Orphan Trains: Taking the Rails to a New Life

by Rebecca Langston-George

More than 120,000 orphans were placed with Midwestern families during the 19th Century thanks to the Orphan Train movement and the Children's Aid Society. With extensive research, real photos, and carefully crafted narrative nonfiction, Orphan Trains tells the stories of seven of those children.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Middle Grade, Childrens, Family, Historical

128 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2016

About the author

Rebecca Langston-George is the author of nineteen books for children including the internationally popular For the Right to Learn: Malala Yousafzai's Story, and The Booth Brothers: Drama, Fame and the Death of President Lincoln (a former Scholastic Book Club title). California Reading Association honored her with the Armin R. Schultz Award for writing in social justice in 2016. A graduate of California Baptist University, she holds a Master of Education degree. A retired teacher, Rebecca is an active volunteer serving as the Regional Advisor for the Central-Coastal California chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI CenCal) and is a board member of the California Reading Association. She's passionate about children's books, classroom writing instruction and upcycling books into works of art. She writes and mostly re-writes on a treadmill desk at one mile per hour.

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Orphan Trains opens up an era of American history which is likely totally unknown to most--a planned migration of children from New York City over the span of 75 years to various points primarily in the Midwestern United States with the purpose of finding new families. Some were lucky enough to find truly loving mothers and fathers who provided open homes and nurturing. Some found a form of indentured servitude. All were given an escape from a very unknown future of likely living a hand to mouth existence on the streets of New York.

In the pages of this book, we are introduced to specific boys and girls who traveled on this train and get a glimpse of their past and future. We also learn of the various organizations who worked with the abandoned children of the city (and learn of the many causes for being lost). What a great teaching tool this would be! In addition to vintage photographs of many subjects, there are suggested follow up sources, both written and on-line for more information on the children and the Orphan Trains themselves. There is also a lengthy bibliography. I also appreciate that there is a glossary at the end of words that some school children might not be fully aware of but which would affect their reading of this book.

I recommend this for middle school aged children interested in American history. It would be a great book for parent/child sharing. Younger children might find this disturbing if it is read to them because of the subject of children losing their families.

Definitely recommended.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the late 19th century and into the early 20th, hundreds of thousands of children were orphaned and left either to fend for themselves or at the mercy of those who "took them in". I had to read this one line twice, because I thought I'd misread it somehow: "In the 1850s more than 30,000 children lived alone on New York City's streets." That was just NYC.

And then Charles Brace started the Children's Aid Society in 1853. Having heard of the French program which placed babies into families rather than raising them in an orphanage, he wanted to do the same, sending these orphaned children out of the unhealthy, crowded city into the country to live and work on farms, placing them with a family to act as parents to them rather than leaving them in an institution. The goal of the Children's Aid Society was to give children a family life, education and occupational training, much as any other child would, and it became the forerunner of the foster care system.

Unfortunately, like the foster care system of today, not all those participating had the children's well-being foremost in their minds, treating them unkindly or as servants rather than part of the family.

This book follows seven of those orphans, showing the range of outcomes. It doesn't hesitate to show the sad facts, children being reluctantly surrendered, or siblings separated, but also emphasizes the intent: how local pastors and officials were asked if they recommended the potential families, how the children were given a choice, and the contract that families signed promising to take proper care of them, and shows what became of those children as adults.

Adults reading this might take more from the photographs than a child reader, but the thoughtful discussion questions at the end will help provoke a deeper understanding. Highly recommended for those interested in child welfare, poverty or maybe with a genealogical background.

(The transition from PDF to Kindle broke the formatting quite badly; some places appeared to have repetition and I had issues navigating, but this is probably also an ARC.)

Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Orphan Trains : Taking the Rails to a New Life by Rebecca Langston-George is a middle grade non-fiction book that had me captivated from page one. This is a book that would be good for teen or adult also. The author takes specific people and tells their personal story in a way that touches the reader and makes us feel what the orphan felt. We follow that orphan on the trip from being orphaned to going on the train, new 'parents', and as they are grown. Each experience is unique and told in such a way that the reader cries, smiles, hungers, and is confused with the child. There is so many little things that are brought up in the book that touches a persons heart. This is an excellent book on history and empathy. The book is formatted in a wonderful fashion and easy to follow. The people are made real through the magic of the authors words. What a wonderful book to bring the life of these children close to children of today. I received this book from NetGalley and I am so glad I did. I am going to buy this for my grand children.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. As a teacher, I felt that this non-fiction text read smoothly and had easy to understand vocabulary that would appeal to a struggling or reluctant reader. In addition, the visual images, timeline, and historical notes were greatly appreciated. They are the perfect aids for students and teachers to fully immerse themselves into the subject content. I felt that the book was really targeted to a grade 5-8 audience, but ESL high school students would also enjoy it too.

The author selected a few individuals to become the face of the millions of children that participated in the orphan trains. Some of these narratives were really heartbreaking, but I am glad that the author stayed true to the historical context and didn't try and sugarcoat the variety of experiences that did exist.

I do believe that Canadian teachers, like myself, could still use this book as a way to present the story of the British children that arrived on our shores as indentured servants.

Fellow teachers, keep a look out for this book in August.

[Joanne Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personal stories plus history of the orphan trains. Both horror stories and happy endings, also some background on the people who ran the trains. Orphans' histories are split, before and after. Format was a little jarring, but was glad to hear the whole story. Ample resources. Thorough research.

As a judge for the CYBILS award, I received a free digital copy of this book in return for an honest evaluation.

[Anne Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book. I read it in one setting because once I started it I couldn't stop reading it. This book is an easy read for young readers and adults will love it too. Each child's story will touch you and longing for more.

*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley from my honest review.

[Jerry Jares · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because I read a lot of historical fiction, I'm familiar with the 'orphan trains' of the 1800s to the early 1900s. I'm used to reading about them taking homes in the West. However, I wanted to learn about them from the beginning point, usually New York City. Why were there so many available to go on the trains to the West? What were their stories? Although this book is written for children, it answered my questions well.

In 1853, Charles Loring Brace, a young minister, was dismayed by the 30,000 orphaned children wandering about in New York City alone. Partly, this was caused by the significant influx of immigrants to America and the lack of vaccines to protect people from illnesses. In addition, with poor sanitation and hygiene, there was a high death rate among adults, leaving abandoned children.

Brace and other ministers allied to address the problem. The orphanages were overwhelmed, and many more children lived in the streets however they could manage. So Brace founded the Children's Ad Society. After gathering donations, the group opened schools and lodgings. The group started with the newsboy, giving them accommodation and a way to save their pennies (earned selling newspapers), so they could continue their independence. Still, there were so many children. 
Brace realized the children would be better served by letting them live on farms with families.

Twenty-eight of the thirty-seven children were adopted on the first orphan train in 1854. Each child was bathed, groomed, given new clothes and shoes, and placed on the train. This book tells the individual stories of children looking for a home. 

Along the train line, flyers were posted to let people know when the orphans would arrive. Prospective adults were screened and told that the children were not indentured servants but were free to leave if ill-treated or dissatisfied. Likewise, the farmers could dismiss the children if they were lazy or unsuitable.

After telling several individual stories, this book gives closing remarks on those personal lives -- and they are fascinating. About 250,000 children moved westwardly in the largest migration of children in history. Amongst those survivors, there were two governors, a congressman, a sheriff, at least one mayor, some district attorneys, doctors, lawyers, bankers, teachers, business owners, and one nun.

This book tells stories of a little-known segment of our history. With the photos and individual narratives, this book will affect the reader. This author indicates that PBS did a documentary about orphan trains. There are also orphan train museums, reunions, and websites.

[Valencia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very interesting topic and I love finding new books on this subject. Even though this is a children's book I found it compelling to read.

[Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Orphan Train is a book that talks about how young children were taken and put into institutions in the late 1800s and mid 1900s. Children were transported to different institutions. Charles Brace soon started a program where children would be able to go with families on farms instead of institutions. The goal was to try and treat children as family and give them some sense of normalcy. Although there were still problems with people mistreating children on these farms and within the families. I could relate to this book, being a child who was part of the foster care system. Also how families were separated from each other. Children of all ages can relate to this book as we are still dealing with children being taken out of their homes or simply being given away.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just went to Concordia, KS yesterday and went to the National Orphan Train Complex museum. I wanted to know more about it, so I bought this book. This book tells the story of seven orphans who rode the rails to try to find new families and a better future.

It really is quite shocking now when you think about the sheer numbers of children that were sent off on a train to new families and that most were expected to earn their keep. This is quite different from the foster system of today, but was a start in trying to help these children. I found their stories to be very interesting, heartbreaking, happy and sad. I highly recommend this book and other books on this topic.

[Ginnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really neat snapshot of what the orphan trains were, who started them, and how they impacted people and our country.

[Julie Rhinehart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Touching look at some of the children that rode the orphan trains and how it changed their lives. Eye opening in the way it helps you to “see” how they were treated - and not only in the good ways

[American Mensa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine having your entire future based on a single train ride. That’s the situation that the homeless orphans of 19th century New York City faced. Their ride on the orphan train would determine whether they would receive a new loving family or live in misery with cruel parents. In Orphan Train: Taking the rails to a new life by Rebecca Langston-George, the stories of seven children are detailed as they made their way across the Midwest in search of a new family. The train was kind to some, and devastating to others.
In 1853, a young minister named Charles Loring Brace founded the Children’s Aid Society to help the orphans of New York City. Helping these children was always a goal of Brace’s.” I want to raise the outcast and homeless, to go down among those who have no friend or helper, and do something for them…”, said Brace in a letter to his father. The goal of the foundation was to provide orphans with a family life, education, and work training. The orphan trains started when Brace thought it would be a good idea to send children out west to become part of farm families.
I recommend this book to boys and girls aged 9 and up, who have an interest in historical events. This is because this book is not terribly difficult to read, but has a lot of emphasis on events of prior. A person who is not interested in customs or traditions of the past might not appreciate this book.
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars because it was a powerful book that stuck with me for weeks after reading it. The stories of the seven children evoked strong emotion. In some cases, it was happiness; in others, just the opposite. But in all the stories, it was the willpower and strength of the children that moved me. Even when the world had seemed to give up on them, they always hoped for a better tomorrow. One thing that could have been better about this book is the vocabulary used. A more extensive range of words would have made the stories even more memorable.
The Children’s Aid Society and orphan trains changed the lives of thousands of children in the 19th century, for better or worse. One of my favorite parts of the book was the end, where each story was wrapped with a report on how the children ended up in adulthood. While each went on to their own success, they always remembered their humble beginnings, and the train that gave them a chance at a better life. They gave back to the Children’s Aid Society and other foundations to give other children the chance they got. So even though orphan trains are long outdated, it is important we never forget them, and the incredible children who rode them
Anya A, 12, Metropolitan Washington Mensa

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This offer a simple and engaging description of the Orphan train program, its origins, organizations, and consequences through brief profiles of a few of the thousands of children who were relocated from New York City to various places in the midwest and west.

Consequences are portrayed frankly, with some very positive results and some heartbreaking.

This topic and stories from American history are gaining wide attention currently. This is a very accessible text to use in conjunction with Eve Bunting's picture book TRAIN TO SOMEWHERE and other recent titles on the subject.

[RiverShore · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Review of Orphan Trains by Rebecca Langston-George, 2017, Capstone Press.

During the early twentieth century, poverty, disease, and risk took their toll on the population. However, none were affected as severely as the children left orphans during this time. Ms. Langston-George has illuminated the fate of some of these orphans in her book Orphan Trains: Taking the Rails to a New Life.

Carefully, and gently, the stories are told, largely based on personal accounts passed down from the orphans to their children and grandchildren, and documented, where possible, by writings from those involved in setting up the orphan trains. Each story is told separately, giving it the care and respect it deserves. Throughout the book, a picture emerges of life in lower class America at that time and more specifically, life in New York where the orphan trains (and orphans) originated as well as the midwest where most of them ended up.

