Home at Last

by David deVries

On the run in the streets of New York since his mother's death five years before, thirteen-year-old Billy is finally arrested for thievery and sent on the Orphan Train to live with a farming family in Nebraska. Original.

151 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1992

Reviews

[Sara Al-Ajlouni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though simple and short, this book seemed quite smooth and very pleasing for me to read.
It talks about an orphan boy, Billy - the narrator of the book, who used to be a thief alongside a gang of other orphan kids in New York, and how he had to be sent to the Orphan Train to live with a farming family in Nebraska, as he was arrested for thievery.
I was very thrilled to know how it will end up between Billy and the Swedish family, whom I particularly liked.
I think this book is thoughtful and simply good enough, despite its modesty! Not to mention the catchy title, of course.
Recommended.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this children's (RL 4.6) historical fiction novel about the Orphan Train. Billy had been an orphan, living on the streets of New York for the past five years, trying to survive by stealing. He had run away from a couple of orphanages and was now put in a reform school. When he was given the chance to ride the Orphan Train to Nebraska, he took it, even though he planned to run away as soon as he got there. He was taken in by a broken family, but, after a while, together they became a "real" family.