Daniela López is on a life-or-death journey.

Forced to flee their beloved home in Honduras, Dani and her family were headed north in search of safety--until a treacherous mistake ripped Dani's parents away. Now, Dani and her younger brother Carlos are on their own, and they have no choice but to keep going, in the desperate hope of finding their parents at the Mexico-United States border.

But to get there, they will have to ride on top of a roaring freight train known as "The Beast."

Rickety and deadly, The Beast makes hairpin turns at terrifying speeds and shoots through dark tunnels. And there is the constant danger of being caught by gangs and kidnappers along the way.

Surrounded by hundreds of fellow refugees, Daniela will have to figure out who she can and cannot trust--and fast. Otherwise, she and Carlos might not stand a chance of surviving...

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Alan Gratz (Refugee; Two Degrees) this timely original story, sensitively told, gives today's readers an accessible and gripping look at the immigrant experience and the courage it takes to start over.

Alan Gratz is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several highly acclaimed books for young readers, including Heroes: A Novel of Pearl Harbor, Two Degrees, Ground Zero, Allies, Grenade, Refugee, Projekt 1065, Prisoner B-3087, Code of Honor, and Captain America: The Ghost Army, an original graphic novel. Alan lives with his family in the Pacific Northwest. Look for him online at alangratz.com.