Orphan trains were the brainchild of charles loring brace, a minister who was troubled by the large number of homeless and impoverished children in new york. Orphan train by christina baker kline book club discussion. The orphan train adventures series in order joan lowery. The one book, one philadelphia selection committee chose orphan train by christina baker kline as its.
Collect all four volumes of the beyond the orphan train series. The orphan trains, by marilyn irvin holt, is simply excellent. Andrew brady, her fellow agent on her first placing trip, is a former. Apr 02, 20 vivians journey west was aboard an orphan train, a bit of misguided 1900sera social engineering moving homeless, destitute city children, mostly immigrants, into midwest families. Kline reminds us that we never really lose anyone or anything orperhaps most importantlyourselves. Spruce harbor, maine, 2011 in christina baker klines orphan train. Beyond the orphan train series, volumes 14 by arleta richardson. On september a train set out from new york bound for dowagiac, michigan. In reverend charles brace and others founded the childrens aid society to care for homeless and unwanted children. They used to replay it every few years throughout the 1980s. Find books like orphan train from the worlds largest community of readers.
Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. I particularly enjoyed the authors discussion of how child rearing views were changing during this time in american history. Cathy marie buchanan, nyt bestselling author of the day the falls stood still and the painted girls i loved this book. They were the first passengers of the orphan trains sponsored by the childrens aid societybook jacket. Orphan train on surprise trip up the bestseller list. Vivians story is the subject of the book, the orphan train. It was the last chance for these children to find a family to live with. She is the author of seven novels, including orphan train, and has coauthored or edited five nonfiction books. Between 1854 and 1929, socalled orphan trains ran regularly from the cities of the east coast to the farmlands of the midwest. Her first book for houghton mifflin, orphan train rider, won the 1996 boston globe horn book award for nonfiction. Placing out in america by marilyn irvin holt online at alibris.
Orphan trains brought homeless nyc children to work on. This is an alternate cover edition of isbn 9780061950728, found he. From 1854 to 1929 an estimated 250,000 orphaned, abandoned, and homeless children were placed throughout the united states and canada during the orphan train movement. A novel christina baker kline, 20 harpercollins 278 pp. She is the author of seven novels, including orphan train, and has coauthored or edited five nonfiction books kline is a geraldine r. The term orphan trains is also misleading because a substantial number of the placedout children never took the railroad to their new homes, or even traveled very far. Christina baker kline, suzanne toren jessica almasy. Book cover for an orphans winter by sheila jeffries an orphans winter. Vivian traveled from nyc to minnesota as a young girl on one of the infamous orphan trains that was used to get orphans out of the cities into the country where they might have a better opportunity to find families and to be able to make a good life. She had emigrated from ireland with her family as a young girl. Read online orphan train by christina baker kline for. History courses, christina baker klines novel orphan train is the perfect addition to your curriculum. In postcivil war america, when a union soldier is presumed dead, his children are mistakenly sent away on the orphan train. Check out our revolutionary sidebyside summary and analysis.
Ann hood, nyt bestselling author of the knitting circle i was so moved by this book. Orphan train is a young adult historical fiction novel about the relationship between seventeen yearold molly ayer and ninetyone yearold vivian daly who, as the result of spending time together and sharing their experiences, form a bond, learn from each other, and change in significant ways. The character of ralph thibodeaus in orphan train from. Orphan train facts the term orphan trains refers to the midnineteenth and earlytwentiethcentury method of placing destitute, urban children in the homes of largely rural families. Many rural people viewed the orphan train children with suspicion, as incorrigible offspring of drunkards and prostitutes. Mar 24, 2020 this pin was discovered by vitalsource. She was deposited with the byrnes, who wanted only child labor in a dressmaking enterprise.
The orphan train by christina baker kline questions. The train out of new york city full of nuns and children pulled up to the osage, missouri station in 1901. Read anne of green gables if you are looking for a happier, lighter story about orphans. Questions every book club asks, the story behind the writing of orphan train, and more. Orphan train historical background christina baker kline. Klines new novel, orphan train, is the fictional tale of niamh, a 9yearold irish girl who is put on an. In orphan train, who is the first seamstress that mrs. Niamh pronounced neev was an irish immigrant girl sent on an orphan train from new york city to minnesota in the late 1920s. Seventeen years old at the time the novel is set, narration. By using our site you consent to our use of cookies. After tragedy, young girl shipped west on orphan train. One of the books protagonists, an irish orphan, is packed onto a train and sent to the midwest. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance. Vivians journey west was aboard an orphan train, a bit of misguided 1900sera social engineering moving homeless, destitute city children, mostly immigrants, into midwest families.
As the train came to a stop little irma could see a lady holding a large card with 32 written on it. Browse author series lists, sequels, pseudonyms, synopses, book covers, ratings and awards. When the orphan train movement began, it was estimated that 30,000 abandoned children were living on. Orphan train will hold you in its grip as their fascinating tales unfold. Listen to the complete orphan train series book series. Three year old irma craig had her name, birth date, and name of who was to receive her sewn on the inside of her jacket and a large number 32 sewn on the outside. Orphan train series audiobooks listen to the full series.
Goodreads members who liked orphan train also liked. Orphan train is a book set in both the present day and the late 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. We personally assess every book s quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. As an adult, winefred lorraine williams learned that she was placed in a new york city orphanage soon after her birth in 1922. Trouble on the orphan train by marianne hering, paperback. I think a lot of readers are looking for a book they can. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Christina baker kline penobscot indian molly ayer is close to aging out out of the foster care system.
