3.5 stars
Excuse me while I dry my tears. I just finished reading the author's Note to Readers, which gently explained that all of the history included in this heartbreaking tale was true. This story sheds light on Canada's participation in accepting British Home children of all ages under 18 years from orphanages in Britain from 1869 to 1948. The tragedy is that 75% of these children were treated extremely poorly by the Canadian families who applied to take them in. They were indentured as farm laborers and domestic help, and physically, emotionally and sexually abused. A great many home children died as a result of their abuse or, at a minimum, were traumatized for the rest of their lives.

This was an eye opening book that was at times emotionally difficult to read. The characters' transformations over the course of the plot was sad to witness. Innocence to fear and despair to anger and bitterness.

I would absolutely recommend this historical fiction if only to learn more about Canada's notorious history and ability to allow such a tragedy to occur. I just wish the characters were more complex and the plot carved out deeper. I prefer to feel the story rather than be "told" how to feel.

A gracious thank you to Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Zero stars !

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for sending me an e-copy in exchange for my honest review. This was released March 2020.

DNF....I am sorry to my GR friends that loved this.

I stopped at 49 percent as I cannot go further.

I found this saccharine, maudlin and artificial. Empty and overwrought dialogue with cardboard characters.

Likely one of the worst pieces of historical fiction that I attempted. I just can't do it.

I wanted to finish this because I wanted to find out more about the history of home children in Canada. I will try a historical book at some point.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Winny, Jack, and their friends met on the streets of London as orphans and became part of the British Home Children, who were trained in trades and sent to Canada as indentured servants. In this story, Winny tells their story to her granddaughter and great grandson after the death of their mother. In alternating timelines and narrators, we learn about their lives as children through adulthood and into their senior years. This story is based on the true stories of the British Home Children and is impeccably researched and written. The characters are so relatable, even though most of us have never been through the heartaches and difficulties that they did. It is beautiful and heartbreaking, but totally worth it.

An engrossing and emotional read. I felt the need to put down at times and take a break. Keep tissues handy!

4 stars! Heart wrenching and heart warming. Informative and insightful.

Between 1869 and 1948, over 100,000 destitute British children were shipped from England’s streets, orphanages and homes to Canada in the hopes of starting better lives with more opportunity. Stripped of their heritage and personal background, these children were “bought” by Canadian families on farms and in homes in need of help. With no one to monitor the transition and follow up, these children were left in the hands of strangers who often didn’t treat them with any sense of humanity or respect — they were simply cheap labour. This novel gives a voice to one particular child who made that journey across seas in 1936.

This novel unfolds through Past and Present timelines which I enjoyed. Both timelines kept me intrigued and curious and smoothly transitioned from one to the other. The main characters were unique and memorable and I rooted for each and every one of them. There are some brutal scenes involving the abuse of children which were very hard to read, but they were necessary to bring forth the full cycle of betrayal and abuse these children felt throughout this devastating experience. I am happy to report that not all British Home Children faced abuse and neglect, but many did and this book gives those innocent children a voice and recognizes the systems’ mistake in not having a much better process in place for follow up.

As harrowing and devastating as these children’s stories are, the writing kept me at somewhat of a distance from them. I felt for the children but something kept me from fully submerging my heart and emotions within this story. While I appreciate and truly enjoyed learning about this time in our history, it lacked that powerful punch I had expected. With that being said, it is a book I highly recommend and will not forget reading. A important part of our history that needs not be forgotten.

This is the story of a part of Canadian History, that Canadians can not be proud of. Only recently, with Facebook groups and charitable foundations, this dark part of our past is being brought to light.

Starting as early as the late nineteenth century, there was an abundance of homeless children on the streets of London for myriad reasons ( having to do with influx of farmers to the city with industrialization, and a lack of jobs for the incoming, etc), What was to be done with the growing problem of homeless children , waifs, on the streets of London? The solution proposed was, to ship them to Canada, (a British colony), that needed to be populated. This is how the British Home Child program began. The sad part of this whole plan was, that these children were treated worse then dirt in 75% of the families that took them in. Most of them were beaten and abused, and many suffered very unfortunate circumstances.

