From School Library Journal
Grade 4-7-Aggie, an orphan since birth, wants a real home. The director of the Asylum for Homeless Waifs predicts that nobody will want the 12 year old, who has a temper and the propensity to speak her mind. Still, Aggie knows that her absent mother loved her once, years ago, and that someone can love her again. When the Children's Aid Society sends her west on an orphan train, her first experiences are not promising. She snaps at would-be parents, declaring that she's not a housemaid out for hire. But at the last stop, Aggie meets the Bradons, an elderly couple with grown children who want another daughter. Their son is a would-be inventor and their daughter fights for the women's suffrage movement. Aggie tries to fit in with this unconventional family but feels as though she is always doing the wrong thing. She soon realizes, however, that the Bradons don't want her to be anything other than herself. Aggie is a strong, endearing character, and the mishaps that befall her could happen to anyone. Readers will enjoy watching this spirited child stick up for herself despite the consequences. The addition of historical material on the women's suffrage movement and the orphan trains, complete with black-and-white photos and the address of the Children's Aid Society, make this book a fulfilling historical adventure.
Linda Bindner, formerly at Athens Clarke County Library, GACopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Gr. 3^-6. Twelve-year-old, Agatha "Aggie" Vaughn, who was abandoned as an infant, is an unhappy resident of the Asylum for Homeless Waifs in New York City. Despite being told that no one will ever want her, Aggie dreams that one day her mother will come to reclaim her. Then she is sent west on an orphan train and adopted by the eccentric Bradon family. Although she initially misunderstands some of the subtleties of family life, she comes to love and appreciate her unusual new family. Nixon's research into this subject is evident, with the inclusion of maps, handbills, period photos, and explanations of the orphan trains and the woman's suffrage movement. Like many series books, this entry in the Orphan Train Children series suffers from a transparent plot and under-developed characters. Still, this will fit the bill for those looking for a quick, pleasant, and undemanding read.
Kay Weisman
