I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I knew nothing about this book other than the blurb I read before I started reading it. I highly recommend it. Really well developed characters. A story that pulls you in. They combine to make a book that’s really hard to put down. And the topic - the British Home Children - is one I’ve never heard about before. Great piece of historical fiction.

Well-researched reminiscence of a fictitious 97 year old woman who was sent with over 100 other "orphaned" children from London, England to Canada in 1936. It is her story and the stories of 5 other children she was friends with. As with many well-meaning benevolent groups, what the majority of the children experienced was never known or recorded. And it was only with the advent of the Internet and bits of stories from elderly relatives that started the research of the Home Children. The author writes an engaging story with believable characters.

What a beautifully written historical fiction of true events that happened to orphan children from London. It was heart breaking to read how they were used and treated. Very well written and had me quickly turning the pages.
Thanks to a Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC

I love historical fiction and even more I love the first time I read a book about an event in history I knew nothing about. I also love when I find a new author that grabs my heart. Genevieve Graham did an outstanding job bringing to life the story of the British Home Children who were taken off the streets in England and shipped to Canada and other countries where they were bought and put to work as indentured servants. Winny, Mary and Jack, three young children, living on the streets because their parents were unable to take care of them were taken in by Dr. Thomas Barnardo the man who ran Barkingside Home for Girls and Bernardo’s Stepney Causeway Home for Boys. He took in unwanted and forgotten children from the slums and cleaned them up, taught them skills and then sent them to Canada where they were told they would have a better life. All three children in this story will find a special place in your heart. All they ever wanted was to belong to someone. Their kindness, compassion, devotion, protection and love for one another is remarkable when knowing what they had been through their entire lives. Even though there was so much ugliness in their lives they recognized that those times were also some of the best moments of their lives because they were with people they loved.

Graham did an incredible amount of research on this topic and in doing so has written a heart wrenching story that will keep you mesmerized. Make sure to keep a box of Kleenex by your side. Starting in 1869 over 100,000 children were taken from England’s streets and shipped to other countries. They were told they would have a better life. Seventy five percent of the children sent to Canada and other countries did not have a better life. They were beaten, raped and worked as indentured servants Today twelve percent of Canada’s population is made up of the ancestors of the British Home Children. Many of the home children kept their past a secret because they were ashamed of their past. Many of these children were told they were orphans, though this was not the case. Many of their parents came to look for them and never found them. Brothers and sisters were separated never to be found. Today there is a Facebook group where people are connecting and finding their family members for the first time. This is an excellent book for book clubs. Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Shuster for an ARC of The Forgotten Home Child in exchange for an honest review. This will be out March 3, preorder it so you don’t forget to read it. It is a must read.

This book was absolutely beautiful. And I mean that in the most sincere way. I cannot imagine to have to go through everything Winny went through and still had such a positive outlook on life. She herself went through hell as a teenager and even as an adult but she never stopped believing it would get better.

I’m never one for lovey dovey sap stories but this one was also told so beautifully. There was a ray of sunshine at the end of the tunnel for Winny and she held onto that as much as she can.

I can’t go too much into detail without spoiling everything so I’ll just end it there. My first 5 star read of 2020 and it was so well deserved.

The Forgotten Home Child
Genevieve Graham
The past has told us that when England doesn’t want something or somebody they ship them to a faraway colony, out of sight, out of mind, so in true English fashion like they populated Australia with their criminals they also sent as many as 130,000 orphans, homeless and destitute children to England’s colony of Canada. But the promise of a better life these children were promised was just worthless words to most of them who endured unbelievable hardships and cruelties as indentured servants. This is a fictionalized story of a small group of these children who helped make Canada what it is today and should never be forgotten by an outstanding author who has made it her mission to recount Canada’s history. Genevieve Graham’s latest novel based on real Canadian history is an amazing tale that’s hard to put down but equally hard to read because of the inhumanity done against these innocent naïve children who believed what they were told at the beginning of their life-altering journey. The past to present time line Genevieve uses to tell this unforgettable story works perfectly filling in the blanks telling readers how Winny made it to the ripe old age of 97. The extraordinary characters and vivid backdrops stay with the reader because of the author’s flawless and flowing narrative making it hard to stop reading even though the subject is often hard to stomach, but also gives these young characters gumption, hope and the ability to come out the other side better then they were. It’s just an awesome piece of writing from a master storyteller who wants readers to never forget the past.

Thank you Genevieve Graham for yet another vivid, heartbreaking poignant trail of tears from Canada’s past.

Present day 97 year old Winny is confronted by her granddaughter and great-grandson wanting to know about their family history, only Winnie has been keeping a deep dark secret about her past for most of her life because having the label of being a Home Child was never a good one. But maybe it’s finally time to come clean for her family and for herself too.
Its 1936 and 15 year old Winny Ellis and her small pack of friends living on the streets of Liverpool embark on a journey across the ocean with the promise of good homes and a better life than being homeless street urchins. But when they get there they soon find out that for most of them life in this place called Canada is not what they were promised. In fact sometimes it’s almost not worth living another day.

