Big Brother
by Annie Fellows Johnston (1893)
- A Short Story -
Riding across the country to his new home, Steven's only wish is to care for Robin, his little brother, always. But will the home that is waiting also bring separation?
Deep grief has settled over Mrs. Estel's heart--deeper than she can bear. Can she open her broken heart to those who need her? Will she learn to laugh again?
Come ride the orphan train with Steven and Robin, witness a sometimes forgotten piece of American history, and discover a story of home and happiness.
Character Lessons:
Love, Compassion, Family.
Elements for Parental Consideration:
Mention of a mother who died "in a drunken fit; mentions of children being beaten and starved; "law!"; "gay" = brightly colored; "queer"= odd.
A Comment from the Reviewer:
Perhaps my favorite thing about this story is Ms. Johnston's accurate and honest description of the Orphan Train Movement--one of my interests (or maybe obsessions). Between 1854 and 1929, about 250,000 children were adopted out of the cities, some to happy homes, some to terrible conditions. But each and every one was a child--a child who had lost one or both of their parents to either death or abandonment. This story puts faces and names--albeit fictional ones--to a couple of these children.
This title can be downloaded/read for free:
In Kindle: amazon.com
In PDF: Internet Archive