A Family Apart

Imagine being taken from your home. Imagine your mother is the one who lets it happen. This is the fate that befalls the Kelly children. It’s 1856, and their widowed mother has sent them west from New York City because she’s convinced that she can’t give them the life they deserve. The Kellys board an “orphan train” and are taken to St. Joseph, Missouri, where their problems only grow worse. It was bad enough that they had to say goodbye to their mother, but now they’re forced to part ways with their fellow siblings as well. Thirteen-year-old Frances won’t stand for it. She’s going to protect her brothers and sisters, even if it means dressing up like a boy and putting herself in danger. Will Frances be able to save her show more siblings? And what about her mom—was splitting up their family really her greatest act of love? Ride the rails with Frances and her siblings to find out! show less

The Orphan Train saga begins in 1856 in New York City, where Mrs. Kelly, a young widow, realizes that she cannot give her 6 children the life they deserve. Mrs. Kelly makes the ultimate sacrifice of love and sends them west on the orphan train to find better lives with new families. The children, especially 13-year-old Frances Mary, feel an overwhelming sense of betrayal and abandonment. Their arrival in St. Joseph, MO separates the children not only fromtheir mother, but from each other as well.

This book depicts the experience of traveling on the Orphan Train from New York west. The story tells of a widow who decides to hand over her 6 children to organizers of sending orphans west to be adopted by families who wanted and needed children to work on the farms. The book has the reader experience poverty, discrimination, desperation, and in this book, a happy ending. In this first book in the series, Frances pretends to be a boy in order to be placed in the same household as her younger brother. Since she grew up doing many chores, fulfilling the jobs of a boy isn't hard for her. In the end, she helps slaves escape through the underground railroad to freedom. Students love the excitement in this book and empathize with the mother show more who gives up her children and Frances, who is trying to be strong for her siblings. show less

A Family Apart is the first book of The Orphan Train Adventure series. The story begins with the six children, Frances, Mike, Danny, Megan, Peg, and Petey Kelly being sent to live with farm families in Missouri by the Children’s Aid Society of New York as their mother is no longer able to care for them. To ensure that the youngest boy, Petey, is not separated from a sibling, the oldest girl Frances disguises herself as a boy so there is a better chance that they will both be taken together by one family. The book mainly tells of the adventures that Frances and Petey encounter with their new family.

I was first introduced to this series when my son was in fourth grade. I can remember us reading the book together and discussing the show more characters.

Classroom extensions would include using this book as a transition to studying about the culture and environment of 1860, which is the period of time that the book takes place. Another extension would be to use this book as a transition to studying about the origin of trains. show less

This is a wonderful story about a family of six children, Frances, Mike, Danny, Megan, Peg, and Petey, who are sent west on the orphan train by their mother who can't support them. To take care of Petey, the youngest, the eldest girl, Frances, dresses up as a boy so there'll be a better chance of them being taken together. And then what happens? Read the book to find out!

C

this is a heart wrenching story about some children who have to overcome adversity, good for fourth grade and up.

When their mother can no longer support them, six siblings are sent by the Children's Aid Society of New York City to live with farm families in Missouri in 1860.