Orphans and abandoned children in the east were loaded onto trains and adopted out to families in the west. ( )

'Orphan Train Rider: One Boy's True Story' is an excellent biography penned by a woman who taught both history and English. Andrea Warren organized this book in an interesting fashion. Much like the 'Grapes of Wrath', she alternated chapters between the specific story of Lee Nailling and what was happing on the Orphan Trains around the rest of the country. The author went a step further than simply telling the story of the Orphan Trains, she asked the important questions of why were they necessary in the first place and why is the retelling of this story is important?
Like many biographies worth their salt, the book's sources include a healthy combination of scholarly presses, primary sources, and original photographs. The author also includes a hefty reference index.
Prior to reading this biography, I was not familiar with the Orphan Trains. I was astonished that such an undertaking was imagined by one person. I found myself equally saddened by the many hardships suffered by these children and delighted by the successful pairings of children and adoptive parents. After reading this book, I am a firm believer that the majority had more fulfilling lives than they would have had they remained in New York.
As with many painful events in our history, more often than not, people do not like to dwell on them nor wish to discuss them. I am thankful to men like Lee Nailling who are brave enough to share their story. ( )

"Between 1859 and 1929, over 200,000 children were sent west on "orphan trains" to new homes." (Inside front cover) This repressed piece of history is incredible and I am grateful to Andrea Warren for telling one boy's story before it was too late. At the time this book was published in 1996, it was believed there was approximately 500 survivors remaining, all elderly. Twenty years later today, I would imagine there are no survivors left. It is important to continue sharing the stories of the children and of this successful program started by a young minister, Charles Loring Brace. Warren tells this story alternating chapters between Lee's personal account, with the history following the same timeline. There are photos are abundant, showing the hopeful faces of the abandoned children. Most photos do not have exact names or dates, assuming this information might not have been available. Warren does a wonderful job captivating the audience with Lee's story, giving the reader a direct look into the lives of the orphans. "A 1910 Children's Aid Society report said that 87 percent of the orphan train riders had "done well." (p. 60) This is an amazing success rate for a much needed experiment. One of the goals when teaching and reading nonfiction, is to make connections to today. Homeless children still exist, and are still in need of a loving home. This would be an excellent addition to any classroom, both ELA and history. The book includes a short bibliography as well as suggested reading. There are acknowledgements and photo credits, and an extensive index for both the text and photographs. Orphan Train is a well written book, and has motivated me to track down more of Warren's books. ( )

A fascinating book about a forgotten social experiment in American history. Ms. Warren's account alternates following the experience of one young boy on an orphan train with general information chapters to fully explain the processes involved. First hand accounts are supplemented with archival photographs and relevant documents; there is an index, bibliography, and suggested further readings at the back. If you've ever wondered what life was like for young children in early Industrial America, this book will open up numerous avenues for further investigation. ( )

Between 1854 and 1930, more than 200,000 orphaned or abandoned children were sent west on orphan trains to find new homes. Some were adopted by loving families; others were not as fortunate. In recent years, some of the riders have begun to share their stories. Andrea Warren alternates chapters about the history of the orphan trains with the story of Lee Nailling, who in 1926 rode an orphan train to Texas. ( )