Bridget is reading Orphan Train Rider right now. I expect we'll have some questions later (the first being "Mom, what's a missionary?" - heh, it just occurred to me how funny that is that we're homeschoolers and our kids don't know what missionaries are - guess we're not your stereotypical homeschoolers - um, is anyone? ;-)
Anyway, I picked the book up at the library yesterday because it looked interesting. I didn't think my kids would like it, I got it for me. It's very text heavy and factual and Bridget is usually more of a fiction gal. It does cover one boy's story though, which is why I liked it and maybe that's what's interesting her. It's a very sad story and I've already heard her gasp a few times.
The boy's mother died after childbirth leaving him and his 7 living siblings with the Dad. After about a year the Dad gave up and gave the baby away, took the boy and his younger sibling (4 and I think 6 at the time?) to an orphanage and kicked the older kids out to live on the street. By "older" we're talking 10 years old or so. About a year later the baby (now 2) and the two young kids were put on the orphan train to go out west. Luckily they were adopted by three families in the same town so saw each other growing up. Some 60 years later the boy is reunited with his older brothers which is absolutely amazing if you ask me. 60 years. Wow.
It's very sad and parts will spark questions (like when they briefly mention that some children were sexually abused) but it's a great story. Maybe for older kids or ones that aren't sensitive to stories of parent abadonment and death.
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