by Houghton Mifflin Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
First published 2020
A boy lies awake on Christmas Eve as his town sleeps around him. A mysterious train appears outside his window. The Polar Express waits to carry him to the North Pole. He climbs aboard and travels through the night on this strange journey. At the North Pole, Santa Claus greets the children who have made the trip. Santa offers the boy any gift he wants from Christmas. The boy asks for a single bell from a reindeer's harness. Santa grants his modest wish. During the ride home, the precious bell slips through a hole in the boy's pocket and disappears. Christmas morning arrives. The boy discovers the lost bell waiting under his family's tree. His mother examines the beautiful silver bell but hears no sound when she shakes it. The bell remains silent to her ears. Only those who truly believe can hear its magical ring.
Genres: christmas, fantasy, magical-realism
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, whimsical
Tropes: magical-journey, santa-claus
Setting: North Pole
Period: Christmas Eve
Paperback · Clarion Books