This third and final installment to hedlunds orphan train series follows with you always book 1 and together forever book 2. 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. 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. Since its publication last year, christina baker klines fifth novel, orphan train, which illuminated a littlediscussed moment in american history, has fascinated readers. Orphan train a novel by christina baker kline is a beautiful story about a seventeen year old girl named molly ayer who has lived in a foster home since she was. Molly ayer is living with ralph and dina in their home in spruce harbor, maine. After tragedy, young girl shipped west on orphan train. She declares that all of the people who have been central in her life are ghosts, including her true love, whom she lost when she was 23 years old, and her sister, maisie. Everyone knew the value of traveling light and understood that it required leaving some things behind. 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.
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. Orphan train is a specifically american story of mobility and rootlessness, highlighting a littleknown but historically significant moment in our countrys past. Andrea warrens books about children are the result of her passion for history and her interest in young readers. 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. She lives outside new york city and spends as much time as possible on the coast of maine. A seventeenyearold girl, molly ayer, is in her bedroom, listening to her foster parents argue through the walls. Albans, minnesota, 1929 pages 6974 summary the train, carrying niamh and about half a dozen other orphans, arrives in the small town of albans. The setting looks like union station in chicago 1929. Paperback published in 20, kindle edition published in 20, 0061950726 paperback published in 2019, 006195070x hardc. Inside the book is the name dorothy power, which was vivians name when she received the book. After having an argument with molly and finding the book, dina is at the breaking point. 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.
That said, orphan train delivers in an unexpected and quite real manner. 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. Rich in detail and epic in scope, the train rider is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, of unexpected friendships, and of the secrets we carry with us that keep us from finding out who we are. Vivian traveled from nyc to minnesota as a young girl on one of the infamous orphan trains that was used to get. She was deposited with the byrnes, who wanted only child labor in a dressmaking enterprise. Prologue page 3 summary the novel begins with 91 yearold vivians first person narration. The orphan train has several threads for book clubs to discuss.
Her foster mother, dina, is telling her foster father, ralph, that she wasnt prepared to take care of. After tragedy, young girl shipped west on orphan train christina baker klines new novel incorporates a true piece of american history. The year is 2011 and molly is in trouble with the law. One of the book s protagonists, an irish orphan, is packed onto a train and sent to the midwest. Between 1854 and 1929, socalled orphan trains ran regularly from the cities of the east coast to the farmlands of. Part comingofage novel, part historical fiction, this book will appeal to a wide range of readers. 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. Orphan train is a gripping story of friendship and second chances from christina baker kline, author of bird in hand and the way life should be. Just before dutchy goes home with a farmer in minneapolis, minnesota, he and niamh promise to find each other again someday. The main difference between the two versions, other than length, is the protagonists age. My wife and i listened to this book as she had a family member ride the orphan train to kansas. Penobscot indian molly ayer is close to aging out out of. One is a seventeen years old living in foster care.
Spruce harbor, maine, 2011 in christina baker klines orphan train. It is estimated, from 150,000 to 250,000 children were sent on trains all over the nation and. Kline reminds us that we never really lose anyone or anything orperhaps most importantlyourselves. Orphan train by christina baker kline 1 words bartleby. 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 fates would be determined by pure luck. Orphan train is a book set in both the present day and the late 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. Readers of the series will enjoy learning more about sophie. Orphan train by christian baker kline is the story of a surprising friendship between two women troubled. Orphan train girl by christina baker kline, paperback. 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. Orphan train will hold you in its grip as their fascinating tales unfold. Penobscot indian molly ayer is close to aging out out of the foster care system. Author interview christina baker kline, author of orphan. History courses, christina baker klines novel orphan train is the perfect addition to your curriculum.
Orphan train by christina baker kline pages 201273 what is the pov of these pages. Orphan train by christina baker kline 20, paperback. In real life, orphan trains were intended to save children from the streets, but sometimes. The main characters of this historical, historical fiction story are molly ayer, vivian daly. Cathy marie buchanan, nyt bestselling author of the day the falls stood still and the painted girls i loved this book. Entrance records from the american female guardian societys home for the friendless in new york, volume 2. Check out our revolutionary sidebyside summary and analysis. Vivians journey west was aboard an orphan train, a bit of misguided 1900s era social engineering. The author spun a wonderful story amid historical fiction. 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. Orphan train by christina baker kline pages 201273 what is the setting for these pages. Read orphan train absolutely for free at readanybook. Kline reminds us that we never really lose anyone or anything. Orphan train by christina baker kline book club discussion.
