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. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in orphan train, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. As an official cooperating organization with state parks, the nonprofit california state railroad museum foundation is dedicated to enhancing the educational and interpretive programs of the california state railroad museum and railtown 1897 state historic park. 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. Out of this desperate situation was born the 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. These questions about the novel can help foster discussion in your group. She was deposited with the byrnes, who wanted only child labor in a dressmaking enterprise. Moving between contemporary maine and depressionera minnesota, orphan train is a powerful tale of upheaval and resilience, second chances, and unexpected friendship.
There is the theme of foster care, adoption, family history, unexpected relationships, inhumane acts of violence and of course the train that took children from large cities to be adopted by families in the midwest to be more like indentured servants then a part of a new family. Online resources and questions for your book club to connect your groups lives, interests and personal experiences to books you discuss, friday. 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. Our discussion of christina baker klines orphan train begins today and will continue through friday.
Williams is best known for her work on trumbo and the astronaut wives club. On the surface, vivians and mollys lives couldnt be more different. The orphan trains were a series of social service programs that relocated poor and homeless city children. Orphan train book club ideas part 2 ive come to think thats what heaven is a place in the memory of others where our best selves live on. I had no idea that this happened with orphans in america. After tragedy, young girl shipped west on orphan train. Between 1854 and 1929, nearly a quarter of a million orphaned children were resettled under what came to be known as the orphan train movement. Oct 14, 2014 moving between contemporary maine and depressionera minnesota, orphan train is a powerful tale of upheaval and resilience, second chances, and unexpected friendship. Orphan train 1979 tv movie complete, unedited movie youtube. Rather, use it as background knowledge to build upon. 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.
Well, i guess if you want to be technical, this is the week. Book club kit discussion guide orphan train by christina baker kline. Do you think this book will come to the big screen. Orphan train book club ideas part 1 have you read this incredible story about our history in america. Orphan train on surprise trip up the bestseller list. One of the books protagonists, an irish orphan, is packed. Goodreads members who liked orphan train also liked.
Film adaptation of bestselling novel orphan train written by christine baker kline by broad green pictures. There is the theme of foster care, adoption, family history, unexpected relationships. Moving between contemporary maine and depressionera minnesota, orphan train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, and unexpected friendship. The goal of the movement was to get homeless and destitute children off the streets of new york and resettle them with families in the rural midwest. A quarter million children rode the orphan trains from 1854 to 1929. There was also a movie made in 1979 called the orphan train. This was one of my favorite movies when i was a kid. She lives outside new york city and spends as much time as possible on the coast of maine. 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.
The brave journey of an orphan train rider, which chronicles the true life story of his paternal grandmother an orphan train rider sent to the midwest in 1906. Scholastic book clubs is the best possible partner to help you get excellent childrens books into the hands of every child, to help them become successful lifelong readers and discover the joy and power of good books. 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. We didnt get a lot responses last month, so this month will determine whether or not we continue the book club. Bird in hand, the way life should be, desire lines and sweet water. 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. This hardcover edition of orphan train will feature a deckled edge. Orphan train riders, from the riders on the orphan train multimedia performance at union depot in st.
Orphan train by christina baker kline, paperback barnes. Orphan train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, and unexpected friendship. 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. Belonging and connection molly ayer and vivian daly, two women born in different places and eras and who were orphaned as young children, both struggle to find a sense of home and belonging. Questions every book club asks, the story behind the writing of orphan train, and more. Hear the remarkable stories of the orphan train children. The orphan train has several threads for book clubs to discuss. Scholastic book clubs childrens books for parents and. 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. Buy a cheap copy of orphan train book by christina baker kline. Orphan train 1979 tv movie complete, unedited movie. Christopher monger will write the script for this upcoming. Orphan train by christina baker kline book club discussion. 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.
As always, there is no cost to join and no longterm commitment. 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. In this dramatization of a little publicized episode in american history, dedicated social worker eichhorn organizes a train trip for a group of slum orphans in 1894, taking them from new york city to the midwest in search of new families and new lives. 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. Orphan train research person for this site is clark kidder author of emilys story.
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. Film adaptation of bestselling novel orphan train movie. The orphan train by christina baker kline questions. Christina baker kline is a novelist, nonfiction writer and editor. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Nov 19, 2010 this project was created for the elementary classroom. She served as writerinresidence at fordham university from 2007 to 2011 and. Read orphan train absolutely for free at readanybook. When the orphan train movement began, it was estimated that 30,000 abandoned children were living on. This project was created for the elementary classroom. Oct 20, 2014 i love when i find a winner with my book club and this is definitely a winner.
Get recommendations for free and discounted ebooks from our expert editorial team. Subscribe to o, the oprah magazine for up to 72% off what others pay on the newsstand thats like getting 19 free issues. Orphan train is a book set in both the present day and the late 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. Belonging and connection molly ayer and vivian daly, two women born in different places and eras and who were orphaned as young children, both. Hemingford, minnesota, 19301931 in christina baker klines orphan train. The american experience, a pbs show, has a program on the orphan trains. 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. 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. Jody hedlund is the author of over twenty historicals for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards including the christy, carol, and christian book award. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and. A lot of the women in this group liked the book along with our. 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. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. Niamh pronounced neev was an irish immigrant girl sent on an orphan train from new york city to minnesota in the late 1920s.
Some of the food ideas are from the book like the terrys famous chowder but most of this book took place during the great depression so food was scarce and there was no way i was. Check out our revolutionary sidebyside summary and analysis. With jill eikenberry, kevin dobson, linda manz, graham fletchercook. Paperback in stock more buying choices paperback 28. They used to replay it every few years throughout the 1980s. Aug 18, 2018 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. 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 my book club chose orphan train for our next meetup, i picked up my copy and started reading just a little of the first page to get a feel for what the book. In 1854, there were living on the streets of new york city over 10,000 abandoned orphaned children. Between 1854 and 1929, socalled orphan trains ran regularly from the cities of the east coast to the farmlands of the midwest, carrying thousands. Was it common for train riders to keep their experiences secret.
Discover books youll love unbeatable ebook deals, handpicked recommendations, and updates from your favorite authors. Some of the food ideas are from the book like the terrys famous chowder but most of this book took. The orphan train by christina baker kline questions thoughtco. 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. Choosing a book for your book club to read can be challenging. More than 200,000 homeless children were sent west on the trains. This is a fictionalized account, based on actual events. See more ideas about orphan train, orphan and train. 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. Christina answers the top ten questions book clubs ask. There is the theme of foster care, adoption, family history, unexpected. 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. I love when i find a winner with my book club and this is definitely a winner.
Orphan train themes from litcharts the creators of. Orphan train themes from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. Orphan train book club ideas part 2 delicious reads. 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. Book club kit discussion guide orphan train by christina. Orphan train by christina baker kline is a book that has many themes. Lit lovers discussion questions video interview with christina baker kline. After tragedy, young girl shipped west on orphan train christina baker klines new novel incorporates a true piece of american history. The orphan trains operated between 1854 and 1929, relocating about 200,000 orphaned, abandoned, abused, or homeless children. When the orphan train movement began, it was estimated that 30,000 abandoned children were living on the streets of new york city. Orphan train was a mix of favorite childhood books of mine such as anne of green gables, heidi, and understood betsy, and ms. Find books like orphan train from the worlds largest community of readers.
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