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. 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. Apr 02, 20 other chapters flash back to the period from 1929 through world war ii. Dutchy hans luke maynard character analysis in orphan.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading orphan train trials. Available in a special hardcover edition, christina baker klines smash bestseller that is a lovely novel about the search for family that also happens to illuminate a fascinating and forgotten chapter of american history ann packer. 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. Orphan trains bring children to midwestern communities. After tragedy, young girl shipped west on orphan train christina baker klines new novel incorporates a true piece of american history. Her first book for houghton mifflin, orphan train rider, won the 1996 boston globe horn book award for nonfiction. The elderly white woman is an orphan too and traveled west in 1929 on an orphan train. See more ideas about orphan train, orphan and train. Christina baker klines adapts her bestselling orphan train for young readers with orphan train girl. 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.
One of the book s protagonists, an irish orphan, is packed onto a train and sent to the midwest. Nov 24, 2014 the orphan train is a gripping story which cleverly weaves a relatively unknown part of american history and the contemporary. Brought together by mollys community service sentence, seventeenyearold molly learns that she has much more in common with ninetyoneyearold vivian than she first thought. Christina has longed to write a scene in which she clarifies vivians motivations. One of the books protagonists, an irish orphan, is packed onto a train and sent to the midwest.
Between 1854 and 1929, socalled orphan trains transported more than 200,000 orphaned, abandoned, and homeless children many of them firstgeneration irish catholic. 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. Vivians journey west was aboard an orphan train, a bit of misguided 1900s era social. 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. At this time, vivian is still known as niamh, she is hopeful that the life awaiting her in minnesota will be a good life. Orphan train summary orphan train by christina baker kline summary and. Lesson plans and resources for orphan train table of contents 1. 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. 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. A few boys from dutchys gang are on the train with us he points out slobbery jack, who has a habit. Niamh pronounced neev was an irish immigrant girl sent on an orphan train. This book was thoroughly enjoyable on several levels. Set on presentday mount desert island, maine and in depressionera minnesota, klines fifth novel, orphan train, highlights the reallife story of the orphan trains that between 1854 and 1929 carried thousands of orphaned, abandoned, and destitute children from the east coast to the midwest.
This is the novels primary setting, the physical context in which its action plays out. 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 nine and a ninetyone year old lady named vivian who accepts molly into her home and shares her life story with her for a school project. History courses, christina baker klines novel orphan train is the perfect addition to your curriculum. The orphan train society of america was founded in 1986 and still hosts reunions. 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. She tried to steal a book from the spruce harbor public library, an act which came. The flashbacks of her life were interesting, well written and i couldnt get enough. The orphan train series hearts on the rails book 2 kindle edition by wesson, rachel.
On the train niamh met dutchy, a teenage boy who was living on the streets. Penobscot indian molly ayer is close to aging out out of the foster. Online resources and questions for your book club to connect your groups lives, interests and personal experiences to books you discuss, friday. Buy orphan train book online at low prices in india orphan. Book club selection for august 2014 by christina baker kline historical fiction20273 pages publishers comments goodreads. From 1854 to 1929, more than 200,000 children traveled by train from the east coast to seek new homes in nearly every state in the continental united states. This was one of my favorite movies when i was a kid.
Winner of the 2007 bookbrowse award for most popular 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. This book follows two characters, and i loved reading the flashbacks from the perspective of the old woman, who traveled on an orphan train after her family was killed in a fire in new york. 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. Orphan train is a specifically american story of mobility and rootlessness, highlighting a littleknown but historically significant moment in our countrys past. After escaping his abusive father to live on the streets as a shoeshiner, dutchy is taken in by the childrens aid society. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
She has been a professional writer for twenty years and works from her home office in the kansas city area. They used to replay it every few years throughout the 1980s. In real life, orphan trains were intended to save children from the streets, but sometimes. Scatcherd is the matron of the orphan train during vivianniamh, dutchy and carmine s ride. Questions every book club asks, the story behind the writing of orphan train, and more. Books similar to orphan train meet your next favorite book. Orphan train by christina baker kline 1 words bartleby.
But in interviews, and on her blog, kline says one of the major themes she wanted to tackle. What promise does dutchy ask niamh to make with him. Orphan train was a mix of favorite childhood books of mine such as anne of green gables, heidi, and understood betsy, and ms. Andrea warrens books about children are the result of her passion for history and her interest in young readers. The character of dutchy hans luke maynard in orphan. The orphan train quotes below are all either spoken by dutchy hans luke maynard or refer to dutchy hans luke maynard. He is sent to sit next to her because he and the boys he was sitting with were causing trouble on the train. The orphan trains were a series of social service programs that relocated poor and homeless city children. Dec, 2016 since the publication of her smash international bestseller orphan train, christina baker kline has met with countless readers and book clubs and is often asked the same question about a key decision one of her protagonists makes in orphan train. First, i knew very little about the orphan train itself, so it was informative. The main difference between the two versions, other than length, is the protagonists age. Collect all four volumes of the beyond the orphan train series. She is smart, strict, and authoritative, but wishes the children well and does her best to take care of their needs on the train. Reminiscent of elizabeth strouts amy and isabel, this orphan train carries us along until the stories of these two women become one.
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. After tragedy, young girl shipped west on orphan train. An orphan train story american west series book 2 5. Orphan train by christina baker kline, paperback barnes. Hedlunds cinderella story, shedding light on the hardships women faced in both the east coast cities and the developing west in the 1850s, is a pleasant romance with plenty of twists to keep readers engaged until the final page. Moving back and forth between modern day spruce harbor in maine and new york and the midwest in the 19201930s, kline ties up the narratives of goth girl molly, who is aging out of foster care, and irish orphan niamh, who rides the orphan train to a presumably better life after suffering a family tragedy. 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. Orphan train by christina baker kline book club discussion.
The character of dutchy hans luke maynard in orphan train from. Orphan train is a book set in both the present day and the late 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. Orphan train riders, from the riders on the orphan train multimedia performance at union depot in st. More importantly it cast a light on foster care, then and now, the rewards and the abuses.
Orphan train tackles some pretty heavy themes, such as finding family and figuring out your identity. 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 1979 tv movie complete, unedited movie. Orphan train girl by christina baker kline, paperback. The national orphan train complex opened in 2007 in concordia, kansas and is dedicated to preserving the history. A novel by christina baker kline conversation starters limited time offer. Niamh pronounced neev was an irish immigrant girl sent on an orphan train from new york city to minnesota in the late 1920s. 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 is a gripping story which cleverly weaves a relatively unknown part of american history and the contemporary. Orphan train characters from litcharts the creators of. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. More than 200,000 homeless children were sent west on the trains.
Beyond the orphan train series, volumes 14 by arleta richardson. Since the publication of her smash international bestseller orphan train, christina baker kline has met with countless readers and book clubs and is often asked the same question about a key decision one of her protagonists makes in orphan train. She pulled all three books off the shelf, weighed them in her hand. The orphan train movement in the mid 1800s to early. 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. 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. 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. Other chapters flash back to the period from 1929 through world war ii. Nov 19, 2010 christina answers top 10 book club questions.
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