Route North From Boston

The everyday sights, sounds and smells of a colorful and bustling city come alive in this book - a child's view of Boston. Maryann Cocca-Leffler remembers frequent bus trips she took into the city as a girl with her mother and little sister. Together they shopped for delicious treats in the Italian North End - warm pizza and creamy cannoli - or stopped for ice cream sundaes at Bailey's after a day of bargain hunting at Filene's Basement. One of the best things about the trips was the bus driver, Bill. He started his route each day in their neighborhood and knew all the kids on the street. In this engaging Parents' Choice Award book, the author-artist conveys all the warmth and simple pleasure of childhood memories and the people and places that made them so special.

The story of the Orange Line is the story of Boston: always in flux but trailed by its long history. Since 1901, this rail lines configuration has evolved in response to changes in the city, society, and technology. Hazardous sections have been eliminated, ownership has transitioned from private to public, and the line has been rerouted to serve growing suburbs and to use land cleared for the failed Inner Belt. Both its northern terminus, which shifted from Everett to Malden, and the southern route, realigned from Washington Street to the Southwest Corridor, have seen dramatic transformations that have in turn changed riders lives. Today, the lines 10 miles of track curve through many Greater Boston communities, serving thousands along the way.