Friday, April 11, 2014

Orphan Train Book Discussion Guide


Book:       Orphan Train
Author:    Christina Baker Kline
Edition:    HarperCollins softcover, 2013

This book guide has moved to my new blog, Relevant Reads. Please find all my new guides there.

2 comments:

  1. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and wept when it ended something that hasn't happened to me I a long time. I loved the switching back and forth between narratives. I'm not sure why because usually I find myself yelling at the author why can't you just tell the story in the order it took place?
    I think the parallel's between Vivian and Molly are fascinating as is the idea that these two should have come together so serendipitously. Both stories are so rich and full of strife and heart break, good times and bad that I couldn't put the book down.
    I feel our students could relate to either story given the breadth of the two characters experiences. the topics of race, abandonment, alcoholism, sexual abuse, physical abuse, the feeling of not belonging or fitting in,-wanting to fit in.. are all feeling our kids can relate to.( feel free to grammatically correct that last sentence)
    To me this book is such a rich description of life and it's many ups and downs, as well as a history lesson , that it should be a must read. I don't think I've ever said that before. Clearly, I LOVED THE BOOK.

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  2. It took me one month to read this book, from all the interruptions. When I sat down and read the book, I felt heartbroken for Molly, but more for Vivian. She lost her childhood from one of her foster parents. A kind person helped her and this led her to land with good people. I liked the part where she didn't want to go out with her friends and was convinced to go out. Not knowing that she would meet up with Dutchy, who once said he would look for her if they were split up as kids. They saw each other and stayed together, got married. Soon after that he was drafted, he left not knowing Vivian was pregnant. When she got the news that Dutchy had passed, I think she snapped. She didn't care for the baby and gave it up. She was so distraught that she didn't care about anything. She lost someone who was so dear to her, she was incoherent. Even though she married someone else, she never forgot Dutchy. When Molly came into her life, Vivian was a widow. Who just sat in front of the window just staring at the trees. Molly was there because she needed to do some community time for stealing a book. She was there to help Vivian sort out her boxes and organize things. Molly helped Vivian go down through memory lane opening all the boxes. She not only kept them, she transferred her things to newer boxes with labels in alphabetical order and dated year. They seemed to make a connection, and so Molly had suggested that she invest in a laptop so she can find family. Molly had inquired about Vivian's sister, but she thought she was dead. Molly took it upon herself to look for Vivian's sister Maisie who apparently did not pass away when they were younger. But, she had passed away a few years before. She also found the little boy named Carmine, whom she had to take care of while on the Orphan Train. She found out that they kept his name, and he was married with a family. He too past away. But, just the thought of knowing he was alive mad Vivian really happy. Molly had asked Vivian about her daughter. She thought it would be good to get in contact with her, and explain to her why she did what she did so she could be a part of her. Vivian thought she might not want to meet her, for giving her up. And, so Molly contacts Vivian's daughter and sets up an appointment so they could meet. The story ends when Vivian's daughter comes to her house and they meet. I was so happy for her, for Vivian had suffered so much in her life. Meeting Molly was the gift that was sent from GOD to bring joy to Vivian's life. It was the best book I had ever read, very heart moving.

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