In orphan train, christina baker kline seamlessly knits together the past and present of two women, one young and one old. Take molly, the first of two main characters were introduced to in orphan train by christina baker kline. We know there are families that treat their children horridly. Riders on the orphan train is a novel about a little known piece of american history. Niamh pronounced neev was an irish immigrant girl sent on an orphan train from new york city to minnesota in the late 1920s. After tragedy, young girl shipped west on orphan train. Orphan train by christina baker kline plot summary litcharts. Author gregg hurwitz is a new york times bestselling author of 18 books, and is also a new york times bestselling comic book writer, having written wolverine and punisher stories for marvel as well as batman and penguin stories for dc comics. The orphan trains and newsboys of new york is a nonfiction collection of stories that effectively communicates little known details about the children who faced nearly insurmountable odds. Caught in the act by joan lowery nixon teachers guide. Riders of orphan train meet to tell life stories the new. 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.
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 care. Orphan train hemingford county, minnesota, 1930 hemingford, minnesota, 1930 quiz orphan train hemingford, minnesota, 19301931 minneapolis, minnesota, 1939 quiz orphan train hemingford, minnesota, 19401943 spruce harbor, maine, 2011 quiz. Schatzman dutchy hans luke maynard raymond byrne lois byrne mr. Spruce harbor, maine, 2011 hemingford county, minnesota. 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. The orphan train quotes below are all either spoken by jack or refer to jack. Its a great story that will captivate and draw you in. From christina baker kline comes a novel about two women. It is the first in a fivebook series of the same name from publisher minotaur books with the film rights belonging to warner bros. Orphan train by christina baker kline bookscover2cover. Maybe someone can confirm that the story ends with vivian asking molly about possibly searching for her sister i still think i did not get end of book. This is an alternate cover edition of isbn 9780061950728, found here. She was deposited with the byrnes, who wanted only child labor in a dressmaking enterprise. One is part of the modernday foster care system, while the other was shipped out west in the late 1920s as part of a program to resettle immigrant.
Kline does an excellent job painting vivid images of the trails and tribulations the orphans faced and does a great job developing the characters. And there are the men and women hoping for children. She is happy to find others who have had similar experiences as she did, and is soon buying books put out by those who rode the train or have done research about the riders. Orphan train will hold you in its grip as their fascinating tales unfold. 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. Its a story told in the present and in flashbacks, about two girls who are orphaned and looking for their place in the world. Soon they realize they have more in common than they first realized. Klines book is fictional, but its based on the very true history of. Bradley cooper is likely to produce and possibly star in the movie the followup books in the series are buy a bullet a short story released as an ebook in 2016, the nowhere man released in.
Moving between contemporary maine and depressionera minnesota, orphan train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, and unexpected friendship. Apr 11, 2014 online resources and questions for your book club to connect your groups lives, interests and personal experiences to books you discuss, friday, april 11, 2014 orphan train book discussion guide. Orphan x is a 2016 thriller novel written by gregg hurwitz. Orphan train spruce harbor, maine, 2011 hemingford county, minnesota, 1930 quiz spruce harbor, maine, 2011 hemingford county, minnesota, 1930 part 2 summary hemingford county, minnesota, 1930 hemingford, minnesota, 1930 summary orphan train summary orphan train quotes orphan train important characters orphan train quiz literature. Orphan train okay, well i really, really liked this book but it ended so abruptly i keep thinking that i did not for some reason get the entire download of the book. Today, we welcome christina to the blog to discuss her experience with book clubs and the three most common questions that clubs have asked her about the novel. The byrnes, with their inhome sewing business, are particularly interesting. She is the author of five novels, including bird in hand and the way life should.
Niamh receives a total of three different names in her lifetime, each name representing a different persona. 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. Between 1854 and 1929, over 250,000 orphans and surrendered children were placed out across the country. Borrowing the voices from different generations, the author has created a an endearing tale of resilience, hope, second chances and intergenerational bond. Even though historical fiction isnt my thing, orphan train is going into my must read list of books. 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. The joy of finding there are two more books in the series just waiting to be read there are a lot of unhappy parts to this book, made worse by knowing this actually happend, but reading of the kindness shown by truly wonderful people made my heart soar. Peopled by characters that face the sad and lonely hardships of foster care, the main characters are believable and well developed. 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. Mary cummings yes, its based on factual events in history, but the characters and.
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. The national orphan train complex in concordia, ks is a museum and research center dedicated to the orphan train movement, the various institutions that participated, and the children and agents who rode the trains. The lonesome whistle wails as the train chugs between encounters of anxiety, laughter, wistfulness, rejection and acceptance. Most of the people who took in orphan train riders did so because they needed free labor farmers and others who ran cottage industries. The orphan x series is a thriller series which began publication in 2016. Author gregg hurwitz is a new york times bestselling author of 18 books, and is also a new york times bestselling comic book writer, having written wolverine and punisher stories for marvel. Spruce harbor, maine, 2011 hemingford county, minnesota, 1930 summary orphan train by christina baker kline spruce harbor, maine, 2011 hemingford county, minnesota, 1930 summary and analysis. Although at times i felt as if i were reading a novel assigned for a middle school english class, i quickly became attached to the two principle characters and was fascinated to learn about the orphan trains.
The train travels to midwestern towns in search of homes, any homes, anywhere for the orphaned and unwanted children. I read many stories of train riders who lived and worked in homes like the byrnes. The orphan train adventures are set in the latter half of the nineteenth century. In real life, orphan trains were intended to save children from the streets. Every child deserves a happy home and bridget is determined to do whatever it takes to ensure that happens. 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. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading orphan train trials. Orphan train was a mix of favorite childhood books of mine such as anne of green gables, heidi, and understood betsy, and ms. Scatcherd is the matron of the orphan train during vivianniamh, dutchy and carmine s ride. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. There s something about historical novels with the word orphan in the title that tugs at readers heartstrings and makes for best sellers. Historical fiction books national orphan train complex. 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. The story alternates between two eras the orphan train era of the 1920s and present day very effectively.
There s mary, evie, spunky pegeen, annie and little lucy, a quiet one. Orphan train is an unforgettable story, at times disturbing and painful, at other times hopeful and redemptive. Cathy marie buchanan, nyt bestselling author of the day the falls stood still and the painted girls i loved this book. The orphan trains operated between 1854 and 1929, relocating about 200,000 orphaned, abandoned, abused, or homeless children. Orphan train was a compelling story, with interesting characters. Orphan train relevant reading book discussion guides. All characters molly ayer vivian daly niamh power dorothy ralph thibodeaus donna ayer mollys mother mr. Ayer mollys father jack patrick power da mary power mam gram grandad margaret maisie mr. Today, we welcome christina to the blog to discuss her experience with book clubs and the three most common questions that clubs have asked her. The author of bird in hand and the way life should be delivers her most ambitious and powerful novel to date. Seventeen years old at the time the novel is set, narration.
Goodreads members who liked orphan train also liked. Several novels feature orphan train riders, including christina baker klines. A lovely novel about the search for family that also happens to illuminate a fascinating and forgotten chapter of americas history. 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 country. Many people in the midwest at this time had inhome businesses. On the hazards facing the character in the novel and girls on the real orphan trains. 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. Read online orphan train by christina baker kline for. The orphan train is a gripping story which cleverly weaves a relatively unknown part of american history and the contemporary. The main narrative about vivian, an orphan train rider, was excellent. Jack and molly help her achieve these goals and find that vivian is a quick study. 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.
Heart warming and told with a clear storytellers style, this book pulls you into the story immediately. If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel that the. Jessie me too, the book is amazing and i have read it multiple times, and would love. Kline does an excellent job painting vivid images of the trails and tribulations the orphans faced and does a great job developing the characters and making them relatable. Orphan train could be well paired in your book group year with before we were. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading orphan train escape. The orphan train series hearts on the rails kindle edition by wesson, rachel. She is smart, strict, and authoritative, but wishes the children well and does her best to take care of their needs on the train. Riders of orphan train meet to tell life stories the.
The orphan train is a charming heartwarmer and all we expect from one of legendary playwrights for children, aurand. Orphan train hemingford, minnesota, 19401943 spruce harbor, maine, 2011 quiz spruce harbor, maine, 2011 union station, chicago, 1929 summary spruce harbor, maine, 2011 albans, minnesota, 1929 summary orphan train summary orphan train quotes orphan train important characters orphan train quiz literature literature summaries. Orphan train is a book set in both the present day and the late 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. However, the present day characters and their circumstances are much more. Examples of contemporary fiction with orphan characters include joan aikens 1962 the wolves of willoughby chase and midnight is a place 1974, joan lowery nixons 19871989 orphan train series, philip pullmans 1982 count karlstein, and. The orphan train series hearts on the rails book 2 kindle edition by wesson, rachel. Take molly, the first of two main characters were introduced to in orphan train by. She is soon finding websites about the orphan train children and their descendants.
Orphan train character analysis 724 words bartleby. Orphan train by christina baker kline good books for. Hemingford, minnesota, 19401943 spruce harbor, maine, 2011. From agonizing letters written by desperate mothers, to news stories of the latest train, or of newsboys looking out for each other, the humanity of individuals caught up in the sweep of. Hemingford, minnesota, 19401943 spruce harbor, maine. Moving between contemporary maine and depressionera minnesota, orphan train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances.
I feel our students could relate to either story given the breadth of the two characters experiences. Have students locate passages in the books that summarize a characters. Orphan train by christina baker kline librarything. These are two women who dislike each other yet come to. What do books symbolize in both mollys and niamhs lives. Orphan train by christina baker kline, paperback barnes. As i got closer to that moment, i realized that even though it was sad that maisie had died, it cleared the. The play tells the story of nine orphans on an orphan train that left new york city on may 28, 1914.
May, 2000 orphan train movement, social experiment of childrens aid sociey and new york foundling hospital, carried 200,000 orphaned or abandoned children from new york and other east coast cities west to. See more ideas about orphan train, orphan and train. Kline lets us live the characters experiences vividly through their skin. In orphan train, christina baker kline seamlessly knits together the past and present.
Orphan train by christina baker kline content rating and. Find books like orphan train from the worlds largest community of readers. Lesson plans and resources for orphan train free library of. Through tears and laughter, everyone on the orphan train has a lesson to teach about love, life and loyalty. Borrowing the voices from different generations, the author has created a an endearing tale of resilience, hope, second chances and intergenerational bond forged over shared experiences. The orphan train series hearts on the rails book 2. Throughout the novel orphan train, there is the reoccurring importance of names for characters.
793 278 875 1663 88 270 407 38 1642 109 1130 531 53 860 969 724 28 1295 145 1088 81 1102 1235 819 1253 1448 782 1405 284 150 1262 1099 381 898 657 821 275