Rodzina
From AwardAnnals
| Book: | Rodzina |
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| Author: | Karen Cushman |
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| Publisher: | Clarion Books |
As the train rattles westward, Rodzina unwittingly begins to develop attachments to her fellow travelers, even the frosty orphan guardian, and to accept the idea that there might be good homes for orphans—maybe even for a big, combative Polish girl. But no placement seems right for the formidable Rodzina, and she cleverly finds a way out of one bad situation after another, until at last she finds the family that is right for her.
Once again, Karen Cushman brings us a compelling story that is thoroughly researched, full of memorable characters, and told with wry humor and keen observation by an absolutely captivating narrator.
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Reviews
Barnes and Noble
Newbery Medalist Karen Cushman takes readers on a 19th-century journey westward in this engaging novel about one Polish orphan’s uncertain train ride.
When 12-year-old Rodzina boards the orphan train in Chicago, she’s not sure where she’ll end up. One thing’s for sure, however: the strong-willed girl “would rather die right here and now” than be with parents who make her “a nurse, a cook, and a slave.” As she and 20 other children travel toward California, the train stops in Omaha, Cheyenne, and several other towns, where Mr. Szprot and “Miss Doctor” (the orphans’ hard-line chaperones) almost place Rodzina with folks not up to snuff. But when Rodzina sees a posting for “miners and ranchers…seek[ing] women to share their prosperity,” she secretly hops aboard a train bound for Reno, Nevada, to start her own family. Thankfully, though, Miss Doctor turns up in Reno to find her, and the two head to California for a new beginning together.
With a main character whose sure-minded attitude evokes memories of previous heroines, Cushman delivers a pleasant read that sheds light on this little-known part of U.S. history. Anyone interested in immigrant culture and self-sufficient kids will find Rodzina enlightening, while educators in particular will want to add Cushman’s book to their discussions. —Shana Taylor