The Forgotten Home Children is about children that were sent from London as orphans or relinquished for parental hardship, they were sent to Canada with the hopes and promise of a better life. Many of these children were not treated as kindly as the farm animals they were sent to tend. Timely as to the way many immigrants are looked at as unwanted, bad,sick,dirty. Trials of parents have a way of molding or influencing the lives of our children. Love and be kind, most of us have felt unloved at some point, we can all do better.

This is an amazing tale!! I adored this book! Everyone who enjoys unknown/ little know history, historical fiction, or coming of age stories simply must read this!!! Great job!! Loooved the well written book!!! 10 stars

I couldn't put this book down.
The Forgotten Home Child is a poignant tale that follows a group of children sent to Canada under the British Home Children program during the Great Depression. It's a heartrending look at a not-so-proud moment in Canadian immigrant history and a sweeping epic that covers nearly 90 years in the live of Winnie, a young "street urchin" taken off the streets of London by a benevolent agency that operates orphanages, schools for under-privileged children and a program that sends orphaned children to British Empire colonies overseas to be placed with host families as indentured workers.
Through her eyes, and those of five of her young friends, we see life on a farm and riding the rails in the Great Depression, World War II at home and on the battlefield and life in Toronto in the post war years.
The story shows a slice of Canadian life few people know anything about and an entire subset of brave and resourceful young immigrants who bore proof that, even in golden age of Canadian immigration, not everyone received a warm welcome.
The Forgotten Home Child isn't always a pleasant read, but it's one that should be required reading for every Canadian.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley.

This work of historical fiction presents a very moving portrayal of British Home Children. These young boys and girls, believed to be orphans or homeless, were sent from England to Canada to work as indentured servants and farm workers. From the late 1860s until 1948, over 100,000 children were part of this program. While some did well, many were treated harshly and sexually and physically abused. They were forced to live in squalid, inhumane conditions. Some were lucky enough to form friendships, while others died at the hands of their masters.

The excellent novel follows a group of friends from the streets of London to different areas around Toronto and into World War II. While very sad in places, it does show the resilience and perseverance of some of the characters and how they make the best of a very difficult situation.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Forgotten Home Child is based on stories of British Home Children, who were British orphans who were sent to Canada to be adopted or indentured for a better life. As you can imagine, this is not what always happened. This is an excellent historical fiction book about this time in British and Canadian history. The story centers around a group of children who all came to Canada aboard the same ship and all had different experiences in Canadian life. If you are not familiar with British Home Children, this is a must read book.

I received an early copy from NetGalley and I loved this book! This historical fiction story elicits many emotions as you learn about the Home Children who arrived in Canada from England with the promise of a better life. This is not a story that I had heard about and it kept my interest throughout the book. You fall in love with the characters and feel their hope and pain as they face each experience on their journey. A few had positive experiences In their new homes but most didn’t. Genevieve Graham writes a gripping, heartbreaking novel while informing the reader about an important story in history. A must read for 2020!

4.5 STARS - In her latest book, Canadian author Genevieve Graham weaves historical facts from a darker part of Canadian/British history with a touching and engaging story that follows a small group of children who were some of the 100,000+ British children shipped to Canada between 1869 and 1948 with the expectation that they'd receive a better life. Sadly, a large majority of this vulnerable group suffered through vastly different experiences than the idyllic Canadian families/jobs they had been promised.

This is a part of Canadian history that I'm ashamed to say I was never taught in school, so I appreciate Graham's in-depth research to bring to light this shockingly obscure part of Canadian history. With historical accuracy and engaging characters, she brings readers into the issues and emotions of the time by putting a human face to the appalling cruelty, abuse and neglect that many, but not all, of these children experienced.

The story is told in two time frames by Winny, one of the British Home Children. The story vacillates between 1936 when Winny was 7 years-old and 2018 when 97-year-old Winny relays her experiences to her granddaughter and great-grandson. As the story unfolds, there are some serendipitous connections, sentimental dialogue and, at times, the various abuses heaped upon this small group of children felt overwhelming but, I always found Winny and her friends' stories compelling. And, as an Ontarian myself, I recognized many locales in my province, which only made this touching story hit even harder.

This is a poignant, thought-provoking and well-researched story that powerfully illustrates a forgotten part of Canadian history. The legacy of these Home Children endures in Canada since it's estimated that a staggering 4 million Canadians are their descendants. With that in mind, I hope that readers take the time to learn more about this part of our history and encourage our Ministry of Education to include this part of Canadian history in our curriculum.

This book should be added to your Spring 2020 To Be Read list and look for it March 3, 2020!

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

In our volatile political climate, no one seems to have the time to study and learn from history. This novel tells the tragic story of thousands of orphaned and/or impoverished children who were taken from the streets of Great Britain and sent to families in Canada during the early to mid-twentieth century. This story focuses on a small group of six young friends who are transported to Canada during the Depression. Not only are siblings separated, but almost all are forced to live a life of indentured servants or worse. Demeaned and demoralized, they become adults burdened with shame and pain. To make it worse, they are viewed as unwanted outcasts and feel compelled to hide their pasts. A very memorable tale about long forgotten children.

4.5 stars

I received a complimentary e-book copy of this book from Simon & Schuster through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Genevieve Graham, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This storyline was FASCINATING!! I had NEVER heard anything about the British Home Children and the transfer of "destitute and orphan" children from Great Britain to the Commonwealth countries occurred for almost 100 years. I think, initially, it was a generous and altruistic idea that outgrew the administration of the program. Two warrs, The Depression, and other historical events caused many of these children to be left alone as indentured servants/slaves. As always, every time that I read a book, I learn new things and this historical fiction was NO exception!!

The novel follows the journey of five children who became a family on the streets of London and how they fared through the British Home Children placement in Canada. I know that this was NOT a true story, but historical fiction, but as a mother, it broke my heart to read of the horrible abusive treatment that these children endured.

This story is very similar in a lot of ways to Before We Were Yours.

HIGHLY recommend!! Most especially if you like historical fiction!!

The Forgotten Home Child
Genevieve Graham

I received this Kindle free from Net Galley for the purpose of review.

1936
Winnifred has runaway from home because of an abusive step-father. She is living on the streets of London along with many other street children. She meets some other children and they become fast friends.

When the abundance of children was more than London could handle homes (orphanages) were opened for these street children. Boys from one location, Mr. Barnardo and girls from Barkingside. Many were sent from London to Canada where they were told would be a better life.

Canada proved to be not truly interested in these children but rather workers for their farms. Money was sent to Mr. Barnardo and he then decided which children should go to Canada. As the boys and girls met on the ship. they built a friendship that would last a lifetime.

However, Canadians did not look fondly on these children and many were abused and treated poorly. But Winny, now 97 years old tells her story to her great-grandson after the death of his grandmother.

The story is based on true stories compiled by Ms. Graham.

Sadly, children are not treated as real people to be loved but rather to abuse.

Difficult to put it down.

Emotionally moving heart wrenching a book that requires a box of tissues on hand. British home children sent to Canada a well written novel based on history highly recommend,#netgalley#simonschustercanada.

First thing I love about this one? The genre. Historical fiction will always hold a special place in my reader’s heart. Always. This novel is based on factual history, but the plot and characters are make-believe. It’s the type of historical fiction that made me do some very light research because I had no idea this had happened (and it left me feeling bereft and heartbroken on behalf of the children who left their homes, and even more so for those who were mistreated in what should have been a better life.)

Two, I love this title because it showcases an important piece of Canadian history, is set in Canada (and the UK), with recognizable destinations and landscapes and was written by a Canadian author. Score for familiarity.

Three, I loved the voice of this writer so much. It was so easy to read, engaging and emotional. I read some early feedback from others that felt certain aspects were sugarcoated – there are some mature, graphic situations (not graphic in actual content, graphic in theme). The author chooses to gloss over them (i.e. rape was not called rape) but I took the liberty of assuming this had more to do with keeping with the era than the author choosing to belittle such horrible events. She paints a highly illustrative struggle of the children in their new situations and also casts a fair light on the flaws in what should have been an excellent program. On the flip side, there is a balance in acknowledging that not all the children ended up in abusive positions and their lives were better for it.

This novel addresses chasms between classes, the heartbreak of stigma, the darkness of an era not far behind us. It’s presented in the retelling by a nonagenerian who has kept her history a secret until a fateful occurence sparks some questions from her family.

Overall, I found The Forgotten Home Child to be one of my all-time favourite reads. It was emotionally moving and enlightening. I am in awe of the resilience of the characters and saddened by this aspect of our history. It hits shelves on March 3rd so make a preorder or on publication day pick up a copy for yourself and let me know if you agree or disagree with my take.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this title courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own

Thank you to Net Galley, Simon and Schuster and Genevieve Graham for this Advance Reader Copy. This story is basically Winnie's story, but also the story of thousands of children during the 30's and 40's. England was overrun with orphan children and homeless children they shipped them to Canada thru the BritishHome Children's program. They were told the would be cared for, given schooling and better lives. Unfortunately many were used as servants and abused. This book follows Winnie and her best friends. Told mainly by Winnie as she finally shares her past at age 97 upon a request of her great grandson who she says looks just like his great grandfather. This was a book I will not forget, it really makes you appreciate what you have and what's really important. I highly recommend it.

Oh my goodness, all the stars on this one! Not only have I never heard of the British Home Children, but this is my first book by this author and she can write! The research she must have done to bring this story to fruition was quite thorough and she explains a little bit about her search at the end. While this story is fictional, many of the events in this story probably happened in one form or another to real British Home Children and Genvieve does an amazing job at bringing their stories to our awareness in these pages. I found myself hearing present-day Winny telling her story to her granddaughter and great-grandson and although present-day Jack is no longer alive, I could hear him telling his part of the tales. There was some going back and forth between past and present, but most of the story took place in the past and the transitions were seamless for me. I found myself tearing up even early in the story, but was definitely sobbing by the end. An amazingly powerful book and one that I hope becomes more widely read.

Special thanks to #GenevieveGraham, #NetGalley, and #SimonandSchusterCanada for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.