Reviewed by Janelle Fila for Readers' Favorite

It's 1934; the era of the Great Depression and Keith Watts was driving his train on the Southern Line. Then he does something unexpected by stopping his train to pick up a little, roving girl on the uphill run to Gooseneck Pass. It doesn't end there; he decides to accompany the girl on her quest to find a rich grandmother she has never met. I really liked the setting of Little Soot by L.K. Reppo. My family has always been obsessed with trains and trains are one of those things that just captures reader's attention. We rode the Durango Silverton railroad when we were kids and my dad has miniature trains that he collected over the years. Both my son and nephew have a huge fascination for trains, so I think this subject matter will definitely appeal to readers, especially boys who are interested in learning more about how trains work and the story about the people who work on them.

I liked the idea of this story as well, that good could triumph over evil. There were a lot of morals incorporated and encouraged throughout, like hard work and not giving up and helping your neighbor even when you don't have a lot yourself. I really appreciated the morals displayed. I also appreciated the simplicity of this story. I think that made the story believable. I loved the way the characters interacted with each other and felt that really kept the flow of the story going. The conversations between the two characters were fresh and helped move the story along. It wasn’t a deep or hard read; it was a much more enjoyable and easy read. This book was interesting and educational but not over the top, which was appreciated.