Several objects throughout the story help forge lasting bonds between characters. Which item was your favorite? Likewise, which possessions in your own life carry deep sentimental value?

Several objects throughout the story—including the toy train, buttons, and, most frequently, a ball of string—help forge lasting bonds between characters. Which item was your favorite?

Likewise, which possessions in your own life carry deep sentimental value given their link to a person or relationship?

I was intrigued by the ball of string. By virtue of it’s simplicity it was readily available and by its nature it brought characters together and helped them form a literal and figurative bond throughout the novel. However, the toy train with it’s hidden compartment was my favorite.
I have my father’s WWII helmet,army diary, several pieces of memorabilia, as well as his high school ring. The stories he felt comfortable enough to tell me and the fact that of 6 children he chose me to entrust not only these items but some of his many memories of WWII make their significance in my life even greater. I would never part with them.

I loved the train and it’s comfort for Fenna and Arie. I’m still trying to figure out in my head how it worked! I have a doll that my daughter gave me when she got married. Seeing it every day keeps her close to me

I loved the train and the significance it held. It sparked Fenna’s curiosity for magic, which forged a path for what later became her life’s work. It represented the friendship and deep bond between Arie and Fenna, and was a symbol for the secrecy that engulfed the entirety of their relationship.

While the magic button interested me, I particularly like the toy train with its secret compartments. Its link to both Fenna and Arie, which began in childhood and ran throughout their story represented their continued attachment (even through great trials) as well as the secrets between them.
\As to my own possessions, I most treasure a gold filigree heart on a chain that was my father's 50th anniversary gift to my mother. I lost my parents in a car accident in 2005, and the necklace is a constant reminder of the model they set before me for my own life and marriage.

I agree with laurap. The magic button was interesting, but the train was the best. Trains were big in the lives of my dad and brother. I too lost my mom is a car accident in 2008, and a heart shaped ring she worn for over 40 years was on her finger when she passed. I treasure it. Things attach to memories, which bring them back to us!

The toy train was my favorite as well. I particularly liked the initial exchange of the toy when Fenna gives the train to Arie because there was not a Christmas gift for him otherwise. Then, the train become a source of comfort to Fenna in so many ways as well as the clever mechanism for communication between Fenna and Arie.

I would say my personal sentimental possessions are photographs - either ones that were passed down through generations of those that document my life with loved ones.

I was a big fan of the way the train was used throughout the story. I liked it both for its literal and symbolic significance, especially at the end of the story. While I do not personally have any items that served this purpose for such a long period of my life, I do have a few "gag fists" from my children that definitely say something about the relationships between us.

The train was my favorite also. It provided the initial connection between Fenna and Aire. I have my grandmother's lipstick holder. I see always think about what a special lady she was when I look at it.

The toy train was my favorite - it was a life time bond between the two characters where they hid their secrets.

I have several items from grandparents and great grandparents that always remind me what a fantastic family I grew up in.

I too loved the train. It was an integral piece in the book and the bond it forged between Arie and Fenna.

Ditto
I loved the train

The sentimental meaning we place on objects to either keep a loved one close or carry on family/friendships is deeply rooted in who we are as humans. The object can be monetarily valuable or worthless, but if it holds value to the heart, it's a treasure to the beholder.
I believe these objects and trinkets hold even more value during times of distress (war). Having something physical to hold that links you to another person can quite literally keep a person sane during high stress and/or great loss.

The toy train and how Fenn gave it to Arie because he would have no Christmas present without it. I hang onto things that keep memories of loved ones close.
The ones with a meaningful story behind them are the ones I treasure.

I love the way author Kristina McMorris wove various objects into the storyline. It was really quite an ingenious device because readers can relate to objects taking on great meaning in characters' life. I have a number of items in my home that originally belonged to my parents & were treasured by them. Enjoying them brings back happy memories of time spent with them and makes me feel sentimental & happily nostalgic. The toy train was a touching element to the story, signifying the enduring nature of the relationship of Finn & Arie despite all the obstacles they faced and, ultimately, the way their relationship concluded (at least in this lifetime).