In this book, Genevieve Graham brings this part of Canadian history to life with her story of Winnie, #theforgottenhomechild. Winnie (fictional), comes to Canada through Dr. Barnardo, one of the major players in the British Home Child Program. The story starts with Winnie as a young teen ager in London, and follows her to Peterborough (a couple of hours outside TO), then #Etobicoke, and finally to #Toronto, marrying, and having a family of her own. Winnie hid her story of how she came to live in Canada, from her family, her whole life. But when Winnie is forced to move in with her granddaughter and great grandson, (due to old age), she decides it is finally the right time to share her story.

Thank you @gengrahamauthor for this informative, important and lovely book. Thank you #netgalley for providing me with a digital copy to review. #5stars.

This is a beautiful, yet heartbreaking story based on the true stories of the British Home Children- a scheme where destitute children and orphans were sent to Canada in order to clear the streets of England, with promises of a better life. In Canada, most of the children were actually bought for cheap labor and worked in tough conditions.

This story introduces Winnifred, one of these British Home Children, as she recounts her story and history to her family. It is a beautiful story on friendship, family, love, forgiveness, and much more. I laughed and cried along with Winnifred and her friends and will think about them long after finishing the book.

This story reminded me of Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate. Both books educated me on parts of history I wasn’t familiar with before, and the children in both absolutely touched my heart!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster via Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.

The Forgotten Home Child is equally heart-warming and heartbreaking. This historical fiction novel tells the story of a group of young children, Winny, Mary, Jack, Cecil, and Edward, plucked from the streets of London, England and after a couple years in orphanages, they are shipped off to Canada. Their lives in Canada are not an improvement; they are filled with abuse, hard work, and loss.

The Forgotten Home Child is about the family we chose, the consequences of the decisions we make, and the strength of love.

This was a fantastic, heartbreaking read. I love how it starts with Winny telling her story of her immigration to Canada. These poor kids went through so much and had horrible treatment, it's heartbreaking.
It's a well written story that pulled me in from the start and I can't recommend it enough.

The Forgotten Home Child by Genevieve Graham was fantastic! I loved the story of Winny and her friends and was completely hooked from the opening chapters.

This book was incredible! I am mad at myself for not posting this review sooner. Based on a real place, this story centers on young Winny and her friends. All orphans, they lived on the streets, stealing, scavenging for food, and trying to earn money but always looking out for each other. They are rounded up and sent to live at Dr. Barnardo’s Home for Orphaned Children in England, where they were all separated. At the home for children, they learned some skills.

They then ship the kids to Canada where they are told things would be better, but it’s worse. They go to live with various families where most were mistreated and abused. What keeps Winny going is the hope that someday she will be reunited with her friends.

As a grown woman, Winny keeps her past hidden and secret, until her grandson wants to know about his family history and Winny is finally ready to share.

Here’s what you need to know:

2018

At ninety-seven years old, Winnifred Ellis knows she doesn’t have much time left, and it is almost a relief to realize that once she is gone, the truth about her shameful past will die with her. But when her great-grandson Jamie, the spitting image of her dear late husband, asks about his family tree, Winnifred can’t lie any longer, even if it means breaking a promise she made so long ago…

1936

Fifteen-year-old Winny has never known a real home. After running away from an abusive stepfather, she falls in with Mary, Jack, and their ragtag group of friends roaming the streets of Liverpool. When the children are caught stealing food, Winny and Mary are left in Dr. Barnardo’s Barkingside Home for Girls, a local home for orphans and forgotten children found in the city’s slums. At Barkingside, Winny learns she will soon join other boys and girls in a faraway place called Canada, where families and better lives await them.

But Winny’s hopes are dashed when she is separated from her friends and sent to live with a family that has no use for another daughter. Instead, they have paid for an indentured servant to work on their farm. Faced with this harsh new reality, Winny clings to the belief that she will someday find her friends again.

Inspired by true events, The Forgotten Home Child is a moving and heartbreaking novel about place, belonging, and family—the one we make for ourselves and its enduring power to draw us home.

If you enjoyed The Orphan Train, you will love this too. The Forgotten Home Child was such a great novel that it left an impression on me long after I finished it.

Get it right now, don’t miss this fantastic novel.

Words cannot even describe the horrors in this book. How anyone can treat a child in their care this way is horrendous. I learnt a lot about my home country . . . and not much of it is good. Read this book - you will be heartbroken - and hopefully wiser about how you treat the poor!!!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

5 stars!

Having worked in a historical museum, I had the privilege of learning about the history of some of the British Home Children who came to live in my area, and their descendants. It's a part of Canadian history many of us know nothing about, and often gets swept under the rug. I was definitely keen to learn more about this time period, and I think everyone else should be as well. When I read the premise for this book, I just knew it would be something I'd be reading.

