قطار آن شب

by Ahmad Akbarpour, نازنین آیگانی (Illustrator)

On a train trip with her grandmother, young Banafsheh meets a woman who reminds her of her dead mother. The woman is a teacher and a writer, and she promises she will call Banafsheh and come and tell her stories. Later, the teacher weaves the encounter into a story that she tells to the children in her classroom. The children are entranced by the story and imagine how it will turn out. Surely, they say, the teacher will call the little girl.


But the teacher never calls, though Banafsheh waits faithfully by the phone and refuses even to go out to play. Meanwhile, the teacher is disconcerted by her class's reaction, and she agonizes over how to end her story. As a writer, she feels that the story is more important than anything else, and that the ending must be exciting and eventful, no matter what. Perhaps Banafsheh will even have to become ill and die?


In the end, the teacher does visit Banafsheh, but finds that it is too little too late. Banafsheh is very angry with the teacher, and hurt. Finally, the teacher makes the biggest sacrifice she knows — her manuscript — in order to save the friendship.


This is a thought-provoking and emotionally powerful novel that raises intriguing and child-friendly questions about how real life and stories are interwoven, who owns stories, and whether they can ever truly disappear.

Genres: Middle Grade, Childrens, Picture Books, Fiction

63 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Ahmad Akbarpour is an Iranian novelist and children's book author. He was born in 1970 in Chah Varz, Lamerd, Fars Province.

Reviews

[Lili Potter · Rating 5 out of 5]

در گروه بندی داستان کودکان قرار دارد ولی برای بزرگسالان نیز می تواند جالب باشد. شخصیت نویسنده در داستان حاضر است. کتاب قبلی او و شخصیت های قبلی کتابش حاضرند. کتاب قبلیش توسط شخصیت کتاب جدیدش خوانده می شود. نویسنده در تعامل با شخصیت هایش قرار گرفته است و از جایگاه بالادست و آفریننده ی خود پایین می آید و هم سطح شخصیت هایش می ایستد. داستان زیبایی ست. روایت هایی موازی داستان کودکانه در دنیای خوانش بزرگسالانه روایت می شود. مجرد بودن پدر و زیبایی خانم معلم و تایید مادربزرگ و آرزوی بنفشه در یافتن یک مادر با ظرافت خاصی ماجرا را پیش می برند. این کتاب می تواند نوعی خودآموز نگارش داستان مدرن باشد

It is in the grouping of children's stories, but it can also be interesting for adults. The author's character is present in the story. His previous book and the previous characters in his book are present. His previous book is read by the character of his new book. The author is in the training of the characters and comes down from the position of your creator and stands at the level of his characters. It is a beautiful story. It is a narrative that is told in parallel with the children's story in the world of adult reading. The singleness of the father and the beauty of the teacher and the permission of the grandmother and Banafsheh's desire to find a mother with a special delicacy advance the story. This book can be a kind of tutorial for writing modern stories



[Morteza Bahrami · Rating 3 out of 5]

کمی برایم عجیب است چون ترجمه انگلیسی‌اش را خواندم. از دید من ساختار داستان بخش خلاقانه‌اش است. به گونه‌ای ضد جریان. خیلی خوب است که 《بادا بادا مبارک بادا》 ندارد یا دست‌کم نشان نمی‌دهد و به ذهن کودک می‌گذارد.

[Mireille Messier · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very strange...

[Wendy]

A good introduction to meta-fiction for young readers.

[L. Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the reality/unreality of this book. The relationship between a motherless girl and a woman teacher she met on a train unfold with brutal truth--the teacher never calls on the little girl as she promised. The girl's trust in the world is twice-broken: once by the death of her mother, and then by the betrayal of a stranger's promise. But the layer of metafiction--the teacher telling this very story to her students, inviting them to consider what might make the best ending--calls everything into question again. What a delicious pathway into teaching story!

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a simple premise - a writer and a teacher meets a child on a train and, having become rather friendly, promises to come visit her. The child waits with anticipation for the writer to call but she doesn't. But the writer hasn't forgotten the encounter and uses it in a story that she shares with the children she teaches. What are the real life consequences of weaving real life into fictional narratives? An amazingly intricate gem of a novel!

[clare o'c · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful little book about relationships and expectations; promises made and broken and the effect on those involved. It's very sophisticated for a young reader, but for those able to make the journey - a treat!.

[Beth Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this little book while at the library with Jacob. It's a sweet little story about a five- year old girl who meets a teacher/author on a train. It's a nice little book about relationships, promises and how fiction and reality mix.

[Arash Esmaeili · Rating 2 out of 5]

"...زبانم بند آمد
کتاب فروش چند بار گفت: پول!پول!
و جلوی چشمانم انگشتانش را به علامت پول به هم مالید
من یادم رفته بود برای کتاب هم باید پول داد
مغزم کار نمیکرد,با خودم میگفتم:
کتاب هم مثل آب باید توی خیابان ها باشد و بعد داشتم به آبسردکن ها فکر میکردم..."

[azade · Rating 2 out of 5]

"شب به خیر فرمانده" از همین نویسنده جایزه نخست شورای کتاب کودک و یونیسف

[Suezette Given · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting story structure. Addresses the issue of personal narrative as fodder for fiction...thought provoking.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

an amazing book. maybe even six-stars. a children's version of "if on a winter's night a traveller" the writing is brilliant, since it is translated Majid Saghafi deserves much credit.

[Kimberly Wargin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming book weaving a story within a story seamlessly telling two tales that appear to wrap themselves up within one another.

[Leigh Kaisen]

This was a strange and thought-provoking little book. An interesting look at meta-fiction, perception as reality, and the layers of story and relationship.

[Betsy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very disturbing. It had the potential of being a great story.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's basically the movie "Stranger Than Fiction" written for preteens by an Iranian author.