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Jake's Orphan
When taken from an orphanage to work on a farm in North Dakota in 1926, twelve-year-old Tree searches for a home not only for himself but also for his irrepressible younger brother.
272 pages, Paperback
First published March 17, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 27, 2020
Someone who's ready to die for you is family.
Here it is, another unlikely discovery that is a direct result of our Kids Read Across America project this year. How else would we have stumbled upon this middle grades read set in North Dakota?
Neither the cover nor the title appealed to my daughters or me, but it was slim pickings in the Peace Garden State, so we began this book, reluctantly.
In case you're not American and you're reading this review, I can tell you that, for most Americans, traveling to the state of North Dakota is about as infrequent as traveling across the Pacific Ocean to the state of Hawaii. For most of us, it's less frequent.
About 100 years ago, you were slightly more likely to go to North Dakota if you were an orphan from the east being shipped out to the western plains of the United States on what were called “orphan trains.” Kids without homes were shipped to the West, in the hopes of finding either families who would take them in as family members, or families who would take them on as cheap farm hands.
Some children found their forever homes and were treated with kindness, while others, like “Tree” (Theodore) and “Acorn” (Alexander) Smith were treated like indentured servants or animals.
Poor Tree and Acorn end up being taken in by the miserable Gundersons, a couple so wretched, both my daughters shook angry fists at the book several times. This might be a fiction read, but the author, Peggy Brooke, did not hold back from making the Gundersons a despicable set of foster parents.
But, it turns out, Mr. Gunderson has a younger brother, Jake, who's not only been unlucky in love, he's been disenfranchised. He's single and lives on the farm with his empty nester brother and his wife and, though he eats freely at their table, they've made it clear that he's basically an indentured servant on the farm they will eventually leave to their disinterested adult son.
A fascinating mirroring occurs here, between the older and younger sets of brothers, and an inspiring revelation takes place, when the reader realizes that young Tree and Acorn will have the most unlikely benefactor of all.
I know this from experience: some people can adopt children who quickly become their own, and others just simply can't do it. The two Gunderson brothers do a good job of proving this point.
I was impressed with several aspects of this story, most especially the way the author handled the topic of trauma. This is no fairy tale; these boys are wounded, and they remind the reader that healing is a process that requires love or kindness. You can not heal when you are surrounded by more cruelty or trauma.
I think the topic of “brothers” is so rarely explored; this was a masculine read that was surprisingly appealing to us girls.
Being brothers, we were tangled together--and always would be--the way roots are, and branches, too.
Here it is, another unlikely discovery that is a direct result of our Kids Read Across America project this year. How else would we have stumbled upon this middle grades read set in North Dakota?
Neither the cover nor the title appealed to my daughters or me, but it was slim pickings in the Peace Garden State, so we began this book, reluctantly.
In case you're not American and you're reading this review, I can tell you that, for most Americans, traveling to the state of North Dakota is about as infrequent as traveling across the Pacific Ocean to the state of Hawaii. For most of us, it's less frequent.
About 100 years ago, you were slightly more likely to go to North Dakota if you were an orphan from the east being shipped out to the western plains of the United States on what were called “orphan trains.” Kids without homes were shipped to the West, in the hopes of finding either families who would take them in as family members, or families who would take them on as cheap farm hands.
Some children found their forever homes and were treated with kindness, while others, like “Tree” (Theodore) and “Acorn” (Alexander) Smith were treated like indentured servants or animals.
Poor Tree and Acorn end up being taken in by the miserable Gundersons, a couple so wretched, both my daughters shook angry fists at the book several times. This might be a fiction read, but the author, Peggy Brooke, did not hold back from making the Gundersons a despicable set of foster parents.
But, it turns out, Mr. Gunderson has a younger brother, Jake, who's not only been unlucky in love, he's been disenfranchised. He's single and lives on the farm with his empty nester brother and his wife and, though he eats freely at their table, they've made it clear that he's basically an indentured servant on the farm they will eventually leave to their disinterested adult son.
A fascinating mirroring occurs here, between the older and younger sets of brothers, and an inspiring revelation takes place, when the reader realizes that young Tree and Acorn will have the most unlikely benefactor of all.
I know this from experience: some people can adopt children who quickly become their own, and others just simply can't do it. The two Gunderson brothers do a good job of proving this point.
I was impressed with several aspects of this story, most especially the way the author handled the topic of trauma. This is no fairy tale; these boys are wounded, and they remind the reader that healing is a process that requires love or kindness. You can not heal when you are surrounded by more cruelty or trauma.
I think the topic of “brothers” is so rarely explored; this was a masculine read that was surprisingly appealing to us girls.
Being brothers, we were tangled together--and always would be--the way roots are, and branches, too.
July 31, 2020
Solid children's historical fiction about a time and place that isn't particularly common in that genre: 1926 North Dakota. The story held my interest. The ending was reasonably satisfying, but not satisfying enough to bump this from three to four stars.
August 24, 2018
This was a very enjoyable read. It is touching, heart-warming, and very believable.
June 13, 2017
Historical fiction can be both so wonderful and so sad. With this book, I really felt like I was in that time period, of when life gave no leisure time if you wanted to survive, but also when new technology was beginning to arise. Tree was a great main character for this tale. I wasn't sure what I thought of him at first, as he seemed a little bland, but he grew on me, especially in the second half of the book.
I really enjoyed the character of Jake. He has to be my favorite character in the novel, as I love how kind and compassionate he was, but in a quiet way. As for Acorn... That kid needs some mental help. He kind of scared me at some points in the story. I know a lot of it is the result of his life as an orphan and how society has treated him, but he has a really scary side.
