Beyond The Orphan Train

by Donna Nordmark Aviles

Oliver and Edward Nordmark are young boys in 1906 when they are plucked from their New York orphanage and placed on one of America's Orphan Trains to Kansas. After being sent to different farms, the brothers lose track of one another. In 1913, fifteen-year-old Oliver decides to hop a freight train and strike out on his own in hopes of finding his lost brother. Follow Oliver's true story of adventure and discovery as he learns to live by his wits and survive on his own - a child alone in a man's world. Where will he go? How will he earn a living? What kind of people will he meet along the way? Will he be able to find Edward? All your lingering questions will be answered in this, the companion story to the author's first book, Fly Little Bird, Fly!

Genres: History

132 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2004

About the author

A resident of Hockessin, Delaware, Donna Nordmark Aviles is the granddaughter of Oliver Nordmark, the protagonist of her first two books, Fly Little Bird, Fly! and Beyond The Orphan Train. She has worked in many fields including foreign exchange, social services and business. After raising three children, Aviles returned to her early love of writing and is currently working on her third book, PEANUT BUTTER FOR CUPCAKES, a True Story from the Great Depression.

She enjoys visiting schools and community organizations to educate audiences about the Orphan Train Movement.

Reviews

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by Allison Fraclose for TeensReadToo.com

The Orphan Trains that brought thousands of young children from the east side of the United States to live with farming families in the growing west split many families in the 1800-1900s. One such set of siblings, Oliver and Edward Nordmark, rode the train to Kansas in 1906. Separated from his younger brother for several years, the now 15-year-old Oliver has left his adoptive family to make his way in the world and locate the lost Edward.

Riding the rails, he finds himself near the Colorado-Kansas border, and lands steady ranch work with three different brothers. Oliver learns how to harvest and even build houses made from sod before securing enough money to begin his search. Will he and Edward ever be together again, as he promised?

This inspiring story is made all the more incredible by the fact that it is based on the real life events of the author's grandfather. Photos of Oliver and the places he lived bring the tale to life in ways that will surely pique the interest of any who never thought history could be interesting.

Although the introduction claims that it is not necessary to have read the first volume (FLY LITTLE BIRD, FLY!) to enjoy this story, I wish that I had read it, since this book picks up where the last one left off. I hope to review FLY LITTLE BIRD, FLY! sometime in the near future.

[Sharon K. Mayhew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book if you like historical fiction! It is factual and based on Donna's family. It's a wonderful read!

[Chapter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks for the epilogue to help resolve to "rest of the story."