The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 278 pages and is available in paperback format. Whether you have just started the book or finished it months ago, all are welcome to come and join our book club, we would love to have you. This is just one of those really awesome stories that weaves historical details within a contemporary setting and enriches the lives of all. Searching for you orphan train book 3 evangelical church. A riveting look at the orphan train from historical novelist jody hedlund when a financial crisis in 1850s new york leaves three orphaned sisters nearly destitute, the oldest, elise neumann, knows she.
Moving between contemporary maine and depressionera minnesota, orphan train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, and unexpected friendship. In the attic, molly unwraps objects from vivians childhood, each providing the vehicle for a transition to vivians arduous experiences, first in new york, then on the orphan train, and finally in minnesota, where shes shunted from one desperate foster home. Apr 10, 2014 this book had been on my radar for a while. Please use the link provided below to generate a unique link valid for 24hrs. I was really interested in the subject matter and didnt actually know about the orphan train before i saw this book. Dina does not believe mollys explanation of how she was given the book by vivian. After my book club chose orphan train for our next meetup, i picked up my copy and started reading just a little of the first page to get a feel for what the book. These questions about the novel can help foster discussion in your group. Readers of the series will enjoy learning more about sophie and reinhold, along with the children sophie takes care of, olivia and nicholas. 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. In orphan train, christina baker kline seamlessly knits together the past and present of two women, one young and one old. Her first book for houghton mifflin, orphan train rider, won the 1996 boston globe horn book award for nonfiction. The question and answer section for orphan train is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.
A lovely novel about the search for family that also. Pdf orphan train book by christina baker kline free. The elderly white woman is an orphan too and traveled west in 1929 on an orphan train. Free download or read online orphan train pdf epub book. She has been a professional writer for twenty years and works from her home office in the kansas city area. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. As an author, i am always a bit more critical of writing than many people. One of the books protagonists, an irish orphan, is packed onto a train and sent to the midwest. This 38page guide for orphan train by christina baker kline includes. On the train, niamh befriends dutchy, a twelveyearold boy, and takes care of carmine, a toddler. One of the books protagonists, an irish orphan, is. Orphan train by christina baker kline plot summary litcharts.
The orphan train twins, and their white horse dreamnook book. Niamh pronounced neev was an irish immigrant girl sent on an orphan train from new york city to minnesota in the late 1920s. Collect all four volumes of the beyond the orphan train series. 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. I was hooked from the start, this book had me turning the pages fast. In portaging from one river to another, wabanakis had to carry their canoes and all other possessions. The section related to vivians past is narrated in the first person. They take niamh to the childrens aid society, and the agency sends niamh out to the midwest on an orphan train.
Orphan train was a mix of favorite childhood books of mine such as anne of green gables, heidi, and understood betsy, and ms. The orphan train idea was born in new york which had about 30,000 street orphans in 1854. Book overview 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 fates would be determined by pure luck. The first edition of the novel was published in april 2nd 20, and was written by christina baker kline.
The story follows two very different women who find they have a lot more in common than they could have. Orphan train by christina baker kline, paperback barnes. One of the books protagonists, an irish orphan, is packed. 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. Apr 11, 20 after tragedy, young girl shipped west on orphan train christina baker klines new novel incorporates a true piece of american history. On the train, niamh befriends dutchy, a twelveyearold boy, and takes care of carmine. Christina baker klines adapts her bestselling orphan train for young readers with orphan train girl. The orphan train by christina baker kline questions. 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. Dina, mollys foster mother, has just found the book vivian gave molly. Apr 14, 2020 this third and final installment to hedlunds orphan train series follows with you always book 1 and together forever book 2. Aug 18, 2018 the orphan train by christina baker kline moves back and forth between two stories that of a young orphan girl in the early twentieth century and that of a teenager in the modernday foster care system. In april we are reading orphan train by novelist christina baker. Apr 02, 20 a penobscot indian who has spent her youth in and out of foster homes, molly is also an outsider being raised by strangers, and she, too, has unanswered questions about the past.
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