The Raffle Baby

by Ruth Talbot

“Purchase a ticket for a chance to win a rosy-cheeked little one. Ladies particularly welcome.”

With precise, breathtaking prose and hints of magical realism, Ruth Talbot tells the tale of three orphans as they crisscross the country in the 1930s, riding the rails, chasing the harvests, and stealing when they must. Their destination is always the same: survival.

Teeny, Sonny Boy and Vic have been swallowed up by the desperation and devastation of the Great Depression, but the trio is buoyed by the fantastical tales Teeny weaves around campfires in hobo jungles and migrant camps, including the story of the raffle baby.

As the three navigate the ravages of poverty and prejudices, they form a family bond as strong as the forces against them. But when a solemn pact fails to protect them, their lives are forever changed. And Sonny Boy is left to tell their story, and his own.

Both heartbreaking and uplifting, The Raffle Baby examines the intersection of love, loss and resilience, and the enduring triumph of memory. This is a magical tale not soon forgotten.

“Ruth Talbot’s lyrical novel captures the ineffable sadness of human existence, as well as the magnificent resilience of the human spirit.” —William Walker, author of Betrayal at Little Gibraltar

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Book Club

166 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 22, 2022

About the author

Ruth Talbot is a fiction writer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she lives with her husband and rescue pup. She loves to comb through old newspapers for story ideas like The Raffle Baby. Sign up for news and updates at ruthtalbot.com.

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three waifs -Vic, Teeny and Sunny Boy - criss-cross America by hopping trains in search of work and food during the Great Depression. They have been let down and abandoned by their own families and by society, and in each other they have found a family. They meet both kindness and evil. It is a depressing but also an uplifting story.

We had nowhere to go and nowhere to be beyond where we would find our next job. When we decided one morning to go this way or that, we always ended up in the same place—looking for food and a place to sleep.
I do not think you know time as I did then. In 1936, 1937 and 1938, our lives hung suspended. We were moving and aging and standing still, all at the same time. No, it’s not like being in limbo. When we are in limbo, we are waiting to decide between one thing or another, or to have that decision made for us. Limbo is bookended by a beginning and an end. For us there was only the endless middle.

[Caroline Hollis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once begun, I could not put this book down until I'd finished (except I did feed the dog). Kudos to this author for a unique and emotionally satisfying story.

I have to emphasize that the writing is poignant, witty and fresh.

The author does not shy away from showing the grit, and sometimes sad circumstances of characters set in a challenging time of history, but, you will so enjoy meeting this charming and resilient set of characters through the creative telling of this intriguing tale. The interesting and unexpected twists at the end will make this book a word-of-mouth hit. I already miss Vic, Sonny Boy and Teeny!

I can't recommend this book enough. Due to the intriguing title and premise, I went in with high expectations and they were more than rewarded. 5+ stars!

[Ann Gillaspie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Tale Worth Listening To

This is a sobering tale of life during the Dust Bowl and Great Depression in the United States. It is a tale of desperation so deep that parents had to send their children away because they couldn’t feed them; when children hopped on rail cars and travelled the nation looking for any kind of job just to get enough money to feed themselves; when the nation closed their eyes to the desperation of the extremely impoverished because they were trying just to survive themselves; when people lost their hope. It was a very dark time and this story is told with honesty and not an ounce of self pity.

Three teenagers meet on the road, form a deep bond of friendship and jump the rails and walk the roads back and forth across the US for 3 years. They look after each other and save each other from the perils of life as ‘boes (hobos). There is much more to the story but for that you will have to read this book to find the poetry and rhythm of the tales that are told.

[Donna J. Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the beginning. I loved the experience of riding the rails. I loved that the child finally found a home. After that I could have cared less. Didn’t see the point of the constant longing for a person in one’s life for 10 minutes. ( that’s sarcasm!) and the ending was ridiculous.