Overall, I think this story did a great job of capturing what life would have been like in that time period for orphan boys, and I liked the contrast between Tree and his brother, with how they lived the same life but handled things in different ways. It was reflected well with the relationship between Jake and Mr. Gunderson. The story came to a satisfying conclusion. Though, while I don't have much negative to say about this story, it's not one I thought was particularly amazing. It's just an average book.
I really enjoyed the character of Jake. He has to be my favorite character in the novel, as I love how kind and compassionate he was, but in a quiet way. As for Acorn... That kid needs some mental help. He kind of scared me at some points in the story. I know a lot of it is the result of his life as an orphan and how society has treated him, but he has a really scary side.
Overall, I think this story did a great job of capturing what life would have been like in that time period for orphan boys, and I liked the contrast between Tree and his brother, with how they lived the same life but handled things in different ways. It was reflected well with the relationship between Jake and Mr. Gunderson. The story came to a satisfying conclusion. Though, while I don't have much negative to say about this story, it's not one I thought was particularly amazing. It's just an average book.
October 6, 2012
I read this YA book to see if it was age-appropriate for my grandchildren. A very good story of a 12 yr. old boy & his 10 yr. old brother in an orphanage in St.Paul, MN. "Tree" the older boy is sent on a one year "trial" to a farm in Crosby, N.Dakota in 1926. The couple wouldn't take the younger brother.
This is a story of life lessons & the need to belong to somebody.
This is a story of life lessons & the need to belong to somebody.
January 26, 2018
"Someone who's ready to die for you is family," Jake asserted, quiet and simple." p.253
Good look at life in North Dakota on a Wheat Farm in the 1900's, through the eyes of an orphan boy.
Thought of "Hatties Sky."
Good look at life in North Dakota on a Wheat Farm in the 1900's, through the eyes of an orphan boy.
Thought of "Hatties Sky."
March 1, 2017
This book is about a 12 year old boy named Jake and his 10 year old brother named Tree. They want to find a real home since they are orphans at a orphanage. Jake and his little brother Tree try to find ways to escape the orphanage they are in so they can go out in the real world and find a real home for themselves to live in. If I could recommend this book to anyone, it would be the people who are really into choice making and thinking skills since towards the book, there are choices where Jake and Tree has to decide from and also you have to think towards the story where Jake and Tree is going to escape the orphanage step-by-step. I gave this book 4/5 stars because this book has a catch into it that made me entertained when I read more and more of the book. I love books where there is choice making in them since you get to know the characters personality and style more. This is s really good book and I am looking forward for another book by this author or an another part of this book by Peggy Brooke who is a very good book author.
August 27, 2017
Pros: sort of a male protagonist mix of ANNE OF GREEN GABLES and LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, interesting sibling dynamic
Cons: plodding, and I really wanted Brooke to explore the Gus storyline and she didn't.
Cons: plodding, and I really wanted Brooke to explore the Gus storyline and she didn't.
December 11, 2017
This book is a bland read, for me at least. I tried to dive headfirst into this book expecting alot, and was let down severely. I failed to feel the characters, I just couldn't connect with them due to their many tropes.
February 6, 2013
At its heart, this story is about loyalty. Tree is characterized by his determination to do what is best for those he loves. His quite sense of determination and responsibility won me over to his side on page one. There are two or three mild cusses and one childish but slightly ribald prank, but other than these instances the story is fantastic. For those who enjoy stories about orphans and/or historical fiction, this is a great book to add to your reading list. It bears many similarities to Gib Rides Home.
February 24, 2010
This book was good, but it's kind of confusing to me because the main character can't live with his brother at the same home. The family he is supposed to live with already has kids but yet they need him to work for them. A big thing that confused was that the Gundersons wanted a boy from the orphanage to work for them on their farm so why didn't they take both of the boys?
October 26, 2011
This book is a book I would use in my classroom. It is a good way to teach children about diverse families. It is also a good way to show children how families can be separated. Tree has a very hard time trying to find a way to deal with the fact that his brother cannot be there with him, because the family does not want him there. Overall, I enjoyed this book.
July 2, 2008
Matthew's summer reading assignment. A good story about an orphan and his brother who leave the orphanage to work on a farm. Wish kids these days knew this kind of work! This may not hold Matthew's attention... I also bought this book for our personal library.
December 10, 2010
Tree is going to the Gunderson's farm in North Dakota for a trial year before he is officially adopted. He works hard on the farm and to be accepted into the family. His younger brother runs away to join join Tree adding to his problems and challenges.
September 13, 2011
Jake's Orphan is a great story about a boy that gets not quite adopted but just "borrowed" by some farmers. When his younger brother finds out about this he tries to sneek on a train to farm to be with his brother. At the end Jake, the farmers brother, adopts the boy.
January 30, 2012
This was one of my favorite books as a young kid. The writing is very good, and the story is wonderful. The author did an excellent job of showing what life was really like during that time in North Dakota.
September 20, 2013
Jake's Orphan, is a very interesting book. I liked how it was a historical fiction. I rated it 3 stars, because it wasn't the best book I've ever read, but one of the many okay ones. I like how it's full of action. Very good book.
Read
January 18, 2008it was a good book it was crazy and had some violance in it but it was very good
April 4, 2011
i just finished this book and i have to say the begining was kinda borring but after i got into it i couldn't put it down
August 3, 2013
Gave a good picture of life on the prairie in the early 1900's. A little slow moving at times.
December 11, 2013
I read this story for Amber's book club and I surprisingly really liked it.
February 11, 2015
Good story line and moving, the reader thoroughly feels the frustration of our orphan and his desire for a place/family and his conflicting loyalty to his brother. Great ending!
January 30, 2016
What a sweet story with believable characters. I love the topics discussed and the reality of the time period. Nice quick read.
February 13, 2016
Quick read. Very well written characters. Tree was extremely relatable and I would recommend this book!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews