segregation law, and the way that two boys connected whenever they could. I enjoyed this book's gorgeous, detailed illustrations, smooth text, and informative historical notes, and would recommend this to libraries, schools, and families.
This book provides an interesting, memorable glimpse into the legalistic intricacies of segregation law, and the way that two boys connected whenever they could. I enjoyed this book's gorgeous, detailed illustrations, smooth text, and informative historical notes, and would recommend this to libraries, schools, and families.
January 23, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. It showed the journey of moving from the North to the South to find freedom from the perspective of an African American child. I liked how it told the story of segregation from the perspective of someone who would be the same age as the students' in my classroom.
November 13, 2020
I know my opinion is in the minority but this story just didn't move me. Michael seems too big/ old to be echoing the train's whistle and the conductor's "All aboard" call. He looks to be between ten and twelve but acts like he's seven or eight. I also feel like there needs to be more substance to the story.
February 28, 2021
Striking watercolor and collage illustrations complement this story of one boy's experiences with the harsh and confusing realities of segregation. As is the case with many youngsters, Michael loves watching the trains that pass by the farm where he and his grandfather work in the fields in Alabama. He dreams of traveling to wherever it is those trains go, and one day he gets his wish as he and his grandmother board the train for a trip to Ohio where his cousins live. The text captures Michael's excitement with the whole journey and his confusion over certain rules. Michael understands that he and his grandmother must ride in a different car than the white passengers, but he is confused when the "WHITES ONLY" sign is removed at a certain point and he is able to explore the rest of the train. He and a white boy, Bobby Ray, explore the train and take a gander at the sleeping coaches and dining area as well as playing with Michael's plastic Army figures. As young boys will do, they even compare scars. The fun stops when the train approaches another station and the conductor puts up the sign. Michael is forced to return to his original car, confused by how the restriction is enforced depending on what state the train is passing through. When the train reaches Cincinnati, Michael has a special remembrance of his trip--a drawing from his friend depicting white and black passengers sitting side by side. Back matter includes notes on the Interstate Commerce Act and the subsequent rulings that affected who could ride where in public vehicles. As do the other two books featuring Michael, this one shows his innocence and how children often are more accepting of others than adults or the rules and laws they make. While I enjoyed this story a great deal and could certainly see its use in a thematic unit on civil rights or segregation, the journey from Alabama to Atlanta and then to Chattanooga seemed longer than it actually is, perhaps a device to give the boys' friendship a chance to flourish, but the time element seems unrealistic. Still, this picture book does a good job of highlighting the confusing restrictions regarding where Blacks could sit depending on the state, something that doesn't make a lot of sense and could clearly frustrate and confuse a boy like Michael.
March 26, 2021
Michael has always stopped work to watch the trains go by the farm he lives on with his grandparents in Alabama. Then one day he gets his dream and takes a train trip north with his grandmother to Ohio to visit cousins. Though Michael has caught sight of a boy his age on the train, he isn’t allowed to go into the car where the boy is riding, because it’s closed to Black people. As the train leaves Atlanta, the “Whites Only” sign on the door is taken down and now Michael is allowed to enter the car. The two boys quickly start to play together and explore the train. They discover they have all sorts of things in common. But when the train reaches Chattanooga, Tennessee, Michael has to return to his own car and the sign goes up again. Luckily, his new friend knows it is fair and shares a final drawing of all people riding in the same train car together.
In a book that starts with the wonder of trains and the joy of a train ride, this picture book shows the impact of arbitrary race laws throughout the United States in the early 1960s. While consistent racism in Alabama is an everyday occurrence for Michael, it is the on-again, off-again rules that will catch readers’ attention as well as that of the train passengers. It clearly demonstrates the differences in the way racism impacts lives in different parts of our country, speaking clearly to today’s issues as well as that of our past.
The art by Ransome is a grand mix of train travel with tunnels, bridges and cities together with a diverse group of passengers and staff on the train. There is a sense of frustration and limits in the illustrations with the closed doors and signs that is replaced with a joyous freedom as the two boys explore the train together.
A critical look at our shared civil rights history and a call for us to do better. Appropriate for ages 6-9.
In a book that starts with the wonder of trains and the joy of a train ride, this picture book shows the impact of arbitrary race laws throughout the United States in the early 1960s. While consistent racism in Alabama is an everyday occurrence for Michael, it is the on-again, off-again rules that will catch readers’ attention as well as that of the train passengers. It clearly demonstrates the differences in the way racism impacts lives in different parts of our country, speaking clearly to today’s issues as well as that of our past.
