Opening Chapter of One Book Bradford Season Set for Saturday

The One Book Bradford season is right on track with its first event. The Community Book Review will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in the Community Room at the Bradford Area Public Library.

Gannon, a member of the OBB committee, will lead the discussion on this year's selection, "Orphan Train" by Christine Baker Kline. "This is a remarkable book about a time in American history that not too many people know about," said Sandy Rhodes, a member of the OBB committee. "The lives of these children and the experiences they endured should not be forgotten." The book is a historical novel which tells the story of an orphaned girl who was put on an "orphan train" with many other homeless children. They traveled westward to join new families, but also many were chosen to provide labor for farmers in the Midwest. "Although this literary journey starts in the 1920s, it is very intriguing how the author ties in the trials and tribulations of orphans then with present-day people and events," Rhodes said. Gannon will show footage from the PBS "American Experience" and talk about how Americans are faring today with the plight of homeless and parentless children. Saturday's event is free and open to the public. OBB is a community-wide reading initiative where one book is selected each season. There are events which promote the themes of the book and the season ends with a visit to Bradford by the author. Kline will be in Bradford in November. Her visit is funded by the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford's Spectrum Arts Series and freshman seminar. “Orphan Train” spent more than 90 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, including five weeks at No. 1, and has been chosen as a common reader by more than 50 communities and colleges. The next OBB event will be A Place at the Table luncheon on Oct. 17 at Pitt-Bradford. Tickets for the luncheon will go on sale at Saturday's event and will be available at the BAPL. The cost of the luncheon is $15. In addition to lunch, presentations will be made by members of Bradford Little Theatre and an employee of Beacon Light Behavioral Health Systems. BLT members will read letters from children who rode the orphan trains.