Search This Blog









2023 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (2)
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona (2)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (16)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut (3)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (2)
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (1)
- Illinois (1)
- Indiana (1)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (4)
- Maryland (3)
- Massachusetts (3)
- Michigan (4)
- Minnesota (1)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (2)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (1)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (15)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (3)
- Oklahoma (1)
- Oregon (1)
- Pennsylvania (1)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (2)
- Texas (4)
- Utah (1)
- Vermont (4)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (6)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (2)
- (1)
- Washington, D.C.* (1)
International:
- Australia (3)
- Barbados (1)
- Canada (8)
- Chile (1)
- England (25)
- France (2)
- Ireland (2)
- Italy (1)
- Nigeria (1)
- Norway (1)
- Scotland (3)
- South Korea (1)
- Sweden (1)
- The Netherlands (2)
-Vietnam (1)





2023 Build Your Library Reading Challenge







Friday, January 31, 2014
Magical Orphan Train Adventure Teaches Kids About Inner Strength
1:00 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Frances Sweeney isn't overly fond of the Lower East Side orphanage where she lives, but at least she and her little brother are together in the home. It's far better than starving on the streets, that's for sure. When she receives the news that she'll be boarding an "orphan train" bound for the Midwest, she doesn't know what to think. As long as the 11-year-old can sneak Harold aboard, maybe it will all turn out okay for the parent-less children.
Jack Holderman has much in common with Frances. He's also from the Lower East Side, he's also 11, he's also on the train. The difference? He has parents. But the Holdermans have little money with which to provide for their son—it's better to cut him off, send him to greener pastures (literally). Jack can't help feeling abandoned, especially considering all the horror stories he's hearing about orphans being placed with new families just to get abused and overworked.
As their train chugs toward Kansas, Frances and Jack decide they must escape. How will they survive on their own? They don't know, they just know it will be better than the alternative. And, when they meet another kid who's in charge of a magical land called Wanderville, it seems they've found the perfect home. But are the children really safe here? Can young orphans, on their own, really be safe anywhere?
Wanderville by Wendy McClure channels classic children's series, like Little House on the Prairie and The Boxcar Children, to tell a tale full of adventure, tenacity and hope. It's about children making their own way in the world, despite the many problems they encounter. While it seems a bit far-fetched at times, Wanderville is a positive, upbeat historical tale that will remind kids that they're stronger than they think they are—no matter what trials they may be facing.
(Readalikes: Reminded me of We Rode the Orphan Trains by Andrea Warren and Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for violence and scenes of peril
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Wanderville from the generous folks at Penguin. Thank you!
2 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)




Reading
Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center

Listening
Empty Mansions by Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell, Jr.



Followin' with Bloglovin'



-
-
Cover Love Scary Covers8 hours ago
-
-
-
Grounds for Murder by Tara Lush10 hours ago
-
Top Ten Tuesday ~ Books Set On SF Worlds11 hours ago
-
Unnatural Death by Patricia Cornwell12 hours ago
-
We the Sea Turtles12 hours ago
-
-
-
Top Ten Tuesday18 hours ago
-
-
Top Ten Tuesday- Circus stories19 hours ago
-
Cookbooks for Book Lovers: Gift Ideas19 hours ago
-
-
TOP TEN TUESDAY-COTTAGE SETTING20 hours ago
-
TTT – Books Set In New York21 hours ago
-
-
-
-
-
I have been reading...2 days ago
-
Sunday Salon: November 26, 20232 days ago
-
-
The Butterfly Collector by Tea Cooper2 days ago
-
-
-
-
Happy Thanksgiving, 2023!!5 days ago
-
2024 Motif Reading Challenge1 week ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 month ago
-
Reading Recap August 20232 months ago
-
-
6/25/23 Extra Ezra5 months ago
-
-
Dotty Beanie with Ears6 months ago
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-

Grab my Button!



Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
Hmmm. Once again a book I had no idea existed. Sigh!
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteYa ! It is a very good info. Thanks for sharing your post with us.Keep book writing with more helpful topics.