The art by Ransome is a grand mix of train travel with tunnels, bridges and cities together with a diverse group of passengers and staff on the train. There is a sense of frustration and limits in the illustrations with the closed doors and signs that is replaced with a joyous freedom as the two boys explore the train together.
A critical look at our shared civil rights history and a call for us to do better. Appropriate for ages 6-9.
November 8, 2020
Thanks to Candlewick Press for this picture book!
These three authors and illustrators also collaborated on the wonderful book 'Granddaddy's Turn: A Journey to The Ballot Box'. This time Michael S. Bandy and Eric Stein tell the story of a young boy Michael's first train trip with his grandmother to visit cousins up north. The story of Michael as the train moves from state to state shows that he must begin travel in the "colored car" but as they enter another state, the signs are removed and he is free to move about. A white boy in the next car comes to introduce himself and ask if Michael wants to explore. It's a long journey and they have fun getting to know each other and moving from car to car, from the sleeper car to the dining car - having much fun. They settle in and play, get to know each other, but soon, Michael is hustled back to his car, no longer free. That's the life he was used to, but certainly only one example of injustices in the past. There is a nice thing done by the white boy who loves to draw, a gift to Michael of a train car filled with both black and white people! James Ransome's illustrations are always beautifully realistic portraits of people. This time, he portrays them on the train with peeks at the landscape moving by.
There is one page of backmatter, explaining the laws that created these Jim Crow laws, beginning in 1887 with the Interstate Commerce Act. It's a fine book that tells one more story of our dark history.
These three authors and illustrators also collaborated on the wonderful book 'Granddaddy's Turn: A Journey to The Ballot Box'. This time Michael S. Bandy and Eric Stein tell the story of a young boy Michael's first train trip with his grandmother to visit cousins up north. The story of Michael as the train moves from state to state shows that he must begin travel in the "colored car" but as they enter another state, the signs are removed and he is free to move about. A white boy in the next car comes to introduce himself and ask if Michael wants to explore. It's a long journey and they have fun getting to know each other and moving from car to car, from the sleeper car to the dining car - having much fun. They settle in and play, get to know each other, but soon, Michael is hustled back to his car, no longer free. That's the life he was used to, but certainly only one example of injustices in the past. There is a nice thing done by the white boy who loves to draw, a gift to Michael of a train car filled with both black and white people! James Ransome's illustrations are always beautifully realistic portraits of people. This time, he portrays them on the train with peeks at the landscape moving by.
There is one page of backmatter, explaining the laws that created these Jim Crow laws, beginning in 1887 with the Interstate Commerce Act. It's a fine book that tells one more story of our dark history.
Read
March 31, 2021In this picture book set in the 1960s (and inspired by the author’s childhood memories), Michael and his granddaddy are fascinated by the powerful trains that rush by their Alabama farm going North. Michael’s dream to ride one comes true when his grandma takes him to Ohio to visit relatives. As they board the train, they are directed to the “colored only” section (“no whites allowed”). When the train departs Atlanta, the conductor removes the sign, and a boy Michael had seen in the station comes running up to him from the white section. Michael and Bobby Ray begin exploring the train, racing through the cars, and finally return to Bobby Ray’s car, where they talk and play until the train reaches Chattanooga. The sign returns and the conductor leads Michael back to his seat as he laments, “Seemed like the rules on [that] train were always changing. It just didn’t make any sense at all.” When the train arrives in Cincinnati, Michael’s destination, the sign comes down again, and the new friends are able to say goodbye. In his signature watercolor style with collage, Ransome perfectly delivers the wonderment of a boy’s first train ride with beautifully rendered picturesque landscapes, and sensitively captures the innocence of children whose friendship defies the unjust laws of segregation. The author’s note provides brief context for the story, beginning with the 1887 Interstate Commerce Act that regulated railway transportation across state lines.
Lexile Level: 190L-940L
Grade Level: 1-4
Lexile Level: 190L-940L
Grade Level: 1-4
April 17, 2021
The illustrations in this gentle picture book are gorgeous as it introduces some of the history of racial segregation, its inconsistencies and complexities so obvious even a child can see them. What I really loved about this book is that it demonstrates how everyone loses. Two boys enjoy their time on a train together (when it's permitted by the state regulations) but are frustrated by the constantly changing rules as the train goes from state to state. We all lose when we are separated from one another—that separation reinforces distrust, misunderstanding and differences. "Charity seeketh not her own."
