I was humbled to learn I was completely unaware of the history of the Orphan Trains in the US. In 1850, there were 30,000 homeless children in New York City. In an effort to help these children, they were put on trains and taken to live on farms in the midwest. From 1853 to the early 1900’s thousands of children were relocated, this movement is credited with starting the Foster Care System. You can read more about the history here:
Photo credit to the Childrens Aid Society Website
Orphan Train, the historical fiction novel set in this time period is outstanding. We meet three characters, Neeve, an orphan in 1929, Molly, aging out of the modern day foster system, and Vivian, a 90 year old woman who Molly is placed to serve community service. Their stories fit together perfectly, their struggles are different, but also a mirror image of one another. Each womans life is rich with emotion, perseverance, and redemption. A perfect historical fiction novel. The Audiobook was fantastic, I think it added to the book because of the characterization through different voices.
To Purchase this book on Amazon, click here: Orphan Train
To Purchase the Audiobook, click here: Orphan Train: A Novel
A father’s small, wise, and calculated investment has grown into a large sum of cash. For the Plumb siblings, this cash is the security blanket to cover up a multitude of mistakes. Bea, Leo, Jack, and Melody Plumb are all in different states of upheaval in their lives. Their fathers nest egg is about to be distributed equally to all four of them, and they are counting on that money to fix their problems. Sadly, money cannot fix all problems. The siblings are all forced to examine their lives and relationships with each other. The Nest makes a fantastic book club choice because the characters are outrageous, frustrating, relatable, and sometimes horrid people. However, some characters transform into better versions of themselves, and the story comes full circle in a satisfying ending. Read it with a friend so you can talk about it, it is book that lends itself to discussion. Our book club agreed we all liked it better after we had talked it through
If you add one book to your child’s library this year, add this one. The story is true; it is about the inspiration for Winnie the Pooh. It is magical. The story is told through the voice of a mother tucking her child in at night. It won the Caldecott Award for the illustrations, and they are unbelievable. My students loved this book.
This book is child approved; my class of Kindergarteners requested it be read twice. I love Sophie Blackall, her illustrations are incredible. This is the true story of her jet lagged sun keeping her awake all night…parents will relate as much as kids who cannot sleep.
Nina Laden is genius in composing magical picture books for children. She wrote this while walking on the beach and finding a feather. The simple poem teaches cause and effect. It offers the invitation to share happy memories before a child goes to sleep.
This lyrical book shows the seasons through bears waking and hibernation. This is a good choice for a child that loves wild animals or non-fiction. It has simple rhyme and lovely illustrations.
The illustrations are rich and vibrant with imagination. The simple text proposes there are sweet animals that take you off to dream land for big adventures. Short, sweet, and filled with eye catching creativity.
Beginnings and Book Ends 