Life was not easy then, as many children lived on the street, working as newsboys, and doing whatever odd jobs and errands they could to help them survive. The good intentions shown by those involved, as evidenced by the wording on the adoption contracts, specifying home visits to ensure the welfare of the children, as well as a clause to allow either party to sever the contract, helped, in some cases to protect the interests of the children. However, as detailed in the accounts shared by Ms. Langston-George, sometimes, those intentions fell short of achieving their goals. I enjoyed seeing the photos of the children whose stories were told and learning what became of them later in life.

Children, parents, and educators would benefit from reading these stories. Many Americans (especially those in the midwestern states of the US) may find that some member of their family was affected by the orphan trains, either as one of the orphans, or as a part of an adopted family. Whether directly affected or not, these stories are an important part of the fabric of our country, and as such give the reader an insight into life in the not too distant past. I was given an advanced copy of this book so that I might review it.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narrative non-fiction
Accessible to middle grade readers
Browsable because each orphan train rider is a separate chapter
Brought out many emotions in me
Thought-provoking

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very basic intro to the Orphan Train movement in the United States. 2-4 grades. Large beginning reader print. Not much detail, there were some, but the grimmest details wouldn't work for this age group.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC! This book was an easy read. There is decent information on the background and history of the Orphan Trains and those involved in the endeavor. The personal stories were good to read. It is obvious this book s geared for younger audiences with the way it is written. I like that. It would be nice paired with a fiction book like one I read before with the subject of someone who was on an orphan train as a child. That being said, I wish the format was not so confusing. It tells the stories quickly, then switches to another person. However, it leaves the story incomplete (does hint that the ending is coming later). Then there are chapters at the end that show the outcome for the kids we already read about. However, at that point, I had a little trouble connecting the ending to all the details and people from the original story. Why not just put the entire story together? It just was not blended well. It seemed choppy and cut off, and then when they end of the story came, it was so disjointed it felt confusing. If that was different, I would have upped my rating. Overall, I know kids will enjoy the history and personal stories. It is a historical event many do not know even existed.

[Kathrine]

A five year old has to ask older newsboys to read him the headlines so he can yell them out and sell his stack of papers on the streets of New York City. Siblings are separated when a dad can not care for his children. A small boy doesn't know how to put shoes on because it has been so long since he owned a pair of shoes. These are a few of the stories of the children in Rebecca Langston-George's book Orphan Trains. These children were chosen to ride the orphan trains to find a new home. The Children's Aid Society checked on their orphans once a year and checked the backgrounds of the people who took the children. Some found new families and better lives but for others it didn't always end happily. Some children who were chosen to be servants not members of the family.

This book tells the story of several of the orphans and includes a chapter on their adult lives. Many went on to become successful businessmen, politicians and parents. It is a book that is heartbreaking as well as inspiring and encouraging. Many readers will want to use the online resources listed in the back to find out more about the orphan trains.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis: "Tells the story of seven orphans who were settled with families in the Midwest by the Children's Aid Society."

My Review: I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was really intrigued by this book when I came across it. I had never heard of the Orphan Trains even though my entire family is from the Midwest. I found this book to be informative but not all encompassing, it was written in a manner that presents individual stories of orphans on the trains, which leaves you wanting to learn more and continue learning and researching the subject. One of the things I really enjoyed about this book is that it is written in so that nearly all reader levels can enjoy it, I think it would be a fantastic book for middle grade readers to have in school. It also leaves me wondering why I didn't learn anything about this subject in school, granted it is a tiny part of history but I think it is an important one that will young minds will connect with.

