A lot of the women in this group liked the book along with our strong male contingency of one but not as much as i did. On the train, niamh befriends dutchy, a twelveyearold boy, and takes care of carmine, a toddler. 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 portaging from one river to another, wabanakis had to carry their canoes and all other possessions. 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. Through the book, we learn his adult life is riddled with some tragedies, but there are wonderful surprised and great moments to treasure throughout the story. The author sends a powerful message to people of different age groups, origins and beliefs. For information on or tickets to the luncheon, see or call 585 2325110. Orphan train discussion guide home search this guide search. Adapted and condensed for a young audience, orphan train girl includes an authors note and archival photos from the orphan train era. She was deposited with the byrnes, who wanted only child labor in a dressmaking enterprise.
An utterly heartbreaking and gripping world war 2 historical novel. Orphan train historical background from the authors website orphan train rider history. I had heard such wonderful things about this book and have wanted to read it for a long time. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the orphan sisters. Orphan train is a best book club book for discussion, the novel of a woman with a hidden past as an orphantrain rider and a teenage girl seeking answers about her life. Just before dutchy goes home with a farmer in minneapolis, minnesota, he and niamh promise to find each other again someday. Find books like orphan train from the worlds largest community of readers. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Kline also commissioned and edited two widely praised collections.
The following topics are just a beginning to form a conversation around orphan train. Orphan train by christina baker kline a community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping molly ayer out of juvie and worse. Goodreads members who liked orphan train also liked. Two of us had heard of orphan trains before reading this book. Christina baker kline photo via visit the authors web site. Everyone knew the value of traveling light and understood that it required leaving some things behind. Orphan train will hold you in its grip as their fascinating tales unfold. Other orphan train book cover books the book thief the twenties congratulations my love things to sell my boo book wrap.
Orphan train is a young adult historical fiction novel about the relationship between seventeen yearold molly ayer and ninetyone yearold vivian daly who. Though he grows up an orphan, he maintains an optimistic vision of his future. In addition to orphan train 2011 and a piece of the world 2017, her novels include bird in hand, the way life should be, desire lines, and sweet water. Orphan train could be well paired in your book group year with before we were yours, a skillfully written novel sharing insight into the tennessee childrens home society orphanage. I think names and their meanings in general are fascinating. The orphan trains operated between 1854 and 1929, relocating about 200,000 orphaned, abandoned, abused, or homeless children. Orphan train by christina baker kline 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. When the orphan train movement began, it was estimated that 30,000 abandoned children were living on. Home orphan train discussion guide libguides at ramapo. The orphan train by christina baker kline is a 20 william morrow paperbacks publication. Orphan train relevant reading book discussion guides. Not only is it entertaining and educational, it is also an excellent discussion book.
The orphan train by christina baker kline questions. Niamh pronounced neev was an irish immigrant girl sent on an orphan train from new york city to minnesota in the late 1920s. Your group may want to focus more on the story in the novel or more on the historical context or ties to the lives of your group members. Book discussion of the bestselling novel orphan train by christina baker kline free and open to the public this discussion is in advance and support of the authors appearance as keynote speaker at children awaiting parents heart gallery luncheon, tuesday, november 27. The book thief and orphan train book bundle the book thief and orphan train book bundle. 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 is an endearing story of a young boys life. They take niamh to the childrens aid society, and the agency sends niamh out to the midwest on an orphan train. If you enjoy historical fiction, check out this quick, easy read. Interview with christina baker kline at the center for fiction. Orphan train is a harrowing but ultimately uplifting story about this historical phenomenon. 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.
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. 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. 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. Interview with christina baker kline at the center for fiction part one. I recommend reading orphan train myths and legal reality for an indepth look at the facts of the orphan trains. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. 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.
On the surface, vivians and mollys lives couldnt be more different. Topics about this book topics that mention this book. Orphan train questions and answers the question and answer sections of our study guides are a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss literature. History courses, christina baker klines novel orphan train is the perfect addition to your curriculum. Christina baker kline is a novelist, nonfiction writer, and editor. Orphan train is a novel which shows how important it is to trust in a better future, fight your fears, and just be kind and compassionate. Poll book tally orphan train by christina baker kline rounded up to 4 stars karin.
This detailed literature summary also contains quotes and a free quiz on orphan train by christina baker kline. Book club kit discussion guide orphan train by christina. Readers who are unfamiliar with this episode in american history might be surprised to learn about the hardships and be struck by the parallels between niamhvivians experience nearly a hundred years ago and the foster care system today. Let your group channel the discussion in ways meaningful to your members. In many cultures, there is some sort of naming ceremony after a child is born and later in life their name will change after a certain milestone in lifefor example, marriage. Christina baker kline is a novelist, nonfiction writer and editor. Would they be adopted by a kind and loving family, or. Recommending new books each month to spark lively conversation. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors.
These book discussion questions are highly detailed and will ruin plot points if you have not read the book. Cathy marie buchanan, nyt bestselling author of the day the falls stood still and the painted girls i loved this book. 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. Through reading the book and completing any of the suggested activities, students can achieve any. As such, book clubs that read this book have the opportunity. Would they be adopted by a kind and loving family, or would they face a childhood and adolescence. 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. The orphan s tale, by pam jenoff pam jenoffs new novel follows two women who sign on with a german traveling circus and. Orphan train summary from litcharts the creators of. 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.