The Forgotten Home Child is a work of fiction, inspired by the true stories of the British Home Children who came to Canada. It is the story of Winny, and her friends Jack, Mary, Cecil, Edward, Charlotte and Quinn. 97- year-old Winny knows she doesn't have much time left, and she figures she will take her past to the grave with her. However, when her grand-daughter and great-grandson take an interest, she finds herself revealing a secret she promised to keep so long ago. It's a story of friendship, love, loss, hope, survival, courage, resilience, and the family we create.

Alternating between the past and the present, this novel is written flawlessly. Both timelines are necessary in developing the story, and contribute to why this story must be told. I loved this book from start to finish. It was beautiful, it was heartbreaking, it was emotional, and it was most definitely educative. This book taught me the true importance of owning your story, there is no shame, despite how painful your past may be, your story deserves to be told. The character development is phenomenal, as I felt connected to each and every one of these characters. This is so much more than just a compelling story, it is a book that delves into an overlooked and undermentioned part of Canadian history. Many of the experiences (but not all) are tragic, and for this reason it is a part of history that cannot be swept under the rug. Many of the stories used in this book are the harsh realities these young children faced in their day to day lives.

This is a must read for all Canadians! It was my first Genevieve Graham novel, and let me just say it definitely won't be my last. I absolutely love what she does for Canadian literature. If you enjoyed 'The Home for Unwanted Girls' or are a historical fiction fan in general than add this one to your TBR pronto.

Content Warnings: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, violence, suicide, death, adoption, PTSD

I loved this book. Very well written and researched. The characters came to life to shed light on this terrible aspect of our history. I did feel at times some of the abuses were overly portrayed, but maybe they had to be... Overall, however, very readable and informative and entertaining. I loved the dual timelines and could feel Winnie's pain going back to a past that she'd kept carefully hidden. I highly recommend this book and even put it in my subscription box.

Genevieve Graham tells a story about Canada’s forgotten children. What makes this story even more heartbreaking is that there is so much truth in it. I really enjoyed this story and can’t wait to recommend it to others! One of my favourites novels of 2020!

As a Canadian, I very much enjoy learning about our history. How surprising that I had never heard about this part of our history before!

The Forgotten Home Child really hits close to home as many of the events occur in locations close to where I currently live, and I am familiar with some of the current memorials to these children having a friend who works ardently to keep their memory alive in Canadian minds. This is not an event that is typically taught in Canadian history classes, although I do mention it in mine, so I can see why many people are not familiar with it. It is definitely heartrending hearing the stories of these children and the treatment they received, and I am glad it is getting the attention it so richly deserves.

First of all, I have to give kudos to the author and her meticulous research in this book. There were approximately 100 000 children shipped to Canada over a hundred year span starting in 1869 between the ages of 3 and 18, children taken off the streets in Great Britain, many of whom had parents still alive, sent to work on farms, expecting better lives than the ones they left behind. Unfortunately, there was this mistaken belief they were orphans, and with the mentality that existed towards orphan children during this time period, many were treated horribly. It is estimated that around 75% of these children suffered abuse, sexual assault, and became indentured farm workers. Many farmers did not fulfill their obligations to send the children to school during the winter. The stories are heartbreaking.

I thought the author did a fantastic job showing the conditions the children faced through her main characters. Winny, Jack, and Mary suffered terribly at the hands of their employers. The book was told in alternating POVs which meshed beautifully together to tell their stories. To say it was sometimes hard to read is an understatement. Mary and Winny find themselves living fairly close together as their employers are sisters, but Mary's fate was so much worse than Winny's as at least Winny's employer had a heart, even if she showed it a little late. Watching them struggle and suffer was hard to read about and the abuse was definitely appalling.

What I found remarkable about this book was the shame that Winny lived with her entire life because she was labelled a Home Child, and the author's ability to portray this through her characters. I thought the author did a great job showing the consequences of that shame through Jack as he struggled with addiction and anger issues throughout his life; his bitterness definitely affected a big part of his life and was a direct consequence of his experience as a teenager.

The Forgotten Home Child is a wonderful book about the British Home Children and their plight as they were transported across the Atlantic to live on farms in Canada and other countries. Unfortunately, many were mistreated and abused and this book reflects many aspects of that abuse and the repercussions for these children. The only thing I found jarring was the situation with Winny's son and what happened as it didn't really ring true to me, especially considering their relationship throughout the years; I just felt like the author was looking for a way to have some type of discord between them and it didn't quite work for me. This novel is a powerful statement to those children and a history that should never be forgotten.

