The #1 New York Times BestsellerNow featuring a sneak peek at Christina’s forthcoming novel A Piece of the World, coming February 2017.Christina Baker Kline’s #1 New York Times bestselling novel—the captivating story of a 91-year-old woman with a hidden past as an orphan-train rider and the teenage girl whose own troubled adolescence leads her to seek answers to long-buried questions…now with an … leads her to seek answers to long-buried questions…now with an extended scene that addresses the number one question readers ask, and an excerpt from Kline’s upcoming novel A Piece of the World.
“A lovely novel about the search for family that also happens to illuminate a fascinating and forgotten chapter of America’s history. Beautiful.”—Ann Packer
Between 1854 and 1929, so-called 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. Would they be adopted by a kind and loving family, or would they face a childhood and adolescence of hard labor and servitude?
As a young Irish immigrant, Vivian Daly was one such child, sent by rail from New York City to an uncertain future a world away. Returning east later in life, Vivian leads a quiet, peaceful existence on the coast of Maine, the memories of her upbringing rendered a hazy blur. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are vestiges of a turbulent past.
Seventeen-year-old Molly Ayer knows that a community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping her out of juvenile hall. But as Molly helps Vivian sort through her keepsakes and possessions, she discovers that she and Vivian aren’t as different as they appear. A Penobscot Indian who has spent her youth in and out of foster homes, Molly is also an outsider being raised by strangers, and she, too, has unanswered questions about the past.
Moving between contemporary Maine and Depression-era Minnesota, Orphan Train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, and unexpected friendship.
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Loved this book. This was a part of history in the US I didn’t know and reading about the orphaned Irish children being put on the train to go off to a family in Minnesota, Dakota’s was so interesting. Made me wonder about my ancestry. If you enjoy historical fiction you will like this book.
Well worth the read.
I got the book from library thinking it was in the series that I was reading I only read it because I started it I gave it a 3
Powerful bit of Historical Fiction. I’ve read it twice it is so good!!!
The author made it seem that the only children placed on the orphan trains went west. This was not the case. My father was an orphan train child, as were two of his sisters. They came to Texas.
EXCELLENT STORYTELLING! And a wonderful story to tell!
I enjoyed the story and characters and how sad what these orphans had to live through
I thought this was a great book. Unfortunately it was also very sad.
I loved this book. I knew very little about orphan trains but was drawn into the story right away. I did not want this story to end. Very well written and characters were true to life.
There was a wonderful story between two main characters that also included a part of history I knew nothing about – the orphan trains to the Midwest from the east coast.
I loved how Molly changes during the book, softening and opening up as she learns Vivian’s story. Molly has been in the foster system for awhile and her current foster situation is less than ideal. Vivian was an orphan train rider and her story is interesting. What a hard life these orphans had. Thank goodness for some of them being placed …
Really enjoyed this book. I have read some others about this period of our history when this children were packed up and sent to the mid west to be with families. This is one on that subject you will not want to miss.
I loved this book because it was a multigenerational classic. It show how a misguided and troubled teen could get the wisdom from an 80 some year old woman that changed her life.
Wonderful book! Don’t miss it!
Great book on little know about time in history! I enjoyed reading it!
Good story with great characters and history.
I read this book, particularly because I had heard of “orphan trains” and wanted to know more. It has rather predictable characters who are not all that developed… but the overall book was still an enjoyable story.
I read a few chapters. Didn’t like it
Well written and a fascinating story
I have wanted to see the documentary for some time and this book took me there. I had never heard of the orphan trains growing up. It puts a twist on your ancestry.