More than 100 communities and colleges have chosen it as a. She has been a professional writer for twenty years and works from her home office in the kansas city area. This was one of my favorite movies when i was a kid. Take a trip back in time to the early 20th century in america, where ethan cooper and his orphaned siblings are on a mission to find a family. The brave journey of an orphan train rider, which chronicles the true life story of his paternal grandmother an orphan train rider sent to.
The orphan trains operated between 1854 and 1929, relocating about 200,000 orphaned, abandoned, abused, or homeless children. At age nine her family was killed in a tenement fire. Orphan train research person for this site is clark kidder author of emilys story. Schatzman, tell her that her sister maisie died in the hospital. Wisconsin orphan train rider biographies, research queries, and lists and dates of orphan trains stopping in wisconsin. Story of twentyseven abandoned om the streets of new york, who journeyed westward in 1853 to find new and better lives. Between 1854 and 1929, socalled orphan trains ran regularly from the cities of the east coast to the farmlands of the midwest, carrying thousands of abandoned children whose. They take niamh to the childrens aid society, and the agency sends niamh out to the midwest on an orphan train. Orphan train is a wonderful novel filled with comparisons of molly and vivian.
More than 100 communities and colleges have chosen it as a one book, one read selection. Read orphan train absolutely for free at readanybook. Rich in detail and epic in scope, orphan train by christina baker kline is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of unexpected friendship, and of the secrets we carry that keep us from finding out who we are. Mid and latenineteenthcentury reformers were increasingly concerned with the accumulating social ills of an advancing industrial society, including child. This study guide consists of approximately 42 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of orphan train. And many teenage boys and girls went to orphan train sponsoring organizations simply in search of work or a free ticket out of the city. Orphan train adventures series by joan lowery nixon. On the train niamh met dutchy, a teenage boy who was living on the streets until he was taken to the childrens aid society. The henna artist opens a door into a world that is at. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one. Orphan train was a mix of favorite childhood books of mine such as anne of green gables, heidi, and understood betsy, and ms. We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.
Chosen as a one book, one read by hundreds of communities and campuses a finalist for a goodreads choice award, orphan train was included on. Books similar to orphan train goodreads share book. Orphan train by christina baker kline, paperback barnes. Jane peart books list of books by author jane peart. Christina baker klines orphan train is an unforgettable story of friendship and second chances that highlights a littleknown but historically significant movement in americas pastand it includes a special ps section for book clubs featuring insights, interviews, and more penobscot indian molly ayer is close to aging out out of the foster. Mns surviving orphan train riders cant make the trip, but their journey still inspires the orphan trains stopped running more than 80 years ago, but their legacy rolls on. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Moving between contemporary maine and depressionera minnesota, orphan train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, and unexpected friendship. Sally who is the representative from the childrens aid society that comes to take vivian from the brynes. Christina baker klines orphan train is an unforgettable story of friendship and second chances that highlights a littleknown but historically significant movement in americas pastand it includes a special ps section for book clubs featuring insights, interviews, and more. In the prologue vivian mentions that her true love died when she was 23, but she doesnt mention the other big secret in the book. Map of united states showing number of orphan train riders in. The paperback of the orphan train by christina baker kline at barnes. Molly learns that vivian was herself an orphan, an irish immigrant in new york who was put on the orphan train in the late 1920s and tossed from home to home in minnesota.
The timeline below shows where the character molly molasses appears in orphan train. In orphan train, christina baker kline seamlessly knits together the past and present of two women, one young and one old. The orphan train movement was a supervised welfare program that transported orphaned and homeless children from crowded eastern cities of the united states to foster homes located largely in rural areas of the midwest. Kline has written six other novels orphan train, orphan train girl, the way life should be, sweet water, bird in hand, and desire lines and written or edited five works of nonfiction. The book is extremely wellwritten and absolutely riveting. Orphan train 1979 tv movie complete, unedited movie.
On the surface, vivians and mollys lives couldnt be more different. Orphan train by christina baker kline i remember at the age of 10 or so reading a novel about the late19th and early 20thcentury orphan trains, which took children and babies from east coast slums and brought them to the midwest, where they were given an opportunity for a potentially prosperous new life in the fresh rural air. Christina baker kline, foster care, historical fiction, orphan train, orphans. On the train, niamh befriends dutchy, a twelveyearold boy, and takes care of carmine, a toddler. The orphan train community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you.
Novel follows the orphan train to minnesota minnpost. Kline reminds us that we never really lose anyone or anything or perhaps most importantly ourselves. Christina baker klines novel orphan train has ridden the new york times bestseller list for the past 15 weeks, becoming a favorite of book clubs across the. The orphan train quotes below are all either spoken by ralph thibodeaus or refer to ralph thibodeaus. A massive influx of new immigrants had crowded the city, and a series of financial panics and depressions in the late 19th century created unemployment. Jul 16, 2014 orphan train on surprise trip up the bestseller list.
Orphan train by christina baker kline content rating and. Trying to heal the ache she feels in her empty more. A community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping molly out of. The sisters sorted out and matched each child on this train to new homes before they boarded the train. Three year old irma craig had her name, birth date, and name of who was to receive her sewn on the inside of her jacket and a large number 32 sewn on the outside continue reading.
I do recommend this book, however, due to the disturbing, mature content in certain scenes, only for upper high school students and adults. Map of where orphan train children where distributed. Christina baker kline born 1964 is an american novelist. Together forever ebook in 2020 christian fiction books. He started the childrens aid society because kids under 18 on the east.
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