Train to Somewhere

Bunting, E. (1996). Train to somewhere. New York, NY: Clarion Books.

Reflection Here 

Train to Somewhere, inspired by a chapter of American History, imagines a journey on one of the many "Orphan Trains" that, between the mid-1850s and the late 1920s, brought children from New York City orphanages to adoptive families in the West. The narrator of this heart-wrenching story is Marianne, who boards the train in New York with 13 other children and Miss Randolph, their caretaker, to be taken in by people in the country towns at which they stop. Marianne is older and knows she will be difficult to adopt since she's not cute or pretty. Those more physically appealing, younger children, and the stronger older ones are taken first. At each town the children put on their most cheerful faces and each time there are fewer and fewer to re-board the train. Marianne clings to a chicken feather and the hope that her mother who promised to come back for her before leaving her at the orphanage will be waiting for her at one of the stops. Finally, it is Marianne alone who gets off the train at Somewhere with Miss Randolph. Will her mother be there waiting, will anyone even be waiting at this stop, or will she find a family to adopt her? There's one way to find out, and that is for yourself. I warn you, this is a very touching book, but I strongly suggest taking the time to read it.

The illustrations in this book are excellent and the pictures are very realistic and follows extremely close to the story line. Illustrations, from what I can tell, were done in watercolor.