[marilyn Stickman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the most emotional, sad, happy that I’ve ever read. It was so historically fascinating yet so gripping & I simply couldn’t put it down.
Thank you Ruth Talbot

[Barbara B. Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I have read. I rank it right up there with To Kill a Mockingbird as a coming of age story. The time period is the Great Depression, but it is narrated by Sonny Boy at age 90+. His perspective and role of narrator works very well as he tells of the events over a three year period age 12 to 15, as a hobo, riding the rails to get from one farm crop to another, and often suffering from lack of food, the elements, and some of the most despicable humans imagined. His friends Vik and Teensy are a trio never to be forgotten.

I seldom re read a book after finishing it, but The Raffle Baby is my next read. I want to get back to the time and the trio now,, tonight

[Sallie Dunn · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

This is a novella based on a smidgin of a true story. The author found an article published in the 1930’s in one of the southern states wherein a Methodist church sponsored a baby raffle. (Think Depression and the Dust Bowl).

From that article she conjured a highly imaginative tale of two young men and one young lady riding the rails trying to find work all across the Southern US and the West coast. They lived in hobo camps (the author termed them “Jungles”). The story is told from the younger boy’s point of view. He was 12 years old when the novel begins. They have a few high adventures and more low ones - a life of neediness and often hunger.
Teeney, the young girl of the story is quite the raconteur.

Too quickly the three of them are parted. The young man telling the story finds a family. The other two, well, you’ll need to read it to find out.

The 52 Book Club Chalkenge - 2024
Prompt #33 - an abrupt ending

[Sharon B Searles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This ended up being a fascinating book, although it was a little hard to become involved in the beginning. After the characters, rather than the situation, became dominant I was hooked. Although the Great Depression was something I understood since my parents and their families lived through it, this was a greater insight into the survival of the people who lost everything.

Personalizing the story with the actual history of the three lives lived made me appreciate all the more how blessed we are in this country. I had one small disappointment with the book, which I will not share since it might be a 'spoiler alert' and it does not change the fact that I truly am glad I read it.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this in a Goodreads giveaway, and I am so glad to have had a chance to read it. This is my favorite time period to read about. Great character development and a wonderful look at the life of a hobo.

[Carol Bodin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good storytelling but…

It was a wonderful story until the abrupt ending. It was almost as if the writer tired of weaving the tale, threw a chapter in to move the characters. And clapped The End on it. Disappointing.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Raffle Baby is a novel that quietly builds its power Subtle at first, then impossible to put down. At its center is one striking truth:

“The most important moment of your life does not declare itself while it is approaching.”

This idea becomes the compass of the story, echoing through the characters’ choices, heartbreaks, joys, and the unexpected paths that shape their destinies.

Talbot captures life’s hidden tipping points, chance encounters, quiet courage, and the ordinary moments that only later reveal their weight. The narrator’s voice deepens this effect: calm, observant, and gently intimate, guiding the reader with a steady wisdom that never overwhelms, making every scene feel personal and every revelation more impactful. It’s the kind of narration that stays with you. Soft-spoken, honest, and perfectly in tune with the heart of the book.

Her characters feel deeply lived-in, flawed but hopeful, wounded but resilient. You don’t just read their journeys; you feel the weight of their decisions and the tenderness of their growth.

What makes The Raffle Baby exceptional is its ability to balance heartbreak with hope. The story never tells you what to feel; it simply leads you into moments so real that you can’t help but reflect on the unannounced turning points in your own life.

By the final pages, you understand exactly what Talbot means by her central theme: the future does not arrive with fanfare. It comes disguised as a small choice, a difficult road, or an unexpected blessing. When it finally reveals itself, you realize that everything, every twist, every wound, every act of grace has been leading you to this moment.

Profound but not heavy, hopeful and beautifully crafted, this story reminds us that the moments that shape us rarely announce themselves. They simply begin.

A moving, memorable, and quietly transformative read.

[Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story takes place during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. Three teenagers are living the life of hoboes in a time when everyone was suffering. They helped each other out and traveled across the US on trains to different areas to pick crops to survive. After about 3 years they become separated and go on with the rest of their lives. One of the characters is now an old man in his 90s and he is telling the story. It was ok.

