Treasure Chest of Fun and Fact #15 [321]

In a quiet neighborhood in 1962, George Sakai, a new student at the Catholic school, tries to find his place among his peers. As he joins the baseball team, his talent earns respect—but not without the sting of prejudice from those who judge him before they know him. With quiet determination, George faces both the game and the growing tension around him, testing what it means to belong.

Chuck White, stranded in a mine with a ticking time bomb and a growing fear of tunnels, calls home in a panic—only to be overheard by reporters who’ve already written him off as the most spineless man alive. When rescuers finally break through, their playful "Peekaboo! I see you!" only deepens the mystery of what’s really going on beneath the surface.

In the quiet aftermath of a harrowing rescue, the steam locomotive—once a symbol of fading industry—makes her final run with a heart full of purpose. With the mines stabilized and the diesel units restored, Ray Norris and his fellow club members stand at the edge of a new chapter, their dream of a tourist line now within reach. But as the train pulls away, Chuck White feels the pull of Steeltown, where a personal duty awaits—something only he can see through.

In "Tracktalk," Chuck White takes readers behind the scenes of railroad communication, sharing the real-life signals and codes trainmen use to navigate tracks and coordinate movement. From lantern flashes to whistle blasts and the meanings behind different wheel arrangements, it’s a clear, engaging look at the unspoken language of the rails.

In "Band of Steel," Abraham Lincoln oversees the monumental effort to build the Transcontinental Railroad, a feat challenged by fierce terrain, relentless sabotage by Indigenous groups, and the scarcity of materials like steel rails shipped from the East. With workers hard to find and progress agonizingly slow, the project finds unexpected strength in the determination of Chinese immigrants who step forward to lay the tracks that will bind the nation.

In a delightfully absurd twist of fate, Uncle Harry’s grandfather’s African preserve sends a baby gorilla to town—just as Mr. Sharp’s fake gorilla attraction is drawing crowds. With the real baby on the loose and no time to find a proper mother, Cousin Fud is stuffed into an old gorilla suit to play the part. Now, with the whole town watching, Will and Jody must keep the ruse going while Mr. Whiffletree wonders how long it’ll take for the little gorilla to grow up—because Fud’s not going anywhere until then.