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In spring 1890, three eight-year-old girls left overcrowded, bleak Greystone Orphanage near Boston and set out together on the "Orphan Train", heading West to adoptive homes. Along the way, the little girls -- Laurel, Toddy, and Kit -- made a vow to be "forever friends". This is Kit's story. After their grieving, widowed father leaves Kit, her younger brother, and baby sister at Greystone, she tries in vain to keep the family together. The younger children are "placed out", and Kit is sent show more west to the Hansens, a farm family who want a girl to assist the work-worn mother of five boys. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
This story begins around 1890, but it will take you through the years as you follow Kit, who is a little girl who is sent West on the Orphan Train. It gives you a real feel for what some of these little boys and girls must have gone through in this time in history. Not everyone got chosen into a good and loving home, and Kit is one of those "unlucky" ones. But she will thrive regardless of her circumstances and her loyalty to her "adopted" mother is quite rare. You will follow Kit through to her young adulthood, where you will see that Kit's "dreams of a longing heart" really will come true.
This story is one of three books in this trilogy. I started out reading book 2 first, and I know from reading this story who the other 2 girls are show more from the orphan train that stayed friends with Kit as they were growing up. I don't feel like I missed anything by reading book 2 first, but I am looking forward to going back and reading book one next, which is "Homeward the Seeking Heart". Although this story did have some romance in it, to me it was a story of the life of one young girl and how she made something of herself and didn't let her circumstances control her destiny. show less
This story is one of three books in this trilogy. I started out reading book 2 first, and I know from reading this story who the other 2 girls are show more from the orphan train that stayed friends with Kit as they were growing up. I don't feel like I missed anything by reading book 2 first, but I am looking forward to going back and reading book one next, which is "Homeward the Seeking Heart". Although this story did have some romance in it, to me it was a story of the life of one young girl and how she made something of herself and didn't let her circumstances control her destiny. show less
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Author Information
72 Works 3,792 Members
Jane Peart went to college in New England and worked as an airline attendant before becoming a full-time writer. She is the author of over 60 books in both the secular and Christian markets. She writes several series including Brides of Montclair, Westward Dreams, American Quilts, Orphan Train West, and Edgecliffe Manor Mysteries. She is also a show more visual artist. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Series
Work Relationships
Has the adaptation
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Dreams of a Longing Heart
- Original title
- Dreams of a Longing Heart
- Alternate titles
- Kit
- Original publication date
- 1990-10
- People/Characters
- Kit; Jamie; Gwynnie
- Dedication
- To the real "riders" of the orphan trains, the over 100,000 children who were transported by train across the country to new homes in the Midwest, from 1854 to the early twentieth century, whose experience and courage... (show all) inspired this series.
- First words
- Boston
Greyston Orphanage
Kit felt her toes push painfully against the end of her too-small boots.
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Statistics
- Members
- 125
- Popularity
- 261,616
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.58)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 2
- ASINs
- 3