I didn't rate it higher because there isn't much of a story or any context which precludes this from being a stronger book (especially for older kids).
This would probably be best suited for preschool or early elementary age kids with some adult guidance on the history of racial segregation. It would be a good companion to Overground Railroad.
Other picture books on civil rights (besides the aforementioned):
- Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
I'll add more as I think of them...
I didn't rate it higher because there isn't much of a story or any context which precludes this from being a stronger book (especially for older kids).
This would probably be best suited for preschool or early elementary age kids with some adult guidance on the history of racial segregation. It would be a good companion to Overground Railroad.
Other picture books on civil rights (besides the aforementioned):
- Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
I'll add more as I think of them...
August 24, 2021
Michael loves watching the trains that sail by his home in Opelika, Alabama. One day his grandmother announces that they are going to visit cousins in Ohio - and they will be riding a train. The train ride takes place in the early 1960s and Michael and his new white friend, Bobby Ray, learn a lot about trains, friendship, and segregation on that train ride. In Alabama, they must sit in separate cars. But once they are in Georgia, they are free to explore the train together and play. But then they enter another state - and they are separated again. Segregation is a way of life for Michael - being able to go wherever he wants with whomever he wants is something new for him to ponder. Overall, the book has a hopeful note but also offers a glimpse of what segregation was like on the trains. I think this would be a great book to share with kids - and to note that the book is based on an actual event from the author's childhood.
February 16, 2021
Michael takes a trip from Alabama to Ohio with his grandmother. He's never traveled on a train before and is surprised when he and his grandma have to ride in the "colored only" train car, But, as they travel further north, the sign comes down and Michael meets a white boy from his same town, but they'd never met because of segregation.
Ransome's illustrations (as always) are great, but I think the story needed more context, particularly at the beginning. There was no indication from the text that it took place in the 1960's. Not until the author's note does the reader learn this, and I doubt the average child looks past the story itself. I think it could be used in a classroom, to help with a discussion about segregation.
Cross posted to: https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
Ransome's illustrations (as always) are great, but I think the story needed more context, particularly at the beginning. There was no indication from the text that it took place in the 1960's. Not until the author's note does the reader learn this, and I doubt the average child looks past the story itself. I think it could be used in a classroom, to help with a discussion about segregation.
Cross posted to: https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
December 29, 2020
Interesting to read with Overground Railroad which is another book about a train ride from the south to the north and the presence/absence of signs designating cars for Colored or Whites.
Also reminds me of The Other Side about two children (one black and one white) who make friends despite segregation.
In this story, we see two boys playing together whenever the rules allow them to be together on the train.
Also reminds me of The Other Side about two children (one black and one white) who make friends despite segregation.
In this story, we see two boys playing together whenever the rules allow them to be together on the train.
March 27, 2021
"Seemed like the rules on that train were always changing. It just didn't make any sense at all."
A young black boy and his grandmother board a train in Opelika, Alabama, heading north to Ohio. They are directed to the colored only train car. The boy's excitement at his first train ride can't be quelled even by that. But as they train leaves Atlanta, Georgia, the colored only sign comes down and the boy is able to go to the train car where he saw a boy his own age. These two boys become friends as they explore the different train cars. "But then the fun stopped." As they approach the Chattanooga, TN station the whites only sign goes back up and the boy is taken from his new friends car and escorted back to where his grandmother is.
A young black boy and his grandmother board a train in Opelika, Alabama, heading north to Ohio. They are directed to the colored only train car. The boy's excitement at his first train ride can't be quelled even by that. But as they train leaves Atlanta, Georgia, the colored only sign comes down and the boy is able to go to the train car where he saw a boy his own age. These two boys become friends as they explore the different train cars. "But then the fun stopped." As they approach the Chattanooga, TN station the whites only sign goes back up and the boy is taken from his new friends car and escorted back to where his grandmother is.
December 27, 2025
I don't normally review picture books, but I learned something from this book.
It takes place during segregation, and is based on the author's experience.
Michael is taking his first train ride from Alabama to Ohio. On the train Michael is seated in the colored only section, but when they got to Atlanta, he could wander the whole train. Michael even made a friend and they explored the train together. Then when the train got to Tennessee, the WHITES ONLY sign went back up and Michael had to go back to his original seat. When the train arrived in Ohio, Michael and his friend were able to reunite again.
