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A historical period little known to American children is made real in this story within a story inspired by the experience of Balgassi's own grandmother. Missing her mother, who is away training to be a U.S. soldier, Sumi finds some comfort in watching trains come and go, knowing that one day her mother will return. One particularly sad afternoon, she is joined by her grandmother, who tells Sumi the circumstances surrounding a train ride she and Sumi's mother and siblings took to escape Communist soldiers during the Korean War. Through sharing, Sumi and her grandmother comfort each other. The characters are wonderfully individualized, with Sumi in sneakers and jeans, looking very much the contemporary kid, and the telling is graceful and poignant. The link between the past and the present is flimsy, however, even given the fictional framework. Children will surely wonder, for example, how Sumi's mother and grandmother finally ended up in the U.S. Not even the endnote, containing facts about the war and Balgassi's grandfather, who was lost in the conflict, fills in the blank. (Reviewed Sept. 15, 1996) K-Gr 3--While her mother serves a stint in the army, Korean-American Sumi, whose father is dead, lives with her harmuny (grandmother). The child longs for her mother's return, particularly as her birthday nears. Harmuny sits beside Sumi as she watches for a train and tells her the story of the "peacebound" train that saved her life and the lives of her two children (including Sumi's mother) during the communist invasion of Seoul in 1950. Harmuny also tells of her husband, Sumi's grandfather, who remained behind as a soldier and was never heard from again. Harmuny then hugs the girl and tells her that soon they will meet the train bringing her mother home "safe and sound." (Paradoxically, the illustration facing this final page of text portrays only Sumi's grandfather who did not return safe and sound.) The text, divided into short chapters, is gracefully written and told with great emotion. The richly colored illustrations are splashed with light, and convey the unfolding drama. Facial expressions are particularly effective. A brief glossary of Korean terms and an author's note about the history are appended. Readers will come away from this book with the understanding that the struggle for peace is universal and timeless, and that sometimes sacrifices must be made to achieve it.--Cynthia K. Richey, Mt. Lebanon Public Library, Pittsburgh, PA