Tyler comments that dannys sister is a total spaz, but danny says that she isnt his sister and purposely knocks a book out of esthers hands. As a midwesterner, i was really interested in this book after hearing it featured on npr. Paperback original orphan train is a gripping story of friendship and second chances from christina baker kline, author of bird in hand and. These notes were contributed by members of the gradesaver community. Sarah burghardt orphan train is a unique book because it tells two stories that come together in the end. The orphan train movement was created out of this situation as a plan to transport the children to the midwest where they would have better prospects. She cannot clear her attic, but she can examine its contents and organize it. Four mexican orphans are kidnapped by terrorist kingpin yatze to carry his. Get all the key plot points of christina baker klines orphan train on one page. She tried to steal a book from the spruce harbor public library, an act which. All these details are clues in identifying the title and author of the book. Like orphan train, doerrs novel is a work of historical fiction, portrays the experiences of orphans, has a twoplot structure, and retraces the lives of modernday characters by telling their stories from the beginning. Orphan train summary from litcharts the creators of. Find out in this lesson, which will go over a summary of orphan train by christina baker kline and discuss one of.
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. Four mexican orphans are kidnapped by terrorist kingpin yatze to carry his weapons across the border and cause massive damage in the american soil when remotely triggered. Orphan train is also similar to klines other works, a piece of the world 2017. One of the books protagonists, an irish orphan, is packed onto. Cathy marie buchanan, nyt bestselling author of the day the falls stood still and the painted girls i loved this book. Find out in this lesson, which will go over a summary of orphan train by christina baker kline.
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. Niamh pronounced neev was an irish immigrant girl sent on an orphan train from new york city to minnesota in the late 1920s. Many rural people viewed the orphan train children with suspicion, as incorrigible offspring of drunkards and prostitutes. Emotions the ending of the book was a happy ending, because vivian ends up meeting her daughter and granddaughter that she had always thought of.
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. She is chosen along with twenty other children to join the orphan train that will travel west. Set in presentday maine and depressionera minnesota, orphan train highlights the reallife story of the trains that between 1854 and 1929 carried thousands of abandoned children from the east coast to the midwest. Orphan train by christina baker kline, paperback barnes. In 1854, over 10,000 abandoned orphan children were living on the streets of new york city.
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. Goodreads members who liked orphan train also liked. Now featuring a sneak peek at christinas forthcoming novel a piece of the world, coming february 2017. Made for television, orphan train is a fictionalized account of the early days of the society in 1854. Only a miracle can protect them and their target from this destruction planned by. Books similar to orphan train goodreads share book. Im sure that the author spent countless hours researching this novel and her idea to use a present day foster child to connect with the orphan train was brilliant. Between 1854 and 1929, socalled orphan trains ran regularly from the cities of the east coast to the. Orphan train summary from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. Orphan train by christina baker kline book club discussion. As a troublesome teenager, molly hides all her insecurities under the aggressive front and pretended indifference. Overview of the entire book introduction to the important people in the book summary and analysis of all the chapters in the book key takeaways of the book a readers perspective. Just before dutchy goes home with a farmer in minneapolis, minnesota, he and niamh promise to find each other again someday. Orphan train study guide from litcharts the creators of.
When brenda sees that the book is a bible, she holds it up and calls esther a jesusfreak. Kline reminds us that we never really lose anyone or anything or perhaps most importantly ourselves. 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. Molly learns that vivian was herself an orphan, an irish immigrant in new york who was put on the orphan train in the late 1920s and tossed from home to home in minnesota. She is the author of seven novels, including orphan train, and has coauthored or edited five nonfiction books kline is a geraldine r. This is an old and worn copy of jane eyre, which is her favorite story. Orphan train children faced obstacles ranging from prejudice of classmates because they were train children to feeling like outsiders in their families all their lives. As esther kneels to pick up the book, brenda comes along and picks it up for her. What message would you like your readers to take away from orphan train. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1. Tell me something true orphan train is so beautifully written, and the characters are inspiring.
Orphan train was a mix of favorite childhood books of mine such as anne of green gables, heidi, and understood betsy, and ms. Orphan train by christina baker kline recounts the stories of two extraordinary women. Orphan train by christina baker kline this was one of those weekends when the sun poured in the bedroom window, providing enough light and warmth, on a pair of particularly cool and breezy days, to make stretching out on the bed and relaxing, surrounded by two dogs and a cat, the. Literary terms orphan train climax molly and dina get in a fight and she is forced to.
Find books like orphan train from the worlds largest community of readers. Not only has vivian never told anyone, not even her husband, about being an orphan train rider, she never told him that she had a baby and gave her away for adoption either. Vivian, a 91 yearold wealthy retiree, and 17 yearold molly, a troubled orphan living in fostercare. Like orphan train, doerrs novel is a work of historical fiction, portrays the experiences of orphans, has a two plot structure, and retraces the lives of modernday characters by telling their stories from the beginning. To represent this, i made two story maps that connect when the stories collide. Orphan is a 2009 psychological horror film directed by jaume colletserra and written by david leslie johnson from a story by alex mace. To be on an orphan train has nothing to do with luck. Orphan train is a book set in both the present day and the late 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. But she feels alienated so she makes herself up to look like a vampire whore. 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.
This 38page guide for orphan train by christina baker kline includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 7 parts, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. Orphan train by christian baker kline is the story of a surprising friendship between two women. Nothing special happens till the day molly decides to steal a book. It was the last chance for these children to find a family to live with. 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. Christina baker klines new novel incorporates a true piece of american history.
Orphan train is so beautifully written, and the characters are inspiring. The plot centers on a couple who, after the death of their unborn child, adopt a mysterious nineyearold girl. They call this an orphan train, children, and you are lucky to be on it. Moving between contemporary maine and depressionera minnesota, orphan train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, and unexpected friendship. As the novel progresses, it is revealed that molly grew up on indian. Finding a book when youve forgotten its title the new york. She can process the feelings attached to her material possessions and move on. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Orphan train is also similar to klines other works, a piece of the world 2017 and the way life should be 2007. If you are the publisher or author of this book and. Its basically a train that takes orphans to different adoption fairs. 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.
Molly is caught stealing a library book and is sentenced to community service, in. 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 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. Orphan train is a young adult historical fiction novel about the relationship between seventeen yearold molly ayer and ninetyone yearold vivian daly who. Read orphan train absolutely for free at readanybook. How similar can the stories of two orphans, born years apart, be.
A novel christina baker kline, 20 harpercollins 278 pp. Get all the key plot points of christina baker klines orphan train on one. The main narrative about vivian, an orphan train rider, was excellent. Orphan train will hold you in its grip as their fascinating tales unfold.
On the train, niamh befriends dutchy, a twelveyearold boy, and takes care of carmine, a toddler. Christina baker kline born 1964 is an american novelist. On the surface, these women would seem to have nothing in common. Finding a book when youve forgotten its title the new. In orphan train, christina baker kline seamlessly knits together the past and present of two women, one young and one old. In three sentences, how would you describe your book. On the contrary, these children definitely are not lucky at all, for they are parentless and homeless, not to mention, that the majority of them are going to work as slaves for their future foster parents. She was deposited with the byrnes, who wanted only child labor in a dressmaking enterprise. Orphan train by christian baker kline is the story of a surprising friendship between two women troubled. Orphan train chapters orphan train by christina baker kline summary and analysis. My wife and i listened to this book as she had a family member ride the orphan train to kansas. Online resources can help with your search for a halfremembered book, even if all you have is a basic plot line. After tragedy, young girl shipped west on orphan train. They take niamh to the childrens aid society, and the agency sends niamh out to the midwest on an orphan train.
From here she rides something called the orphan train. One is a seventeen years old living in foster care. So, with no one fit to take care of her and no family addresses, niamh gets put into the system. Find out in this lesson, which will go over a summary of orphan train by christina baker kline and discuss one of the major themes. History courses, christina baker klines novel orphan train is the perfect addition to your curriculum. Kline reminds us that we never really lose anyone or anything orperhaps most importantlyourselves. Christina baker kline, suzanne toren jessica almasy. On the train niamh met dutchy, a teenage boy who was living on the streets until he was taken to the childrens aid society.
After molly is caught trying to steal a book from the local library, dina is. Molly is a 17 year old orphan in present day america. When the orphan train movement began, it was estimated that 30,000 abandoned children were living on the streets of new york city. The orphan trains operated between 1854 and 1929, relocating about 200,000 orphaned, abandoned, abused, or homeless children. The author spun a wonderful story amid historical fiction. Orphan train by christina baker klein summary study guide. The film stars vera farmiga, peter sarsgaard, isabelle fuhrman, c. Finding a book when youve forgotten its title by gwen. A teachers guide to christina baker klines orphan train 3 if you have been looking for a contemporary novel to engage students and build multidisciplinary connections between american literature and u.
Orphan train summary orphan train quiz orphan train spruce harbor, maine, 2011 union station, chicago, 1929 quiz orphan train spruce harbor, maine, 2011 albans, minnesota, 1929 quiz orphan train spruce harbor, maine, 2011 hemingford county, minnesota, 1930 quiz orphan train spruce harbor, maine, 2011 hemingford county, minnesota, 1930 quiz. She is the author of seven novels, including orphan train, and has coauthored or edited five nonfiction books. 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. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. Orphan train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, and unexpected friendship. It will stop at several towns and folks looking to adopt or hire a child, will choose one of the children to come live with them. The second narrative of molly, a teen foster child, is marred by the way the author, christina baker kline, portrays her oppressive foster mom. I dont think there were any loose ends in the story because the author made the ending so it didnt have the reader guessing what.
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