Rodzina

Bibliography

Cushman, K. (2003). Rodzina. Yearling.

Plot Summary

Rodzina Cara Jadwiga Anastazya Brodski is a twelve-year-old Polish girl plucked from the streets of Chicago and put in an orphanage. Rodzina was living on the streets after her parents passed away and she had nowhere else to go. Rodzina, along with many other orphans, is put on a train heading out West. The orphans are told that they are very fortunate to have the opportunity to travel west as they will be placed in safe, nice homes. Rodzina is quite skeptical as she has been told differently by another orphan. During her journey on the train, Rodzina is tasked with helping Miss Doctor care for the orphans on the train. She entertains the younger orphans with stories of her childhood and her family. After many stops, Rodzina is the only orphan left at the last stop but she is able to find a reason to hope for the life she had been yearning for.

Critical Analysis

Cushman tells this story through the eyes of protagonist Rodzina. Cushman’s research, as noted in the Author’s Note, allows readers to go back to a time when orphans were actually put on a train and sent out West in hopes of finding a permanent home. The conditions of the train and the conditions the children must endure while traveling are believable and appropriate for the time period making their struggle that much more convincing. While Miss Doctor and Mr. Szprot are stable characters throughout this story, it is Miss Doctor who will help Rodzina transition from the girl who believes that she is unlovable and unwanted to someone who has hopes and dreams for a better future.

 

Review Excerpts

From Booklist:

“At the heart of the story is the awkward relationship between the titular character and a distant and cold woman doctor. Baker captures the personalities of these two strong characters, who grow to depend on one another. Cushman reads the introduction and the afterword in this first-rate presentation.” -Brian Wilson

From Kirkus:

“The story is undemanding and engaging, rolling along with the journey, subtly letting readers into Rodzina’s memories of the home she once had and of her immigrant parents and her Polish heritage.”

Awards and Honors

• Booklinks Lasting Connections Selection

• Parents' Choice Gold Award

• Booklist Editor's Choice

• Child Magazine, Best Books of the Year

• Children's Book of the Month Club, Best Books

• ALA/Amelia Bloomer Project List

Connections

Additional books that can be used to discuss the orphan trains that operated from 1854-1929 include: 

• Orphan Train a novel by Christina Baker Kline

• Mail-Order Kid by Marilyn June Coffey

• Riders on the Orphan TrainBookCover by Alison Moore

• My Heart Remembers by Kim Vogel Sawyer

While researching connections for Rodzina I came upon the National Orphan Train Complex Museum & Research Center website (https://orphantraindepot.org/). The website offers a virtual tour as well as additional education aides. The website is filled with information that would allow anyone to find more information about the orphan trains.