Emma loves to watch the high-speed silk trains as they roar past the station where her father works, and she dreams of having some silk of her own. When a silk train goes off the tracks and into the river, a car breaks open and its cargo of silk is set adrift. Emma spots a piece after a long search and wades in to claim it. But the current knocks her off her feet, and Emma is swept away. Her tenacity, a little ingenuity, the silk and some unexpected help from the crew of a passing silker all play a role in her dramatic rescue.

Julie Lawson has based her story on an actual silk train derailment that took place in September 1927 along the Fraser River in British Columbia. Paul Mombourquette's lush paintings depict small-down life in North America in the early years of this century and the romance and adventure of the passing trains. This is historical fiction at its best—a fictional account of the adventure of a determined young girl combined with the real-life drama of the silk trains. Emma and the Silk Train will delight train enthusiasts, those fascinated by history and everyone who loves a good story.

A historical note at the end of the story provides more information about this exciting but little-known chapter of North American history.

From the dust jacket