[Rachel Stansel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting history of the use of Orphan Trains to relocate the many homeless children in cities such as New York to the midwest. It was hoped they could live in a home setting rather than in orphanages or in the streets. More than 120,000 orphans were placed and it is estimated that in some midwestern states, such as Iowa, 1 in 4 people are a direct relation of someone who rode the trains. The books tells the stories of a handful of children and does a good job of showing how not all experiences were the same. Some children joined loving families looking for a child, while others were treated horribly. The author also gives us follow-up information of what became of some of the children when they grew up. It is well written for the late elementary and middle school grades. An interesting part of US history that I was unaware of before reading the book.

Full disclosure - I received a copy of the book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tells the story of the orphan trains operated by the Children's Aid Society in New York. Each short chapter describes a child, how they came to be an orphan and where they ended up on the orphan trains. Some had great experiences and were adopted into loving families. Others were treated well, but used as servants. Others were treated poorly and had a horrible life after being adopted. The history of the orphan trains seems to be a pretty popular subject right now. This is a good introduction for kids to learn about the subject and some of the people who rode the trains. Who knows, they might even find out they had an ancestor who was adopted from the orphan trains.

I received this book from Netgalley.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book explaining in very simple terms was it was like to be an orphan in the late 19th and early 20th century, on the East Coast of America, and how society tried to solve the problem. The book, written for middle school children, tells each story of the child who is put on the train and adapted from the child's point of view.

All the people were real, and in the end of the book, we find what became of them. Some went on to be governors, some went on to be nuns, and some went on to do other things. I would have preferred to have those "what became of them" after each story, but that is a minor quibble.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Lynndell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and Capstone for the arc of Orphan Trains: Taking the Rails to a New Life by Rebecca Langston-George! This book tells the true story of the origin of orphanages, the Children's Aid Society and orphan trains. The opening of the New York Foundling Hospital, founded by Sister Irene and her order, the Sisters of Charity is described. Individual stories are shared, an orphan train timeline is included, as well as a glossary, additional resources and discussion questions. Bibliography and source notes will help anyone wanting to find more information on the topic of orphan trains and their origins. Definitely for younger readers with simple information and photographs.

[Christi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great nonfiction look at the "orphan trains" -- the journey by rail that orphaned children from the East Coast took in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in order to be settled with a new family in the Midwest. It is clearly written, easy to understand, and has tons of pictures that will keep a reluctant reader interested. I really appreciated the "updates" at the end that told how the children fared in life after they were settled. I will definitely have a copy of this in my classroom library when it is published.

I was provided an advanced copy of this ebook by Netgalley and Capstone Press in exchange for an honest review.

[Rachel V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the lesser known parts of our history was the Orphan Trains. Orphans from cities like New York who were put on trains to go west to find parents among the farmers and ranchers. This book has personal stories from some of those children. Some did find loving parents, some were separated from siblings and never found them again and some were used for cheap labor. I found the stories heartbreaking and hopeful. A good book for anybody who wants to learn more about the Orphan Trains and the children who rode them.

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.

[Sarah Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this book for a fair and honest review.

This is a great book, very insightful about the Orphan Trains and who and when the Society was set up.

Loved that each chapter followed an individual child or family. And it was lovely to see the photo's.

Also great to have the final chapters of each child's life, and what happened to them as adults.

Great book, lovely illustrations (photos) and very informative.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully heartbreaking read. It gives life to a group of children that had to ride the train. The historical information also provided will give the reader insight to what it was like during the era the orphan trains were active. A five year old, making ends meet. Unheard of these days. This should be a required read. Not all stories have a happy ending. Loved it!
Reviewed through NetGalley for an independant, honest review.

[Ilana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although addressing children between 8-14 years old, I took the lecture of this book as a challenge, as it reveals interesting episodes and stories from the American life at the beginning of the 20th century. It is well written, in a reader-friendly style, with many interesting details and information and a well documented background. Useful not only for children.
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher via NetGalley.com

[Tiz. T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a very interesting take of the Orphan Trains history.

It is a mixture of short stories and history of the Trains. The stories shows a complex mixture of good and bad endings, just like the reality of life for Orphan's was then.

On the whole it is an interesting, deep and light at once read, even good for mature children, say age 10+, or a bit younger too if read with parents. Still, it is just as good for adults :)