City of Orphans
By Michael Berry,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Newsboy and street urchin solve a mystery in 1893 New York.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
Where to Read
Community Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
Was okay, but needed a better conclusion
Report this review
What's the Story?
Every day, 13-year-old Maks Geless, a \"newsie\" for The World, tries to earn the 8 cents that he can contribute to his family's meager wages. When he runs afoul of local tough Bruno and his gang, the Plug Uglies, he is saved by Willa, a resourceful girl living alone on the streets. Maks takes her to meet his family, but they are preoccupied with the arrest of Maks' older sister, Emma, imprisoned at the Tombs and accused of stealing a gold watch from a room at the Waldorf Hotel. Fearing that Emma will be sent away, Maks and Willa seek help from private investigator Bartleby Donck, who guides Maks as the boy searches for clues at the Waldorf. As Maks and Willa dodge the increasingly dangerous and unstable Bruno, they discover the truth about the missing watch and about the father who abandoned Willa after the death of her mother.
Is It Any Good?
CITY OF ORPHANS is a fast-paced, well-researched tale that vividly depicts the hardships of life in 1893 New York City. Maks and Willa make a compelling pair of amateur detectives, and Maks' family as a whole is presented with humor and compassion. The climax of the story depends on a good number of unlikely coincidences, but the well-orchestrated suspense mitigates the stretch in credulity.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the immigrant experience in turn-of-the-century New York. Why did immigrants from Europe leave their countries of origin and come to America? Were their lives easier once they arrived in New York?
This book shows how important daily newspapers were in 19th century New York. When did newspapers stop being a daily habit for most Americans, and why? How does your family get its news? From TV? Radio? Websites?
Emma is sent to the Tombs, New York's infamous city jail, on fairly scant evidence. How does the system of justice in this time period differ from our own?
Time after time, Maks decides to keep his mother and father in the dark about his experiences on the street. Do you think this strategy is a good one? Why do you think Willa takes a different approach?
Book Details
- Author: Avi
- Genre: Historical Fiction
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Atheneum
- Publication date: September 6, 2011
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 9 - 12
- Number of pages: 368
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Read
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate