The orphan train community note includes chapterbychapter summary. Many rural people viewed the orphan train children with suspicion, as incorrigible offspring of drunkards and prostitutes. But she feels alienated so she makes herself up to look like a vampire whore. After tragedy, young girl shipped west on orphan train. Books similar to orphan train goodreads share book. Orphan train is so beautifully written, and the characters are inspiring. All these details are clues in identifying the title and author of the book. Orphan train by christina baker kline a 30minute summary.
Orphan train is a young adult historical fiction novel about the relationship between seventeen yearold molly ayer and ninetyone yearold vivian daly who. History courses, christina baker klines novel orphan train is the perfect addition to your curriculum. This is an old and worn copy of jane eyre, which is her favorite story. In orphan train, christina baker kline seamlessly knits together the past and present of two women, one young and one old. To represent this, i made two story maps that connect when the stories collide. Orphan train by christina baker kline, paperback barnes. It was the last chance for these children to find a family to live with. She is the author of seven novels, including orphan train, and has coauthored or edited five nonfiction books. 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. After molly is caught trying to steal a book from the local library, dina is. As a troublesome teenager, molly hides all her insecurities under the aggressive front and pretended indifference. So, with no one fit to take care of her and no family addresses, niamh gets put into the system. From here she rides something called the orphan train. She cannot clear her attic, but she can examine its contents and organize it.
Orphan train by christina baker kline book club discussion. Orphan train is also similar to klines other works, a piece of the world 2017 and the way life should be 2007. 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. The main narrative about vivian, an orphan train rider, was excellent. Only a miracle can protect them and their target from this destruction planned by. 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. 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. How similar can the stories of two orphans, born years apart, be. One of the books protagonists, an irish orphan, is packed onto. Orphan train chapters orphan train by christina baker kline summary and analysis. Orphan train by christina baker kline recounts the stories of two extraordinary women. Find out in this lesson, which will go over a summary of orphan train by christina baker kline and discuss one of.
Finding a book when youve forgotten its title the new york. A novel christina baker kline, 20 harpercollins 278 pp. My wife and i listened to this book as she had a family member ride the orphan train to kansas. She can process the feelings attached to her material possessions and move on. As the novel progresses, it is revealed that molly grew up on indian. Made for television, orphan train is a fictionalized account of the early days of the society in 1854. Moving between contemporary maine and depressionera minnesota, orphan train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, and unexpected friendship. Kline reminds us that we never really lose anyone or anything orperhaps most importantlyourselves. 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. On the train, niamh befriends dutchy, a twelveyearold boy, and takes care of carmine, a toddler. Goodreads members who liked orphan train also liked. This is a summary of the book and not the original book. Molly is caught stealing a library book and is sentenced to community service, in. 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.
Christina baker klines new novel incorporates a true piece of american history. 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. Find out in this lesson, which will go over a summary of orphan train by christina baker kline. 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.
Paperback original orphan train is a gripping story of friendship and second chances from christina baker kline, author of bird in hand and. Read orphan train absolutely for free at readanybook. The orphan trains operated between 1854 and 1929, relocating about 200,000 orphaned, abandoned, abused, or homeless children. Orphan train study guide from litcharts the creators of. In 1854, over 10,000 abandoned orphan children were living on the streets of new york city. When brenda sees that the book is a bible, she holds it up and calls esther a jesusfreak. 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. Nothing special happens till the day molly decides to steal a book. 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. The author spun a wonderful story amid historical fiction. 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 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. 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. 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. Cathy marie buchanan, nyt bestselling author of the day the falls stood still and the painted girls i loved this book. Orphan train was a mix of favorite childhood books of mine such as anne of green gables, heidi, and understood betsy, and ms.
Finding a book when youve forgotten its title the new. On the surface, these women would seem to have nothing in common. 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. On the train niamh met dutchy, a teenage boy who was living on the streets until he was taken to the childrens aid society. 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. 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. Orphan train summary from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. Vivian, a 91 yearold wealthy retiree, and 17 yearold molly, a troubled orphan living in fostercare. Between 1854 and 1929, socalled orphan trains ran regularly from the cities of the east coast to the. When the orphan train movement began, it was estimated that 30,000 abandoned children were living on the streets of new york city. She is chosen along with twenty other children to join the orphan train that will travel west. 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 christian baker kline is the story of a surprising friendship between two women troubled.
She tried to steal a book from the spruce harbor public library, an act which. 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. The plot centers on a couple who, after the death of their unborn child, adopt a mysterious nineyearold girl. One is a seventeen years old living in foster care. Sarah burghardt orphan train is a unique book because it tells two stories that come together in the end. As esther kneels to pick up the book, brenda comes along and picks it up for her. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. 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. Four mexican orphans are kidnapped by terrorist kingpin yatze to carry his. Orphan train summary orphan train by christina baker kline summary and.
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. The second narrative of molly, a teen foster child, is marred by the way the author, christina baker kline, portrays her oppressive foster mom. 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. Molly is a 17 year old orphan in present day america. She is the author of seven novels, including orphan train, and has coauthored or edited five nonfiction books kline is a geraldine r. Literary terms orphan train climax molly and dina get in a fight and she is forced to. Orphan train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, and unexpected friendship. If you are the publisher or author of this book and. Find books like orphan train from the worlds largest community of readers.
Its basically a train that takes orphans to different adoption fairs. Get all the key plot points of christina baker klines orphan train on one. Tell me something true orphan train is so beautifully written, and the characters are inspiring. 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. 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. Orphan train is a book set in both the present day and the late 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. 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 1900sera social engineering moving homeless, destitute city children, mostly immigrants, into midwest families.
Orphan train will hold you in its grip as their fascinating tales unfold. Christina baker kline born 1964 is an american novelist. Niamh pronounced neev was an irish immigrant girl sent on an orphan train from new york city to minnesota in the late 1920s. They take niamh to the childrens aid society, and the agency sends niamh out to the midwest on an orphan train. 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. 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. Finding a book when youve forgotten its title by gwen. Now featuring a sneak peek at christinas forthcoming novel a piece of the world, coming february 2017. Get all the key plot points of christina baker klines orphan train on one page.
Kline reminds us that we never really lose anyone or anything or perhaps most importantly ourselves. Nov 22, 2017 first, pin down everything you can remember about the book, plot, character names, time period in which the book may have been published, genre, etc. As a midwesterner, i was really interested in this book after hearing it featured on npr. They call this an orphan train, children, and you are lucky to be on it. 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. What message would you like your readers to take away from orphan train. Christina baker kline, suzanne toren jessica almasy. 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. Online resources can help with your search for a halfremembered book, even if all you have is a basic plot line. In three sentences, how would you describe your book. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own.
Orphan train by christian baker kline is the story of a surprising friendship between two women. Orphan train by christina baker klein summary study guide. Just before dutchy goes home with a farmer in minneapolis, minnesota, he and niamh promise to find each other again someday. 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. After my book club chose orphan train for our next meetup, i picked up my copy. She was deposited with the byrnes, who wanted only child labor in a dressmaking enterprise. 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. Orphan train is also similar to klines other works, a piece of the world 2017. These notes were contributed by members of the gradesaver community.
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