View source for The Wrong Train by Jeremy de Quidt

{{infobox2
|title=The Wrong Train
|sort=Wrong Train
|author=Jeremy de Quidt
|reviewer= Tony Taylor
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary= A collection of spine-chilling short stories interlinked with an ongoing tale which is as gripping as the stories themselves - perfect for a dark winter's night.
|rating=5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=220
|publisher=David Fickling Books
|date=September 2016
|isbn=978-1910200810
|website= http://www.jeremydequidt.com/
|video=
|aznuk=1910200816
|aznus=1910200816
|cover=1910200816
}} 

''Imagine that it's dark.  You look up, and suddenly you realise that you've taken the wrong train…so you get off at the next station.  Only it isn't a station…and you're not alone.'' The wrong Train is a collection of spine-chilling stories which are told as part of a strange game to keep the boy entertained whilst he waits for the next train to appear…if there even is a next train. 

Wow.  This book is incredibly good – completely edge of your seat writing.  Throughout all of the short stories I felt scared, anxious for the characters and had the need to check that the door was locked.  Jeremy de Quidt's writing is completely absorbing and highly visual.  In between each tale, we return to the underlying story of the boy waiting for his train to appear.  He is joined by an old man carrying an old lantern and Toby, his dog.  During these interludes, the old man tries to pass the time by telling him these stories which appear to be part of a mysterious game of his.   As each story begins, the night-time scene at the station almost melts away and this is how I felt reading the book.  I became thoroughly immersed and sucked into these, quite frankly, scary tales.  A children's book?  I hear you cry.  Well, yes it is.  However, I would not recommend this for any younger than a confident, mature Year 6 child. Having said that, I know a group of children in my Year 6 class would absolutely devour this book and be wanting more.  Due to the author's skill of grabbing the reader and not letting go, I feel anyone younger than this could well be left with a nightmare or two.  As it states in the blurb, these are bone-chilling stories.

Each story is quite short and perfect for a winter's evening read.  His style, for me, is reminiscent of Stephen King as the tales are not necessarily in-your-face scary but there is a subtler underlying approach.  When the boy meets the man after he has left the train at the station, the man says: ''It's not a station''.

''But the train stopped here,'' the boy objected.  ''I got off it.''

''Well, you shouldn't have done that at all.  I wouldn't have come along if you hadn't done that.'' 

Within this short exchange the eerie mood begins and there are excellent exchanges between these two characters. 

As with all short story books, some stand out more than others.  The first three: Nanny's Candle, Security Light and Your Lucky Day are all, particularly macabre.  Unlike many books for confident children readers, don't expect the ending you expected.  Through movies and books, we become attuned to a certain outcome which is why I found these stories even more jaw-dropping.

Jeremy de Quidt has written a collection of refreshing tales which evoke emotion.  In my Year 5/6 English lesson a child said (referring to a different book), that she just wanted to reach in and grab the character and that's why this book is so good.  I can only echo exactly her sentiment and when you have this feeling you know you have a fantastic book in your hands. 

For further reading, I would recommend [[The Toymaker by Jeremy de Quidt]] 

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