There are two new book series by prolific children’s author Joan Lowery Nixon. Two of the seven books in the Orphan Train Adventures series have won major awards. A spin-off series, Orphan Train Children, is a series of small books telling the individual stories of fictional children on the train.
My first reaction upon seeing this series was, “oh, no”. A children’s book about abandoned children being put on a train, stood on platforms for townspeople to choose from, then being used for farm labor? Sure non-adopted kids might find this bit of history new and unusual, but won’t it just perpetuate every stereotype about adoption?
That said, the books—while not sugarcoating the experience–did have a few good points that may make the stories worthwhile and may even help some adopted kids process their experiences. As with most books that touch on adoption themes, I urge parents to review them first (the Children series of books can each be easily read by an adult in an hour or so) and be ready to address any issues that are particularly close to your child’s experience.
I remain concerned that non-adopted kids will have an outdated image of adoption, although each book clearly states that improvements in child welfare services led to the discontinuation of the orphan train program long ago. I hope most kids have access to some other reading on adoption to counterbalance this.
Good points of the books are:
1) The historical notes in each book give a lot of context about different aspects of the story, including quotes from primary material from foster/adoptive parents, adult orphan train members, and Children’s Aid Society workers.
2) A variety of experiences are portrayed, from children who are true orphans, to children whose birth families want to give them a better life, to children whose birth families are truly irresponsible. Foster/adoptive families also range from loving and competent parents, to well-meaning but troubled, to downright exploitative.
3) The motivations of the Children’s Aid Society workers and the alternatives to the orphan trains are sympathetically portrayed.
4) The books present positive historical data on the impressive educational and career achievements of the original orphan train children. A surprising number of these children became professionals, and some became governors and legislators.
I would say these books are for kids at least nine years old, although the reading level will be fairly easy for that age group.
Please see these related blogs:
Things All Children Should Know About Adoption
Kids’ Books on Domestic Adoption and General Adoption Themes