I Witnessed: The Great Train Robbery of 1963: A Graphic Novel―A Historical Fiction Crime Story for Kids

by Andrea Debbink, Crystal Jayme (Illustrator)

Aspiring investigative reporter Marilyn witnesses one of the greatest money heists in history…but will she be able to collect enough evidence for anyone to believe what she saw? For fans of I Survived and Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales but with a true crime twist, read about the Great Train Robbery of 1963 in this I Witnessed graphic novel.
Marilyn is in for an unforgettable trip when she sneaks aboard a Royal Mail train from Glasgow to London on the night of August 7, 1963. While Marilyn’s focused on her writing portfolio and convincing Dad not to ship her to boarding school, the night takes a turn when she witnesses more than a dozen masked men board the train. What Marilyn didn’t know when she snuck aboard was that this Mail Train was transporting over £2 million in cash. The robbers detain the crewmen, seize control of the train, and then abscond into the night with their bounty…but thanks to Marilyn, they won’t make it out scot-free. Inspired the true events, Marilyn’s story offers a fictional kid POV rooted in historical facts about the heist and the subsequent trial. Case fact sidebars offer additional nonfiction elements to the story.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction, Comics, Crime

208 pages, Paperback

Published March 17, 2026

About the author

I'm a writer, editor, and habitual daydreamer. Before I became a full-time author, I spent nearly a decade as an editor at American Girl where I specialized in creating imaginative nonfiction content. Today I write books for children and adults. I believe that a good book can change a life—and the world.

Reviews

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have young readers who’ve enjoyed the I Survived series, this takes that idea to a whole new level. This graphic novel highlights that true story of a train robbery in 1963, with the addition of a fictionalized character who witnessed the entire experience. I was totally mesmerized (and had never heard about this historical theft!) and if I couldn’t put it down. I’m sure our middle grade and upper middle grade readers might feel the same.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC Provided by Netgalley

Between 1955 and 1963, there was a 36 book series of historical fiction called WE WERE THERE. These were usually from the point of view of two children, often a brother and sister, who had a small role in different historical events. These I Witnessed graphic novels (the first being I Witnessed: The Lizzie Borden Story: A Graphic Novel – A True Crime Mystery About the 1892 Murder Trial for Kids by Jeramey Kraatz (who also wrote The Cloak Society and Space Runners series) feel very much like those books to me.

Marilyn runs away from her home in Scotland in 1963 because she has an argument with her mother, who wants to pull her out of her school and send her to a remote boarding school because her behavior is bad. She heads to London, where her father works as a newspaper reporter, since she has journalistic aspirations herself. Since she can't afford a train ticket, she stows away on a mail train. Unfortunately, the train is carrying a lot of money and is robbed. Marilyn has a list of suspects, and sends this to the police anonymously, and later identifies the remaining robber who eluded authorities. She grows up to become a reporter herself.

This was rather cleverly done, and an author's note at the end explains that while most of the characters and events in the book are based off the real 1963 robbery, Marilyn is a fictional character used to explain how anonymous information was turned in to the police.

The illustrations have a retro feel and are all in green, which makes us think of money in the US, even though pound notes were probably a variety of colors.

Great choice for readers who liked Tom Sullivan's Unsolved Case Files.

[H. Woodward · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great historical fiction graphic novel for middle school readers. The plot moves quickly and will keep readers interested. I like how simple, but effective, the art work is. The recounting of real events is well done from the perspective of a teenager, who actually thinks and acts like a teenager. The author’s note points out what is fact and fiction, as well as how she got the idea for the main character, Marilyn. This makes it very useful in ELA classes, where why someone writes is a big question. I definitely will be adding this to my classroom library.

[Ron Baumer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting story and illustration. The author does a great job in bringing out the story and working in how it was all witnessed by a young adult. The artwork was well-done and does a great job in complementing the story. A good read for all.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fictionalized account of the famous British mail train robbery, retold to star a teenaged protagonist. This book will probably appeal most to upper middle grade readers, and I thought it was a lot more readable than it's predecessor. Readers who like the I Survived books will probably like these as well.

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy!

[Elle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whereas I appreciate that the author has a section after the story acknowledging that this story is fictional, it’s only 1 page. More information on the facts not the thoughts behind fictional elements such as the protagonist would have been beneficial for readers.

[Dolores · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fictional account of a real-life crime told through the eyes of a kid--who just happened to be present. Lots of information about the actual crime and a fun story.

[el (celestialbronz) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Diana of Shelved by Strand · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I Witnessed: The Great Train Robbery of 1963" is a graphic novel that gives middle-grade readers a front seat to the astounding 1963 robbery of almost 2 million pounds in cash from a moving train. The robbers make it to their hideout with their riches, but they're eventually captured thanks to Marilyn, our fictitious narrator.

The blurb compares this title to the Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales series, but this "eyewitness" account blurs the lines much more than the NHHT series. The narrators in those are clearly fictitious, but Marilyn, an aspiring journalist desperate for her father's approval, is instrumental in solving the crime.

Some of my students will like this accessible approach to an actual event, but I know that others will be annoyed by the blurry line between fact and fiction. These will probably be the same readers who don't appreciate the monotone palette. The green gives a 1960s mod appeal, but full-color graphic novels are always more popular in my classroom library.

Many thanks to HarperAlley and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.