A Family Apart

(Orphan Train Adventures)

By: Joan Lowery Nixon

New York City 1840 a widow mother, Ms. Kelly, with six children can’t provide the loving warm, happy, enjoyable life that her kids deserve. So she makes one of the hardest decisions that a mother can make, send her children to a better place. And one of her kids, Francis, will never forgive her for this.

The Kelly children, Francis, Petey, Peg, Megan, Mike and Danny are sent off on a train all the way to the Great Planes. But Petey, the youngest, needs to be with someone to help him grow up, and people on the plains like to adopt two boys. So Francis, the oldest girl, has made the decision to dress up like a boy to be with him. The plan works, between Francis and Petey but at the adoption place most of the kids get split up.

Francis and Petey get to be together but at their new “home.” They run into new things and new beliefs. Francis wants to hear how her other family members are doing, but they aren’t doing as well as she may think.

I would recommend this book to people who like books with suspense and a little bit of mystery.