[Tracy Schmucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful

Impeccable imagery with poetic words that just dance in your head like a well-rehearsed waltz. This was a divine tale, told so differently it was like being in a cozy room with Grandpa spinning a yarn or lying in bed with Grandma's sweet voice conjuring up a bedtime story. I loved this book - so rich it was like a decadent pastry you both can't wait to devour but that you don't want to ever end.

[Regina Roof · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written story. Loved the characters and writing style. Quick read.

[Renny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book is an adventure …not just the words in the story, but the pictures it paints in my mind of what once was. It’s not a huge book, but it feels very dense and weighs firmly within.

[Pam Chatburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story! Short but enjoyable!!

[Carlette Hardin · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books. Two things I love - a good story and beautiful writing.

[Kathy Cone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting narrative by 1 of the 3 orphans who struggled through the Great Depression by becoming third own little "family." They traveled by whatever means necessary, usually train, around the country working wherever they could find work. It was interesting reading about migrants, hobos said sometimes dangerous others in their efforts to make do.

This book was interesting, funny, sad and spoke to the resilience of the human spirit. I really enjoyed it.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Everything about it.. the characters, the storyline, the plot, and especially the writing style! Beautiful and at times mesmerizing.

[Mariam Hamouch]

My heart learned history that was new to me.

I loved this book because of the historical and personal values it held. A story of real people and real occurrences such as my mother told me about. My great grandmother fed many hobos back in the 1930s and now I have stories in my mind to make them more concrete.

[Meredith Hatchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. The tales of riding the rails was intriguing…transgressing the country in short time frames from Oregon to Florida for the different harvesting seasons. The author wxpertly weaves themes of the Great Depression, Dust Bowl, and a rabbit drive in KS (that spurred an intriguing internet search) into a tale of three memorable hoboes for three years in the 1930s.

[Terry Primrose · Rating 5 out of 5]

A vary nice story with a bonus of learning about hobos; which my father had seen on and around the trains in Towanda.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Raffle Baby was a heart felt story of the lives of children turned out on their own during the Great Depression. It follows the story of one boy, not yet a teen, and the friends who kept him safe and shared his experiences. It is page turner and easy to read but not easy to feel. It tells the story of a time when desperate people did unspeakable things to survive while others did unexpected kindnesses even though they could barely meet their own needs.

[Dolores Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

All encompassing

I became lost while reading this story. I traveled with the boes and could hear Tiny telling her stories. I was relieved when Sonny found shelter and love with his foster parents. I could ramble on but it would be better if you rode the rails for yourself. I just didn't want to come to the end of the line. I will miss my friends.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the descriptions of the children and hoboes fascinating. It was, at times, like being on the road with them. The story, overall, was very enjoyable especially being told in the first person, however, I wish the character of Vic had been more developed.
I read this book in one sitting, which should give you an idea of how it captivated me.

[Megan Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book was like watching a movie. The narrator brought you into each scene, and then told a descriptive story about it. Being of the Boomer generation, I had no experiences that would have given me any idea of the suffering for the people who were just trying to survive. The book affected me, and that's good writing.

[Kathryn Spurgeon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

I loved this little story and wish I could reread it to gather all the tales together. I seldom reread because there are too many new and old books out there waiting. But the telling, the characters , and the history of this one intrigued me.

[Michele Yett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is classified as a lyrical novel, which after googling multiple sights, I still have yet to know exactly what that means. In saying this, the book was exactly how it is described; a magical tale.

[Nancy Wrona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read

This book is revelation of a time that is not unthinkable in this time, with homeless people living upon the streets they cannot escape as readily as the brave long ago.

[Lynda Hester · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Beautiful Tale

There was nothing I did not like about this book. It was both mystical and magical. The terrible times of the depression are described in great detail, but always with great hope.
With my very best regards to the author while looking for other books of hers.