I had no clue that this happened on trains. It was a good example of segregation and the confusion it caused.
It takes place during segregation, and is based on the author's experience.
Michael is taking his first train ride from Alabama to Ohio. On the train Michael is seated in the colored only section, but when they got to Atlanta, he could wander the whole train. Michael even made a friend and they explored the train together. Then when the train got to Tennessee, the WHITES ONLY sign went back up and Michael had to go back to his original seat. When the train arrived in Ohio, Michael and his friend were able to reunite again.
I had no clue that this happened on trains. It was a good example of segregation and the confusion it caused.
March 30, 2021
Fantastic story about a train ride during the era of segregation. This picture book is perfectly crafted to be relatable to all children reading it--who doesn't like a train ride?! A fantastic prompt for families or schools to talk about the injustice and nonsensical nature of the laws of segregation, opening up a conversation about racism in general. While those sound like big topics, this is for kids an exciting story about making friends with another child on a train, with segregation as a layer on top of it they will undoubtedly have a lot of questions about. A gentle way to introduce this topic to children at a young age.
Highly recommended for ages 5 to 10.
Highly recommended for ages 5 to 10.
April 16, 2023
This is a beautiful story of two boys on a long train journey. The man character is black and when the "coloreds only" sign of segregation is removed he makes friends with a white boy in another car. The journey takes them across many states and that sign comes and goes causing the conductor to drag the protagonist back to his grandma in the car for coloreds. The boys want to spend the entire time playing together, but they cannot. They still make friends along the journey, enjoying the time when all races can mingle together in harmony.
April 27, 2021
**Spoiler**
Grade level: 1-3
Lexile: 190L-940L
The illustrations in this picture book are wonderful, it incorporates the history of racial segregation, its inconsistencies, and complexities in a way children could understand. Two boys enjoy their time on a train together but are frustrated by the constantly changing rules as the train goes from state to state.
Grade level: 1-3
Lexile: 190L-940L
The illustrations in this picture book are wonderful, it incorporates the history of racial segregation, its inconsistencies, and complexities in a way children could understand. Two boys enjoy their time on a train together but are frustrated by the constantly changing rules as the train goes from state to state.
September 22, 2022
This would be a great story to introduce the Civil Rights era to students. The story features two boys who enjoy a train ride and share their time and talents. There is a special author's note at the end you must read. This is a well-written book with colorful illustrations throughout. Highly recommended for Grades 3-5.
February 16, 2021
On his first train ride, Michael meets a new friend from the 'whites only' car, but finds they can hang together for only part of the trip, in the last story in a trilogy about the author's life growing up in the segregated South.
April 15, 2021
A train trip reveals the arbitrary nature of race laws in various states, as a boy is no allowed, then allowed, then not agin, to play with a white boy. Based on the (black) author's own recollections.
Read
December 24, 2020Engagingly told picture book memoir of a boy's first train ride. Absolutely beautifully illustrated. Honestly, I can get lost in Mr. Ransome's work.
December 29, 2020
About friendship on a train and the shifting rules as a train goes through states with different segregation/integration laws.
January 4, 2021
The painful history of Jim Crow segregation is portrayed honestly and beautifully to help children understand the very personal impact of racism. Handsomely illustrated by James Ransome.
January 5, 2021
This was a simple, nice, and wholesome story. I recommend a read.
January 7, 2021
Although slightly longer than I had expected and I felt the title was semi-misleading, this was an interesting read
February 4, 2021
The unjust and arbitrary rules of train travel during the era of segregation are seen through the eyes of two children from separate train cars who befriend each other.
March 23, 2021
Gorgeous pictures, and an interesting story to read to elementary age kids.
January 4, 2022
Plot was a little hard to follow
March 25, 2022
I enjoyed this story. I think this would be a great tool to use in a classroom discussion on segregation—probably for second to fourth graders.
January 25, 2025
A look at the 1887, Interstate Commerce Act and the myriad of legal cases were fought over travel accomodations based on race. Michael takes his first train ride, and has to sit in the "colored only" section and is then free to sit with a new white friend Bobby Ray as the train crosses several state lines as he travels from Opelika, Alabama to Cincinnati, Ohio with his grandmother during the era of Jim Crow in early 1960's.
April 13, 2021
Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews