RODZINA

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cushion, Karen 2003. RODZINA. New York, NY: Clarion Books. ISBN 0-618-13351-8

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Rodzina is the tale of a gruff and hearty, yet soft-hearted, Polish immigrant girl. She’s trapped by tragic circumstances in 1881 America. The death of her parents sends her West from Chicago, the only city she knows, on an orphan train bound for California. Along the way, she learns to care for the orphans on the train and fight for her right to a family who loves her. The ending is foreseeable, but oh-so-satisfying.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This book is best for upper elementary and middle school students. Kids who have experienced loss will particularly relate to Rodzina’s matter-of-fact sadness. She can’t change her past, but she can move on and carry the memory and values of those she loved with her.

The setting changes throughout the story, as Rodzina travels through the West to be matched up with a family. Her first match is short-lived and kids will cheer her on as she decisively refuses to become a servant girl for two older ladies. Cushman brilliantly develops the first-person narrative of Rodzina, so kids will connect with her storytelling as she talks her way out her first “family”:

“I watched to see how they had taken all this hogwash. 
The clip-clops got slower and slower and finally stopped. 
Trouble, Oleander said.” Page 64

And with a slow turn of the wagon, Rodzina is back on the orphan train. Her tall tales of Polish heritage persuaded the women to return Rodzina, sparing her from a life of servitude with little love.

An important theme in this book is problem solving and how to advocate for yourself, even if you’re a child. With each obstacle she meets, Rodzina holds steadfastly to the love she felt from her parents when they were alive, knowing she should settle for nothing less than a family who loves her.

“I want to go to school and come home and do homework 
on the kitchen table and talk about all the things that 
happened that day. I want someone to tell me when 
to go to bed and boil eggs for me at Easter.” Page 112

Throughout the story, Cushman shares the stories of not only Rodzina, but the other orphans on the train. As readers, we get a perspective of many cultures, but especially Rodzina’s treasured Polish ethnicity, which is so much a part of how she identifies herself. A second important theme in this book is ethnicity and heritage, especially how to hold onto who you are when you’ve lost everyone who loves you.

Throughout the storytelling, Cushman builds the authentic world of traveling on the orphan train in 1881. We can feel the rails rocking and hear the noise of the train. We ride along with the orphans and experience their journey with them. Cushman builds a sense of the history through outstanding word choice and vivid imagery.

“The town rose from the railroad tracks in a series of terraces 
hanging on the side of the mountain, each level crowded with 
houses and stores and saloons, churches and hotels, and 
some grand buildings with balconies and clock towers.” Page 186

The end of the book contains a pronunciation guide for Polish words. It would be better placed with the front papers. Most students would not discover this treasure trove of a glossary until too late.

There is also an extensive author’s note which described the orphan trains. It is written with an expository narration and rounds out the reader’s understanding of the period. It ends with a detailed bibliography to continue research and reading about the orphan trains.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

BOOKLIST: “The boss of the orphan train is a woman doctor, cold and distant, and as lonely as Rodzina. Yes, it's clear that these two strong women will get together by the end; how that happens makes a great story.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “The first-person narrative captures the personality and spirit of a child grieving for her lost family, yet resourceful and determined to make her own way.

5. CONNECTIONS 

*Continue reading about orphan trains using a selection from the bibliography.

*Develop a plan for overcoming an obstacle. Write out dialogue, crisp and straightforward as Rodzina’s, to put the plan into action.

*Create “Rodzina dialogue” in response to bullying situations in a contemporary school setting. Publish as a What Would Rodzina Do? booklet.

*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

William Allen White (KS) Master List

Willa Literary Award (NM)

Keystone to Reading Master List (PA)

Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Master List

Washington State Book Award

Spur Award Finalist

Indian Paintbrush Children’s Book Award Master List (WY)