Customer Reviews

Orphan Runaways

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This was a great book. It is about two orphan brothers, 12 year old Danny and 6 year old Judd, who search for their uncle in the California gold camps after their parents die in an epidemic. I noticed that the brothers were related to characters in three of the authors other books, ACROSS THE WIDE AND LONESOME PRAIRIE, THE WINTER OF RED SNOW, and EARTHQUAKE AT DAWN.

I enjoyed this book. It brought tears to my eyes at one point. I love readying Kristiana Gregory books.

Orphan Runaway is the best book I've ever read. It makes you keep going on to the book in till your to the end of it because you never want to stop.Something new is happening in the book.You definitley want to read this book if you like mysterys and adventures and you definitley like a good book of orphans and runaway people, then you'll love Orphan Runaway by: Kristiana Gregory.You will definitley have a great time with this book I know I did. I've read this book three times and I'd read it again.

Where is the rest of the story? Surely this isn't all that's left of this story. Maybe Kristiana has another book where this leads off. I certainly hope so. I need to know whatever happened to Dan and Judd's little sister. Did they ever go and get her from the nun's? What about orphan Smokey Joe? Did he finally come to live with them? I loved this book all the way to the end but really disappointed in the ending. There's so many unanswered questions and that's why I can only give it 3 stars.

I loved this story about two brothers who find themselves orphaned and facing the possibility of separation. Rather than lose each other, they runaway to find an uncle who lives in the mining camp of Bodie. This story is full of adventure and great historical detail. Highly recommended.

Danny and Judd are two lonely orphan brothers eager to find parents. They don't remember much about their family but do know some of their aunts and uncles names and whereabouts. One day, when six year old Judd was about to get adopted, Danny and Judd ran around because they did not want to be separated leaving their infant sister, Susanna, with the nuns. After a night of hiding the bought a train ticket to Bodie so they could find their Uncle. When they arrived they roomed with a very kind foster dad named Captain Billy until they could find their uncle. When their uncle arrived with his Chinese girlfriend, Lu-Chen, Danny did not want to leave with him because while he roomed with Captain Billy's other foster kids he met a boy named Smokey Joe who taught him some things. One of the things he was taught was to stay away from Chinese people because they were up to no good. After almost losing his little brother because of an illness, Danny finally accepts Lu-Chen and moves away with them as a family. Orphan Runaways is an excellent read for any child because it teaches to accept people for who they are not their appearance.
I like the setting in this book. This book takes place in Bodie, CA near the gold mining times. In the time period of when this story takes place, Chinese Americans were not accepted and did not have full civil rights. This is what causes the problem because even though Danny wants a family he also doesn't accept his uncle being with a Chinese girl.
I also like the moral in this book. The moral is to accept for who they are not their appearance. Even though Lu-Chen was Chinese she was a US citizen because she was born in the US. Danny also found out that Lu-Chen was a very kind and loving person once you got to know her. She taught Danny and the reader not to judge someone by the outside but the inside.
Lastly I like the resolution in the story. At the end Judd came down with a deadly illness and had to be cared for. Knowing Lu-Chen's culture and that she had lots of natural medicines and herbs Danny took Judd to her. Lu-Chen nursed Judd back to health and Danny suddenly noticed that someone else loved him and Judd as their parents did. Then their uncle got a job offer from his brother causing them to move. So they packed their bags and moved becoming one big happy family. I like this resolution because it was very appropriate for what Danny and Judd had to go through.
In conclusion I would recommend this book to any child because of the setting, moral, and resolution. These elements not only made the story interesting but teaches lessons used in life. This entire book takes the reader on an adventure and lets them experience what it is like being an orphan. Orphan Runaways is a great read for all children.

-Byron N.

This great book written by Kristiana Gregory is the story of to orphan brother that escape from there orphanage in San Francisco, and try to reach an uncle that lives in a mining camp named Bodie (was created at the time of the gold rush). Captain Billy, Madame Mustache, and Smoky Joe and his friends are here to help Danny and his little brother Judd to adapt to the ruff climate of the mountains until there uncle Hunk accept to be there new father. Danny has one problem, his uncle is friancaded to a woman of Chinese origin. At that time Chinese people were not very well accepted in the United States. After skiing and almost killing himself Danny, Judd and his friends go for a treasure hunt. Will they find it? How? Who was the thief? These questions can be answered if you read the book which I promise you is exiting. The story takes place in a mining camp named Bodie in California. It is the worst mining camp in the hole United States. The story happened in 1879 at the time of the gold rush. A lot of the facts about the story and the characters are true. The book was written in the third person point of view. The conflicts that the hero has to endure are most likely person vs. Nature and person vs. Society. One conflict is that the friance of uncle Hunk is Chinese and that Danny is scared that his friends might make fun of him if his new mom is Chinese. The other conflict is the ruff winters that occurs in Bodie. This book reminds me of how harsh people were in the 1800 hundreds and how lonely an orphan can feel. It will also show you who in those days epidemic were very deadly for everyone. This is a unique book that you will want to read. If I were to rate the book from one throw ten I would give it a ten because its true facts and attractive story. This is a great book to read for young teenagers. I guaranty you that you will never get board but instead you will rapidly finish is to find what happened to are heroes Danny and Judd.

I had anticipated a cute historical fiction novel about two brothers, much like the Boxcar Children Series, but instead I was pleasantly surprised to find a greatly researched historical fiction story. Danny and his younger brother Judd leave the orphanage in search of relatives. Because they don't have very much money, Danny opts to go and find their Uncle Hank in California's gold country. Danny carries his pride and keeps he and his brother as well as a twelve year old in the 1880's can. He meets a host of interesting people that add flavor to the history and sense of community that existed in the mining towns. In another part of this well weaved story, Kristina Gregory opts to focus intermittently on the racism that existed in the United States and California during this era. Danny must come to his own conclusion of how other people should be treated. With some help from local people Danny reaches a conclusion that he can ultimately live with. Two nice notes in the book, in the final pages, the author shares some of her research, including a picture of a woman she brings to life in the pages of her tale, a historical map of the area Danny and Judd ultimately call home, and a glossary.
The book is rated on a reading level of 5, but is written that perhaps some Californian 8th graders might enjoy the story as an addition to their exploration of the United States Western Expansion.

the book is the best book i have ever read.the book is not boring its funny interesting and someone understands what the story is talking about.kristiana you have one of best books in the world.i wish the other to interesting.