Based on historical events, Christiana Baker Kline's Orphan Train is told through the point of view of fictional characters with similar backgrounds: They were both orphaned, and their lives were put into the hands of the foster care system. Despite the eighty years between Molly and Vivian, the parallels between their stories are staggering. Their experiences reveal the consequences of a system that tries to do what is best for these parentless children, but question whether the results override the intentions. Students will learn about this little-known event in American history and determine for themselves how much the foster care system has improved over the majority of a century.

Baker Kline also places her characters into situations in which they much deal with the unfamiliarity of a new country on their own and must overcome the constant threat of losing their identity. Students can discuss the significance of identity as well as the implications for this issue's continued relevancy, most notably the resulting feelings of isolation that both Molly and Vivian eventually subject themselves to.