Orphan train book club ideas part 2 delicious reads. Book club questions for the orphan train by christina baker. Apr 02, 20 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. One boys true story, which won the boston globehorn book award. Riders of orphan train meet to tell life stories the. A novel and over 8 million other books are available for. There is the theme of foster care, adoption, family history, unexpected. 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.
Andrea warren is the author of many acclaimed nonfiction books for young readers, including orphan train rider. Map of united states showing number of orphan train riders in book club. Book club books book nerd orphan train book orphan quotes the wild geese happy stories united states map history projects old west map of united states showing number of orphan train riders in 18531910. In recent years, some of the riders have begun to share their stories. Christina answers the top ten questions book clubs ask 15 minutes questions. Molly uses food as a part of her identity by choosing. The novels locations include new york city, arkansas, the big bend region of texas, central new mexico and southeastern arizona. Book club books book nerd orphan train book orphan quotes the wild geese happy stories united states map history projects old west map of united states showing number of. This book illustrates that effect by looking at the fates of orphan train riders in aggregate, and by telling the stories of particular children. For other news and our upcoming schedule, visit our facebook page and click on events. Orphan train is a book set in both the present day and the late 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. Orphan train riders of new york organization honorary president.
The currant bread and rhubarb tart both would qualify as irish. Many train riders ended up with their names changed more than. If youve read orphan train you already are aware of a lot of what is contained in this book. Between 1854 and 1929, over 250,000 orphans and surrendered children were placed out across the country. In orphan train, vivian dalys firstperson, pasttense account of her experience on the orphan train and her journey from irishcatholic immigrant to protestant midwesterner alternates with the presentday, presenttense, thirdpersonlimited story of vivians life on the maine coast. We hope to educate you a bit on this subject and help you further your research on any ancestors you may have that came to iowa on one of the infamous orphan trains. Orphan train meets the standard for range of reading and level of text. How did most train riders ultimately feel about having been put on a train. May 04, 2017 find out more about the national orphan train complex and the orphan train movement online. She can give you the information you seek about the orphan trains, when and where they ran.
Book club kit discussion guide orphan train by christina. The novel began with a short story that is at the heart of a multimedia presentation called riders on the orphan train that the author has been performing in libraries and museums since 1998. Since the publication of her smash international bestseller orphan train, christina baker kline has met with countless readers and book clubs and is often asked the same question about a key decision one of her protagonists makes in orphan train. We are new to facebook but have been working with orphan train rider families for several years. 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. May, 2000 orphan train movement, social experiment of childrens aid sociey and new york foundling hospital, carried 200,000 orphaned or abandoned children from new york and other east coast cities west to. Andrea warren alternates chapters about the history of the orphan trains with the story of lee nailling, who in 1926 rode an. I had no idea that this happened with orphans in america. 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. Conflict in europe in the mid1800s caused many families to come to the united states. John jackson, who at five years old walked off after a marching band and never found his way home again. Map of united states showing number of orphan train riders in book club books, book. Map of united states showing number of orphan train riders in. 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.
A the orphan trains, as they were called, ran from 1854 to 1929. Christina answers top 10 book club questions youtube. Read the story of two orphan train riders who grew up to. Riders of orphan train meet to tell life stories the new. Orphan train riders, from the riders on the orphan train multimedia performance at union depot in st. On the surface, vivians and mollys lives couldnt be more different. While i was researching the orphan trains i jotted down ideas that. Her vegetarian diet was only one thing about her that her foster parents, especially her impossibletoplease foster mother dina, refused to accept about her. Bird in hand, the way life should be, desire lines and sweet water. 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. 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. Orphan train by christina baker kline is a book that has many themes.
The additional information column was added in 2017. A quarter million children rode the orphan trains from 1854 to 1929. Recipient of the new york foundling award 2004 and 2018 presented by othsa and the national orphan train complex for preservation of orphan train history. Christina baker klines novel orphan train has ridden the new york times. Some had been preplaced already and rode the train to a predesignated home. Andrea warren alternates chapters about the history of the orphan trains with the story of lee nailling, who in 1926 rode an orphan train to texas when he was nine years old. After my book club chose orphan train for our next meetup, i picked up my copy and. Adapted and condensed for a young audience, orphan train girl includes an authors note and archival photos from the orphan train era. Penobscot indian molly ayer is close to aging out out of the foster. Christina has longed to write a scene in which she clarifies vivians motivations. She served as writerinresidence at fordham university from 2007 to 2011 and. Orphan train movement, social experiment of childrens aid sociey and new york foundling hospital, carried 200,000 orphaned or abandoned children from. Orphan train by christina baker kline book club discussion. I am very glad i read this book, because after reading orphan.
