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    Caught in the Act
    A Place to Belong
    A Family Apart
    Audiobook series7 titles

    Orphan Train Adventures Series

    Written by Joan Lowery Nixon

    Narrated by Barbara Caruso and Christina Moore

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this series

    The Civil War has officially ended and Frances Mary Kelly’s true love, Johnny, is back from the war. But to Frances’s dismay, Johnny
    is hesitant to marry her. Attempting to ease her aching heart, Frances accepts an offer to go to New York City and escort a group
    of orphans out West to new homes. Along the way, she must deal with a flood of painful memories and a threatening stranger. Will
    Frances be able to complete her mission … and return home to find out what her future will be?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateNov 2, 1994
    Caught in the Act
    A Place to Belong
    A Family Apart

    Titles in the series (7)

    • 1

      A Family Apart
      A Family Apart

      A Family Apart

      Joan Lowery Nixon
      5/5 - 8 ratings
      5/5 - 8 ratings

      In 1860, life in New York City's slums is hard and dangerous. For a widow with six children, it is impossible. So when Mrs. Kelly learns of the Children's Aid Society, she sees a way to provide for her children. They will be sent west on an "orphan train" to families eager for help on their farms. Thirteen-year-old Mary Frances is confused and angry. How could a mother send her children away? At her new home in Missouri, however, Mary Frances is surprised to discover that the kind family provides a refuge on the Underground Railroad. Their sacrifices will finally help her understand her mother's difficult decision. Joan Lowery Nixon is a four-time winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Best Juvenile Mystery Award. She has also received two Golden Spur Awards. The author of more than a hundred books for children, she was inspired to write The Orphan Train Adventures by the true stories of its children. Through Barbara Caruso's lively narration, A Family Apart quickly draws listeners into Mary Frances' world.

      In 1860, life in New York City's slums is hard and dangerous. For a widow with six children, it is impossible. So when Mrs. Kelly learns of the Children's Aid Society, she sees a way to provide for her children. They will be sent west on an "orphan train" to families eager for help on their farms. Thirteen-year-old Mary Frances is confused and angry. How could a mother send her children away? At her new home in Missouri, however, Mary Frances is surprised to discover that the kind family provides a refuge on the Underground Railroad. Their sacrifices will finally help her understand her mother's difficult decision. Joan Lowery Nixon is a four-time winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Best Juvenile Mystery Award. She has also received two Golden Spur Awards. The author of more than a hundred books for children, she was inspired to write The Orphan Train Adventures by the true stories of its children. Through Barbara Caruso's lively narration, A Family Apart quickly draws listeners into Mary Frances' world.

    • 2

      Caught in the Act
      Caught in the Act

      Caught in the Act

      Joan Lowery Nixon
      4/5 - 3 ratings
      4/5 - 3 ratings

      The Kellys traveled across the Atlantic Ocean looking for relief from Ireland’s potato famine and a better life in America. For years, everything went well, until Tom Kelly became ill and died, leaving his wife to support their young children. Although she tried desperately to find employment, Mrs. Kelly could not sufficiently support her children and eventually had no choice but to send them west on the Orphan Train. Join in the fascinating adventures of the Kelly children as they settle into their new lives with new families in the West. Mike Kelly, almost twelve, is adopted by the Friedrichs, a German immigrant farm family living in Missouri. His new stepmother is kind, but his stepfather is very strict. And as for his stepbrother, Gunter, he’s just a bully who finds countless ways to get Mike in deep trouble. Mike knows he has to make the best of his new life, but he begins to suspect that the Friedrichs are hiding something, and he vows to uncover their secret. Can Mike find a way to expose the truth without risking his own life?

      The Kellys traveled across the Atlantic Ocean looking for relief from Ireland’s potato famine and a better life in America. For years, everything went well, until Tom Kelly became ill and died, leaving his wife to support their young children. Although she tried desperately to find employment, Mrs. Kelly could not sufficiently support her children and eventually had no choice but to send them west on the Orphan Train. Join in the fascinating adventures of the Kelly children as they settle into their new lives with new families in the West. Mike Kelly, almost twelve, is adopted by the Friedrichs, a German immigrant farm family living in Missouri. His new stepmother is kind, but his stepfather is very strict. And as for his stepbrother, Gunter, he’s just a bully who finds countless ways to get Mike in deep trouble. Mike knows he has to make the best of his new life, but he begins to suspect that the Friedrichs are hiding something, and he vows to uncover their secret. Can Mike find a way to expose the truth without risking his own life?

    • 4

      A Place to Belong
      A Place to Belong

      A Place to Belong

      Joan Lowery Nixon
      5/5 - 2 ratings
      5/5 - 2 ratings

      Danny and his younger sister, Peg, are placed in St. Joseph, Missouri, with kind Alfrid and Olga Swenson. Danny is thrilled to have a "real" father again, but when Olga suddenly dies, he is devastated—until he thinks of an ingenious plan to find Alfrid a new wife.

      Danny and his younger sister, Peg, are placed in St. Joseph, Missouri, with kind Alfrid and Olga Swenson. Danny is thrilled to have a "real" father again, but when Olga suddenly dies, he is devastated—until he thinks of an ingenious plan to find Alfrid a new wife.

    • 3

      In the Face of Danger
      In the Face of Danger

      In the Face of Danger

      Joan Lowery Nixon
      4/5 - 3 ratings
      4/5 - 3 ratings

      The Orphan Train Adventures follow the story of the six Kelly children, whose widowed mother has sent them west from New York City in 1856 because she realizes she cannot give them the life they deserve. Shy Megan Kelly truly believes she is to blame for her family's misfortune. She'll never forget the day a Gypsy grabbed her palm and read it, announcing that Megan was a "bad-luck penny" who would always bring trouble to those around her. Megan is happy when a loving young couple living in the rugged Kansas territory adopts her. But during the first trying months, a blizzard, a pack of prairie wolves, and an armed fugitive are just some of the disasters the family must face. Megan is certain the Gypsy's curse is real. With the help of her new family, can Megan find a way to overcome her fear and superstition?

      The Orphan Train Adventures follow the story of the six Kelly children, whose widowed mother has sent them west from New York City in 1856 because she realizes she cannot give them the life they deserve. Shy Megan Kelly truly believes she is to blame for her family's misfortune. She'll never forget the day a Gypsy grabbed her palm and read it, announcing that Megan was a "bad-luck penny" who would always bring trouble to those around her. Megan is happy when a loving young couple living in the rugged Kansas territory adopts her. But during the first trying months, a blizzard, a pack of prairie wolves, and an armed fugitive are just some of the disasters the family must face. Megan is certain the Gypsy's curse is real. With the help of her new family, can Megan find a way to overcome her fear and superstition?

    • 6

      Keeping Secrets
      Keeping Secrets

      Keeping Secrets

      Joan Lowery Nixon
      4/5 - 2 ratings
      4/5 - 2 ratings

      It’s the autumn of 1863, and as the Civil War rages, a stranger named Violet seeks refuge with the Kelly family. Peg Kelly, 11, is thrilled—Violet treats her like an adult, not a child. Violet is fleeing Confederate raiders and has information that may save the Union. But she can’t deliver her message unless she takes a dangerous journey.

      It’s the autumn of 1863, and as the Civil War rages, a stranger named Violet seeks refuge with the Kelly family. Peg Kelly, 11, is thrilled—Violet treats her like an adult, not a child. Violet is fleeing Confederate raiders and has information that may save the Union. But she can’t deliver her message unless she takes a dangerous journey.

    • 5

      A Dangerous Promise
      A Dangerous Promise

      A Dangerous Promise

      Joan Lowery Nixon
      4/5 - 3 ratings
      4/5 - 3 ratings

      It’s 1861, and although Mike Kelly is far younger than the legal age of 16, he and his best friend Todd secretly join up with the Second Kansas Infantry and become army drummer boys. Mike’s dreams of glory end when he’s wounded at the bloody Battle of Wilson’s Creek and must begin a dangerous adventure behind enemy lines.

      It’s 1861, and although Mike Kelly is far younger than the legal age of 16, he and his best friend Todd secretly join up with the Second Kansas Infantry and become army drummer boys. Mike’s dreams of glory end when he’s wounded at the bloody Battle of Wilson’s Creek and must begin a dangerous adventure behind enemy lines.

    • 7

      Circle of Love
      Circle of Love

      Circle of Love

      Joan Lowery Nixon
      4/5 - 2 ratings
      4/5 - 2 ratings

      The Civil War has officially ended and Frances Mary Kelly’s true love, Johnny, is back from the war. But to Frances’s dismay, Johnny is hesitant to marry her. Attempting to ease her aching heart, Frances accepts an offer to go to New York City and escort a group of orphans out West to new homes. Along the way, she must deal with a flood of painful memories and a threatening stranger. Will Frances be able to complete her mission … and return home to find out what her future will be?

      The Civil War has officially ended and Frances Mary Kelly’s true love, Johnny, is back from the war. But to Frances’s dismay, Johnny is hesitant to marry her. Attempting to ease her aching heart, Frances accepts an offer to go to New York City and escort a group of orphans out West to new homes. Along the way, she must deal with a flood of painful memories and a threatening stranger. Will Frances be able to complete her mission … and return home to find out what her future will be?

    Author

    Joan Lowery Nixon

    Joan Lowery Nixon (1927–2003) was a renowned author of children’s literature, best known for series like the Orphan Train Adventures and Casebusters. Born in Los Angeles, she began dictating poems to her mother before she could read. At the University of Southern California, Nixon majored in journalism, but took a job teaching the first grade upon graduating. In 1949, she and her husband moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, and in 1964 she published her first novel, The Mystery of Hurricane Castle. Nixon became a fan of mystery fiction when she was a child, and many of her most popular series incorporate elements of sleuthing. She won four Edgar Awards for best young adult mysteries, including prizes for her novels The Kidnapping of Christina Lattimore (1979) and The Name of the Game Was Murder (1993). In addition to writing more than 140 young adult novels, Nixon also co-wrote several geology texts with her scientist husband.      

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