Summary:
After being abandoned by his parents, Jack finds himself on a train headd towards Kansas. While on the train, he meets Frances and Harold, two other young boys that have been abandoned by their parents. The three children are headed for a supposed new, better life working; however, as they travel on the train they hear the horrors of the working conditions and then set off to escape on their own. This leads them into the woods on a journey to find a new life for themselves.
My thoughts:
I have a hard time believing that this is a middle grades book. I would definitely recommend it for children a little older, or children interested in history with parents/teachers that want to talk about the social issues that are raised within the story. The children are abandoned at 11 years old to completely care for themselves. This focuses on the Orphan Train Movement, so the hardships are definitely real. Also, the working conditions that were faced by small children are intense. While the book does not get overly graphic, it is blunt with its telling of what was happening at the time. There is also no magic happy ending, which could be difficult for a younger audience. On the other hand, the pacing is awesome. It's a book that is easily read in one sitting for an older child/adult. The action sucks you in and you root for the boys all the way through.
After being abandoned by his parents, Jack finds himself on a train headd towards Kansas. While on the train, he meets Frances and Harold, two other young boys that have been abandoned by their parents. The three children are headed for a supposed new, better life working; however, as they travel on the train they hear the horrors of the working conditions and then set off to escape on their own. This leads them into the woods on a journey to find a new life for themselves.
My thoughts:
I have a hard time believing that this is a middle grades book. I would definitely recommend it for children a little older, or children interested in history with parents/teachers that want to talk about the social issues that are raised within the story. The children are abandoned at 11 years old to completely care for themselves. This focuses on the Orphan Train Movement, so the hardships are definitely real. Also, the working conditions that were faced by small children are intense. While the book does not get overly graphic, it is blunt with its telling of what was happening at the time. There is also no magic happy ending, which could be difficult for a younger audience. On the other hand, the pacing is awesome. It's a book that is easily read in one sitting for an older child/adult. The action sucks you in and you root for the boys all the way through.
