Non-fiction and historical fiction reading for young adults has improved greatly in the last few years. The variety of books that try to portray actual events throughout history offer so many perspectives for so many different kinds of readers. Some of the most recent I can think of off the top of my head include, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys, and Tangled Threads: a Hmong Girl's Story by Pegi Deitz Shea. These don't even include many great realistic fiction books that help build reader empathy as characters have to deal with challenges of life such as poverty, bullying, physical and cognitive disabilities, and other social issues.In the book Orphan Train, author Christina Baker Kline combines two characters and their stories simultaneously to explain the history of the Orphan Trains in America during the 1920s, and the social dilemma of being a teenage orphan in 2011. Seventeen year old Molly Ayer is all too familiar with the social service system. She is a juvenile delinquent, most recently for stealing a book, and probably in danger of being relocated into another foster home. Her sentence is to serve community service, cleaning the attic of ninety-three year old Vivian Daly. Vivian is also familiar with the social service system in her day. As an orphaned Irish immigrant, Vivian was placed on the Orphan Train on the east coast, and was sent to America's growing midwest region with the hopes to finding a safe home, and possibly a family.
These two unlikely friends eventually develop trust in each other. They begin to share their experiences as participants in the social system of their time. Kline intertwines the past stories of Vivian's life as an orphan in 1930 with the present day predicament of Molly Ayer. The reader begins to see a change in both characters, as they become dependent on each other, Vivian trying to curate the events of her past, and Molly her present and future.
The book sound's alright, but the video just makes it sound like a sad story. I understand the turning point of the book, but that point seem's to come and stay. I don't understand what this book has to offer me other then a sad story and a quick short turning point. If I am wrong, please tell me why I should read it.
ReplyDeleteDavid, The history in this book is a story that is not really covered in your usual Soc St classes. We were becoming a world power at the time, but like our harsh treatment of many minority groups at this time, we couldn't figure out a better way to handle orphan children. In fact, the book points out that even today it is a difficult social issue.
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