January 13, 2003
After taking on medieval times in Catherine Called Birdy
and Matilda Bone, Cushman here follows another feisty heroine as she makes her way West on an orphan train. Narrator Rodzina Cara Jadwiga Anastazya Brodski (who is "big for twelve and every day getting bigger"), starts out with 22 other orphaned children in Chicago, and the novel ends as her train pulls into Oakland Station in California. The author packs a lot into the intervening chapters, often at the expense of character development. A few of Rodzina's fellow riders stand out, such as pretty (but "slow") Lacey, who attaches herself to Rodzina, and Mickey Dooley, who introduces himself as "Orphan, purveyor of blarney, and a genuine bag of laughs." Although many of the train stops are a blur, a memorable scene takes place in a dugout east of Cheyenne, where Rodzina briefly finds a foster home with the Clench family (until she discovers that Mr. Clench plans to wed her); the details of the Clenches' claustrophobic, filthy conditions make for the most palpable setting in the book. Miss Doctor, as Rodzina refers to the female physician who acts as a guardian for the group, sees through Rodzina's tough façade and enlists her to care for the youngest of the orphans. But the development of the relationship between Miss Doctor (who, by her own admission, comes across as "cold and frosty") and Rodzina stumbles and, consequently, the ending of the novel rings hollow. Ages 10-14.
October 1, 2004
Gr 4-7-Twelve-year-old Rodzina Clara Jadwiga Anastazya Brodski, a strong-willed Polish girl from Chicago, tells the story of her 1881 journey across the U.S. on an orphan train. On the cassette, Ann Baker's subtle reading reflects the emotions and maturity level of each character, and her pronunciation of the Polish words is helpful. Cushman's introduction about her Polish family is particulary poignant.
Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
June 16, 2003
Reading her introduction, Cushman (Catherine, Called Birdy)
connects her latest historical novel to her own family history, piquing the interest of listeners who are then rewarded with Baker's steady performance and a consistently solid production. With an approach that skillfully balances vulnerability and toughness, Baker gives emotional heft to the heroine, a 12-year-old Polish immigrant orphan who has seen far too much tragedy in her young life. Rodzina is among a group of children being sent west (ideally to new families) on one of the orphan trains common in mid-19th-century America. Along the way, she suppresses memories of her home and feelings of grief, self-doubt and loneliness under a mostly unfriendly demeanor. But Rodzina's innate tenderness occasionally shows through as she tends to the younger orphans and helps warm the heart of one of their frosty, seemingly aloof chaperones. Cushman's variegated blend of characters and settings paints a crisp portrait of the era; Baker's accomplished delivery makes it seem all the more real. Simultaneous release with the Clarion hardcover.
Ages 8-12.