Blue Peter Book Club: The Train of Dark Wonders

The Train of Dark Wonders, written by Alex Bell and illustrated by Beatriz Castro, is the first title in the 2025 Blue Peter Book Club.

Watch the animation below to discover more about the book.

Bess is delighted when she’s handed the keys to her grandfather's Odditorium and his collection of curiosities. But unless she finds a way to draw in the crowds, she’ll have to close its doors for good.

When a mysterious train pulls into town, bound for the Land of Halloween Sweets, Bess sneaks onboard. She joins Beau the puppeteer, Louie the violinist and Maria the fire witch on their adventures.

All is not as it seems, as the land is ruled by the fearsome Candymaker…

You can get a sneak peek of the book over on Blue Peter.

When you jump aboard The Train of Dark Wonders, you find yourself in worlds full of mystery, magic, sweets and adventure!

The author Alex Bell’s writing techniques grab you from the first page and keep you racing through the story. But, what are some of the exciting techniques she uses?

Ambitious, precise vocabulary choices are made throughout The Train of Dark Wonders to create pictures in your head as you read. Instead of using simple, vague words that don't capture the imagination of the reader, Alex Bell has chosen bold and interesting vocabulary to bring the story to life and to make sure you keep reading.

When the children decide to rescue the gummy dragon ‘Flossie’, the author chooses ambitious vocabulary to describe the way Maria feels about the mission:

“Maria seemed a little exasperated by their rescue mission” (page 220)

To give a clearer description of how Maria feels, the author has used the word 'exasperated'. This is an ambitious vocabulary choice, as it goes beyond simple word choices - like 'tired' or 'annoyed' - and makes it clear just how fed-up Maria really is.

What are italics?

Italics are used throughout The Train of Dark Wonders. Italics are a style of text where the letters lean slightly to the right.

They show that something is being emphasised or thought about. In The Train of Dark Wonders, italics are used to emphasise the importance or urgency of things that happen throughout the story.

For example, the importance of Bess finding Professor Ash at the fair is emphasised by the word ‘somewhere’:

“He had to be there somewhere after all.” (page 62)

When Bess meets Penelope the alien, to make it clear just how bright green Penelope is, the author has written the word ‘bright’ in italics:

“Bess stared in amazement. Penelope’s head really was bright green – the most luminous shade one could imagine.” (page 134)

What are ellipses and how do you use them?

Ellipses are not just as simple as …; they are used by writers to create mystery, hesitation, or an unfinished idea.

Ellipses appear throughout The Train of Dark Wonders to make you, the reader, feel like something mysterious is hiding just around the corner…

At other times, they create a feeling of suspense, that part of the adventure isn’t quite finished yet… This keeps you excited and makes you turn to the next page.

When Bess first climbs aboard the Train of Dark Wonders and it suddenly plummets underground:

“She felt a flash of panic that she’d never see her parents or the Odditorium again…” (page 85)

Here, the ellipses create suspense and mystery by leaving you hanging. As if something exciting or scary is about to happen.

Ellipses can also be used to show hesitation when a character is speaking or thinking.

When Bess buys a ‘hot frog’ at the fair, the author shows her hesitation as she wonders why the food is called a hot ‘frog’ not a hot ‘dog’:

“Is it… Is it actually made from frog then?” (Page 56)

Using ellipses in this way makes Bess’ speech feel more realistic by showing how she stops to think, and even worry, part way through what she is saying.

Watch as Abby and the Book Clubbers talk about their favourite parts of The Train of Dark Wonders.

• If you've read the book, can you write about what you enjoyed the most? Think about the story, the characters and settings.

• Can you make a flyer to encourage people to visit the Odditorium and describe some of the things that they can see?

Both of these will help you earn your Blue Peter Book Club badge, which you can read about here.

Now put what you've learnt to the test with this quiz all about ambitious vocabulary, italics and ellipses.