The orphan train by christina baker kline questions. Apr 11, 2014 online resources and questions for your book club to connect your groups lives, interests and personal experiences to books you discuss, friday, april 11, 2014 orphan train book discussion guide. An entire menu of irish dishes also would be suitable for a book club discussing orphan train. 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. I envision him scrounging through the garbage for a morsel of food, huddling in a. Not all orphan train riders went to an unknown destination. See more ideas about orphan train, orphan train book and orphan. To get you started, weve put together a list of 20 surefire conversation starters, ranging from the best contemporary literature to historical fiction, memoirs, and history. I love when i find a winner with my book club and this is definitely a winner. Oct 20, 2014 i love when i find a winner with my book club and this is definitely a winner. One of those orphan train riders, now a nun at st francis convent in little falls, sister justina bieganek, o. 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. More than 200,000 homeless children were sent west on the trains.
Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. They started their journey in new york and were given away in train stations across the country. 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. Would they be adopted by a kind and loving family, or would they face a. 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. Map of united states showing number of orphan train riders. May 23, 2014 map of united states showing number of orphan train riders in 18531910. Sep 23, 2015 an amazing multimedia program that tells the story of the 250,000 orphans and unwanted children who were placed on trains in new york between 1854 and 1929 and sent all over the united states to. How close are the events you describe in the novel to real life.
Niamh looked around at the faces of her fellow train riders. 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. Go one step beyond the usual wine, cheese and crackers with a menu that matches the theme of your book club s latest selection. This book was geared towards adult new readers and therefore a quick, easy read i finished it in just a few hours. These book discussion questions are highly detailed and will ruin plot points if you have not read the book.
Orphan train tells the story of vivian, an orphan who rode on the orphan train from new york to minnesota in 1929. Your book club could also go veggie in honor of molly. 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. An amazing multimedia program that tells the story of the 250,000 orphans and unwanted children who were placed on trains in new york between 1854 and 1929 and sent all. Orphan trains brought homeless nyc children to work on. This facebook page is dedicated to families and friends who want to know how their family members came west as orphan train riders when they were children. Christina baker kline is a novelist, nonfiction writer and editor. Descendants and relatives of new york orphan train riders, including margaret briley, james douget, warren lafleur, barbara jesclard and florella. Recipient of the founders award presented by the national orphan train complex for her eminent presentations on the orphan trains and having two published books.
These questions can be used as a guide for annotating the text, journal responses, or discussion. Orphan trains continue to make news, in light of todays current debatesregarding illegal immigration and amnesty. Choosing a book for your book club to read can be challenging. Book club selection for august 2014 by christina baker kline historical fiction20273 pages publishers comments goodreads. Orphan train riders to iowa the children brought to iowa. Orphans brought to iowa, containing name of child surname first then given name, adoptive parents surname first then given name and town. Online resources and questions for your book club to connect your groups lives, interests and personal experiences to books you discuss, friday, april 11, 2014. As state and local governments became more involved in supporting families, the use of the orphan trains was no longer needed. 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. The main characters are vivian, the orphaned train rider who at 91 years of age tells. This list is a small portion of riders that rode the orphan train to the midwest. Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested. Read the story of two orphan train riders who grew up to be the governors of alaska and north dakota here. The main narrative about vivian, an orphan train rider, was excellent.
Riders on the orphan train is an historical novel about a littleknown piece of american history. The story describes in great detail the conditions on the train, as recalled by real orphan train riders. Questions every book club asks, the story behind the writing of orphan train, and more. Riders on the orphan train chronicles the lives of two children among approximately 250,000 young people placed out between 1854 and 1929.
You want books that are thoughtprovoking and intelligent but still approachable. Orphan train recipes for book clubs tosas allcity read. Dec, 2016 since the publication of her smash international bestseller orphan train, christina baker kline has met with countless readers and book clubs and is often asked the same question about a key decision one of her protagonists makes in orphan train. Aug 02, 2015 descendants and relatives of new york orphan train riders, including margaret briley, james douget, warren lafleur, barbara jesclard and florella inhern, tell the stories of some of the children. Lesson plans and resources for orphan train free library of. One week molly took over the kitchen and made her kind of food. One of the books protagonists, an irish orphan, is packed onto a train and sent to the midwest. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and. Orphan train book club ideas part 1 have you read this incredible story about our history in america. In real life, orphan trains were intended to save children from the streets, but sometimes. A group outside of the childrens aid societys central. Riding the orphan train cowboys and indians magazine. Find out more about the national orphan train complex and the orphan train movement online. 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.
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