Circle of Love (Orphan Train Adventures) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Joan Lowery Nixon (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8. This latest installment in the life of the Kelly family focuses on 19-year-old Frances, who doesn't understand why Johnny Mueller, recovering physically and emotionally from a year in a Confederate POW camp, feels unready to commit to marriage. Hurt, she agrees to accompany an orphan who is to be reunited with his aunt and uncle in New York City where she becomes an escort for 30 orphan-train children on the return trip. At this point, much of the story becomes repetitive. Over and over Frances soothes frightened children, recalls her own fears, broods over Johnny, and ties bows in the girls' hair before they meet prospective parents at each stop. Her encounter with a former Confederate soldier-turned-bank-robber, traveling disguised as a minister, adds some excitement and gives her a new perspective on Johnny. The conclusion, in which Frances and Johnny are reconciled and agree to adopt rambunctious, charming Eddie, whom no one else wants, is predictable but comforting. Don't expect this story to deliver the punch of earlier titles in this series, such as Keeping Secrets (1995) or A Dangerous Promise (1994; both Delacorte). This orphan train chugs along at the more leisurely pace of any early romance with a dash of mystery.?Peggy Morgan, The Library Network, Wayne, NJ
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist
Gr. 4^-6. Frances Kelly wants to marry young Johnny, recently returned home to Kansas from the Civil War. Johnny, however, has physical and spiritual war wounds to heal first, before he can think about marriage to his 19-year-old sweetheart. After an argument, Frances agrees to escort an orphan to New York, and then travel back west with 30 other children looking for families to adopt them. Rooted in historical fact, the narrative follows Frances' adventures on the train, the same train that carried her to an adoptive home just six years earlier. As Frances tries to meet the needs of her charges, she struggles with her own emotions. The story contains sadness, love, danger, and suspense. Young readers familiar with the Orphan Train Adventures series will not want to miss this installment. Susan DeRonne --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Laurel Leaf (July 6, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440227313
• ISBN-13: 978-0440227311
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #211,642 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Circle of Love by Sahil Rajvanshi, January 5, 2004

A Kid's Review

This story is about a 19 year old girl name Frances Mary Kelly. She lives in Kansas. She is a school teacher. She knows a man name Johnny. They go to the church together. One day she met up her friend, Andrew. He wanted her to take a boy name Stefan to New York. So she went to the store to buy things for her trip. She surprised Johnny because he didn't know about her trip to New York. She boarded the train with Stefan to New York. When they got there, Stefan was very happy to see his aunt and uncle.

Then Frances met a woman name Mrs. Hunter in New York. Frances told Mrs. Hunter that she wanted to visit her old neighborhood. When she got there, she was surprised and upset to see that everything had changed. It was looking like a junk yard now. When she got back from her sad trip, Mrs. Hunter wanted her to take many orphan children to different train stops, to find parents who would adopt them. She took all the children to the train station. They all got in the train. She met a man name Seth in the train and he helped her by getting food and milk for everyone. During the night time, when all the kids were sleeping, Frances and Seth got to know each other. In the morning, Seth's brother came next to the train on a horse. Seth took one of the children as hostage. Then Frances ran towards the child and tried to pull him inside the train. Seth let go of the child and jumped off the train, onto his brothers horse and rode away. Frances sent a telegram message to the sheriff, notifying him that seth and his gang are on the way to rob a bank. When Frances reached the train station, sheriff told her that he chaught the gang except Seth.

Frances and the children went with sheriff to the church for the adoption meeting. Frances described to all the people in the church about the Children Aid Society. Also told them about the children she had with her. After that, each parent came and adopted a child they liked. Most of the children were adopted by someone. Frances took the remaining children to the train station for the next place for adoption.

After all the children were adopted, Frances still had one child left name Eddie. Frances took Eddie to her mom's place and her mom liked him a lot. She took Eddie to her home in Kansas and met up with Johnny. They both got married and adopted Eddie for their son.

5.0 out of 5 stars Yay!, July 4, 2009

By	Kyra Hagberg (MT) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Thank you, for still carrying this book! I enjoyed this novel as a child and then lent it to somebody who then lost it; as I am getting older and getting ready to start teaching this will be a great addition to my library.

5 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Sad Book, September 22, 1999

By A Customer

I thought this was I great but sad book. It is about Frances Mary that rides the train from New York to Missouri on the train that took her and her brothers and her sisters to there foster parents. On her way home she takes 30 orphans to missouri to be adopted. This is a story of both adventure and tradigy.