We traveled through cold, dark forests where lean wolves roamed and white tailed rabbits hid from our train as it thundered through the quiet wilderness. We climbed mountains so high it seemed as if we could scrape the moon. But the Polar Express never slowed down. Faster and faster we ran along, rolling over peaks and through valleys like a car on a roller coaster. The mountains turned into hills, the hills to snow covered plains.

When the train reached my house, I sadly left the other children. I stood at my doorway and waved good-bye. The conductor yelled something from the moving train but I couldn’t hear him. “What?” I yelled at him. He cupped his hands around his mouth. “MERRY CHRISTMAS.”

The Polar Express let out a loud blast from its whistle and sped away.


(Excerpts taken from The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg)