The Orphan Collector is an almost timeless book about the Spanish Flu in 1918. I read it during the height of the covid pandemic last fall and was amazed by the similarities….and how much easier we have it now with Amazon and grocery deliveries!!
13 year old Pía is left alone with her infant twin brothers when their mom succumbs to the flu. She does a far better job of caring for them than most kids these days would, but eventually had to leave them to find food. A neighbor who is grieving the loss of her own infant son sees Pía leave and kidnaps the babies, ultimately saving their lives as Pía becomes ill while combing the neighborhood . Luckily, Pía pulls through and spends the rest of her teen years doing everything in her power to find her baby brothers, despite the obstacles that (mostly) well meaning adults throw in her way. Very well-written, The Orphan Collector made me want to learn more about the Spanish Flu and Orphan Trains!!
13 year old Pía is left alone with her infant twin brothers when their mom succumbs to the flu. She does a far better job of caring for them than most kids these days would, but eventually had to leave them to find food. A neighbor who is grieving the loss of her own infant son sees Pía leave and kidnaps the babies, ultimately saving their lives as Pía becomes ill while combing the neighborhood . Luckily, Pía pulls through and spends the rest of her teen years doing everything in her power to find her baby brothers, despite the obstacles that (mostly) well meaning adults throw in her way. Very well-written, The Orphan Collector made me want to learn more about the Spanish Flu and Orphan Trains!!