Orphan train characters from litcharts the creators of. Kline joins nprs rachel martin to discuss the history of the trains. 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. What makes this book special is how kline uses point of view in her stories. Moving between contemporary maine and depressionera minnesota, orphan train is a powerful tale of upheaval and resilience, second chances, and unexpected friendship. Articles about about orphan train history, rider stories, and organization news. One of the two main characters of orphan train, vivian, was one of these children, and we watch how her life turned out as she shares her story with the other main character, molly, who has a similar background in the present, that of being shuttled from place to place. The orphan train has several threads for book clubs to discuss. Seventeen years old at the time the novel is set, narration. Kline lets us live the characters experiences vividly through their skin, and even the use of. 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. A lovely novel about the search for family that also happens to illuminate a fascinating and forgotten chapter of americas history.
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. 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. They rode from new york to wellington, texas and found new parents. She was born in ireland and immigrated to new york city with her family in 1929. Cathy marie buchanan, nyt bestselling author of the day the falls stood still and the painted girls i loved this book. National orphan train complex genealogy familysearch wiki. Kansas state historical society in the beginning of the orphan train movement, the trains that took children across country were little better than cattle cars and only had makeshift bathroom facilities. The character of molly ayer in orphan train from litcharts. A finalist for a goodreads choice award, orphan train was included on dozens of.
In real life, orphan trains were intended to save children from the streets, but sometimes. The second narrative of molly, a teen foster child, is marred by the way the author, christina baker kline, portrays her oppressive foster mom. 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. John jackson, who at five years old walked off after a marching band and never found his way home again. After tragedy, young girl shipped west on orphan train. One of the book s protagonists, an irish orphan, is packed onto a train and sent to the midwest. As an elderly woman, vivianniamh discovers that carmine grew up to be a salesman, married, and had many children and grandchildren.
Vivians singular characteristic is her selfcontainment. This book illustrates that effect by looking at the fates of orphan train riders in aggregate, and by telling the stories of particular children. 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. A community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping molly out of juvie and worse. The orphan train by christina baker kline questions. When the orphan train movement began, in the mid19th century, it was estimated that approximately 30,000 abandoned children were living on the streets of new york. On the hazards facing the character in the novel and girls on the real orphan trains. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading orphan train trials. As such, book clubs that read this book have the opportunity to discuss american history, foster care issues or the relationships between characters in this particular novel. 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. In christina baker klines book orphan train, she uses a variety of different writing styles and techniques to impact the readers experience.
For most of megans life she has thought she was curse by an evil gypsy. Not all orphan train riders went to an unknown destination. This hardcover edition of orphan train will feature a deckled edge. Orphan train riders of new york organization honorary president. A quarter million children rode the orphan trains from 1854 to 1929.
History courses, christina baker klines novel orphan train is the perfect addition to your curriculum. Orphan train chapters orphan train by christina baker kline summary and analysis. One of the books protagonists, an irish orphan, is packed onto a train and sent to the midwest. One is a seventeen years old living in foster care. For example, the defining moment of her life comes when, overwhelmed by grief after the death of her husband, dutchy, she gives her newborn daughter away. They take niamh to the childrens aid society, and the agency sends niamh out to the midwest on an orphan train. The orphan trains are among the most famous episodes in adoption history. Orphan train relevant reading book discussion guides. Ann packerbetween 1854 and 1929, socalled orphan trains ran regularly from the cities of the east coast to the. Orphan train major character analysis supersummary. Christina baker kline writes exquisitely about two unlikely friends. I recommend orphan train to readers who enjoy historical fiction, especially a. 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. When the orphan train movement began, it was estimated that 30,000 abandoned children were living on the streets of new york city. As a midwesterner, i was really interested in this book after hearing it featured on npr. 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. She is smart, strict, and authoritative, but wishes the children well and does her best to take care of their needs on the train. Vivian is one of the two main characters in the book. 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 penobscot indian molly ayer is close to aging out out of the foster care system. Some had been preplaced already and rode the train to a predesignated home. To link to this orphan train important characters page, copy the following code to your site. Brought together by mollys community service sentence, seventeenyearold molly learns that she has much more in common with ninetyoneyearold vivian than she first thought. However, the present day characters and their circumstances are much more.
Christina baker klines orphan train is a poignant and memorable story of two steadfast, courageous womenone young, one oldand their discovery of each others past as unwanted outsiders. Just before dutchy goes home with a farmer in minneapolis, minnesota, he and niamh promise to find each other again someday. Directory the story behind the writing of orphan train orphan train historical background vivian dalys 1929 orphan train journey the story behind the writing of orphan train dear reader, one holiday season, about a decade ago, an unexpected blizzard changed the course of my life. Orphan train story about two boys five and six years old being put on a train and shipped across the country looking for new parents. Carmine is the 18monthold baby vivianniamh takes care of and becomes attached to on the orphan train. These questions about the novel can help foster discussion in your group. And over the 75 year span of the orphan train movement, it is estimated that between 150,000 and 200,000 orphan children were relocated to new homes via the orphan trains. This historical novel was well written as the author describes the journeys of many orphaned children in new york city that were sent by train to other states for. Orphan train hemingford, minnesota, 19401943 spruce harbor, maine, 2011 quiz spruce harbor, maine, 2011 hemingford county, minnesota, 1930 summary spruce harbor, maine, 2011 hemingford county, minnesota, 1930 part 2 summary. Orphan train will hold you in its grip as their fascinating tales unfold. The orphan train quotes below are all either spoken by molly ayer or refer to molly ayer. Megan is a young girl who goes off to live with new parents, ben and emma, on the prairie. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Vivians story born niamh neev, vivian immigrated to new york city from ireland with her family.
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. She was deposited with the byrnes, who wanted only child labor in a dressmaking enterprise. The orphan train series hearts on the rails book 2 kindle edition by wesson, rachel. The book was about one of the original kids from the book the 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 main narrative about vivian, an orphan train rider, was excellent.
In the face of danger by joan lowery nixon was a good book. The year is 2011 and molly is in trouble with the law. What do books symbolize in both mollys and niamhs lives. A group outside of the childrens aid societys central. The orphan train series hearts on the rails book 2. Visiting my motherinlaw in fargo, north dakota, for a week with.
Scatcherd is the matron of the orphan train during vivianniamh, dutchy and carmine s ride. In real life, orphan trains were intended to save children from the streets, but sometimes resulted in nearslavery. Molly ayer is living with ralph and dina in their home in spruce harbor, maine. Moving between contemporary maine and depressionera minnesota, orphan train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, and unexpected friendship. 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. Orphan train summary from litcharts the creators of. 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. It is a revelation of the universal yearning for belonging, for family, for acceptance and, ultimately, the journeys we must all make to find them.