When Christina Baker Kline, author of Orphan Train, visited James Caldwell High School, she talked to us about her family and the Children's Aid Society reunions, where she got to meet the last survivors of the orphan trains. From her talk, I learned that having red hair and an Irish heritage was the most difficult part of being a passenger on the orphan trains because of the stereotype that they were "short-tempered" and generally undesirable. She also told us that some readers made connections I'd never thought of before, like the connections to Jane Eyre and The Wizard of Oz.
I think it's great to have the opportunity to communicate with authors and being able to ask them questions that cannot be answered through reading the book. I was genuinely impressed with the lengths she went through when it came to fact checking, and most of the story includes things that were common occurrences on the orphan trains.
It made sense to know that most people who were on the orphan trains didn't talk about their experiences because of the shame and embarrassment it brought them, which is why most people have no idea that these trains existed. Passengers also thought the train they were on was the only train, believing that they're the only ones going through this tough time, and it was best not to talk about it and be viewed differently.
Overall I enjoyed being able to communicate with Christina about the novel, and it helped me gain more of an understanding about orphan trains and how hidden they are in history. The experience was a positive one and it was great to hear everyone's questions and Christina's answers. Though I may not have enjoyed the book itself very much, I respect the author greatly and wish the best for her in her writing career.
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