ALA Booklist

In this new series based on the Orphan Train Movement of the early twentieth century, readers meet three children who leave New York City for a better life in Kansas. When Jack, Frances, and her younger brother, Harold, find out that "a better life" means working in harsh conditions, they decide to escape their situation. They find Alexander, who has fled the sugar-beet farm of the cruel Pratcherds. Alexander has learned to survive in his imaginary city, called Wanderville, by "liberating" food and supplies from Whitmore, the nearby town. The action and suspense turns up a notch when Harold is caught and sent to work for the Pratcherds. The daring attempt to rescue him and the other children makes this a page-turner that will have readers eagerly waiting for the next installment. For those who want more background, the book includes a brief explanation of the Orphan Train Movement. Readers may wonder how children can survive on their own. Here, the strong characters make it plausible.

Horn Book

New York City orphans Frances and Harold are put on a train to Kansas and promised a better life. After they hear of horrible working situations that await, they escape with new friend Jack and find Wanderville, a kids' community fueled by camaraderie and imagination. Based on the early-twentieth-century Orphan Train Movement, this is palatable historical fiction, first in a projected series.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

First in a historical-fiction series, McClure's book is inspired by the orphan trains of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Eleven-year-old Frances and her seven-year-old brother, Harold, meet up with 11-year-old Jack on a train bound from New York City to Kansas; fearing the worst for what lies ahead, they decide to jump off the train. Lost in the Kansas wilderness, they meet another young New Yorker, Alexander, himself escaped from the cruel conditions of a working ranch, and they become the first citizens of Wanderville, a "town" in the woods that he is creating for runaways. Author/editor McClure (The Wilder Life) celebrates bravery, ingenuity, and the bonds of family and friendship in this old-fashioned story of children fending for themselves, building a community, and eluding the adults who seek them. Close calls maintain suspense, but most of the characters-including the four children-lack full development; certain adults, such as the cruel ranch owners, are little more than stereotypes. Still, readers should enjoy vicariously participating in the children's independence and will appreciate their hard-earned triumphs. Ages 8-12. Agent: Sarah Burnes the Gernert Company. (Jan.)

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6 Somewhat reminiscent of the "Boxcar Children" series (Albert Whitman), this book centers around the "Orphan Train Movement" that occured between 1853 and 1929. Readers are introduced to 11-year-old Jack, who has been abandoned by his parents after the death of his older brother. Frances, also 11, and her younger brother, Harold, suffer a similar abandonment. Their unfortunate circumstances bring them together, along with other children, on a train headed to Kansas and a "better situation." As the train chugs closer to their destination, the children become concerned about rumors of horrible working conditions and abuse. Jack hatches a plan to escape and encourages Frances to join him. Readers will be swept away by the bravery of the young heroes. While background information about the era can be gleaned from the text, pair this title with Andrea Warren's Orphan Train Rider (Houghton Mifflin, 1996) for deeper historical context. Readers of series fiction who enjoy learning about the past will gravitate toward this accessible novel and will be impatient for the sequel. Annette Herbert, F. E. Smith Elementary School, Cortland, NY