I DEVOURED this audiobook. This book came at the perfect time and filled a historical fiction gap in my reading life.

Between 1869 and the late 1930s, over 100,000 orphaned and destitute children were sent to Canada from Britain to be basically indentured servants. Many of those children were treated poorly in their new circumstances. Dubbed the British Home Children and overlooked by, their stories are being brought to the public’s attention in part thanks to this novel.

Following the fictionalized Winny’s story from 1938 to 2018, the author weaves the highs and lows of a girl who had to make her own way when life kept providing her with terrible circumstances. This book asks the questions: What is family? What is the power of a promise? How do you find the will to survive?

Readers who love stories of found family, hope in hopeless circumstances, unknown historical fiction, and dual timelines done well will enjoy this one. It reminded me of Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate.

The Forgotten home Child is a book that was a hard read. It is historical fiction based on actual events. The main character, Winnie, is 80 when she finds some things in an old trunk and begins to tell her story to her grandchildren. I would highly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the Publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest opinion of it.

The Forgotten Home Child is a fictionalized account of what is was like for children sent to Canada from England in the 1930s for a ‘better life’. I only learned of this part of history a few years ago, and I find it so interesting how something that affected so many children and families is so seldom talked about.

I enjoyed how the story of the past unfolded as the main character, Winny, shared her secrets with her granddaughter and great-grandson. It was believable to me that she would have kept that painful part of her life hidden to try to move on from it, and I felt like the author portrayed the emotions of all of the characters quite beautifully.

Certainly many of the British Home Children suffered from abuse and neglect, but not all did, and Graham did a great job of telling the different stories of her characters. You can tell she did her research to be able to accurately portray what life was like for these children. She didn’t shy away from painful details, but she handled them with sensitivity. I cared about her characters and shed tears with and for them.

Thank you to Netgalley, Simon & Schuster Canada and Genevieve Graham for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the author Genevieve Graham the publisher Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for my candid review.

This is an amazing story of events that went on for almost 70 years. London England was overrun with unemployed families that could not afford to feed their children. So, many of those children took to living on the streets in order to fend for themselves. Some were lucky enough to be placed into children's homes which fed and clothed them and taught them skills and trades. But due to the overwhelming numbers of children, and limited spots for them, children were sent to families in other countries, including Canada. The thought was that these children would be taken in by deserving families, happy to have some help, while giving them opportunities to succeed in this new world. The truth was very different.

This story takes place during the Great Depression and the reality was very different than anticipated. These children were worked as slaves, lived in deplorable conditions, and with little oversight.

This is an excellent book that details a well-intentioned but poorly executed program and the many lives it touched.

This is an excellent book and a great read. I recommend it highly.

This book took a hold of my heart and wrenched all of the sorrow out of it. I found myself attached to his characters and I now miss them. As an American I knew nothing about "home children" - if that is you too, I highly recommend a quick read of the wikipedia article to fill in your knowledge of this true story. It brought to mind the stories from my childhood that came from the grandma of kids I knew -- a woman who was a tiny girl sent west on the orphan trains here in the US.

In 1936 a young girl named Winny has run away from an abusive stepfather and is living on the streets of Liverpool, where she meets siblings Jack and Mary. They are force to steal food to live and one day they are caught. The two girls are sent to an orphanage for girls and Jack is sent elsewhere. Soon Winny learns that she is being sent to Canada to work. Mary and Jack go as well, but they are separated.

Winny's home life in Canada is harsh and difficult but she maintains hope that she will eventually be free to rejoin her friends. Unfortunately things are much worse for Mary, and they lose track of Jack.

In 2018 Winnifred (Winny) is now ninety-seven years old and is telling the story of her life to her grandson. She shares her shame over her status as a home child and tells the story about her reunion with Jack -- who would become her husband. This part of the story is lovely and sweet because her grandson is able to learn so much from her and also help her know more about all the other children brought to Canada. She found herself realizing that there was no need to feel shame. He helped her resolve the emotional burdens by talking to him, and he was able to love and respect her even more for her resilience.

This is a story of love, survival and pliancy, family, found family, and hope. I am certain to reread this one someday.

Thank you to Netgalley, Simon & Schuster and the author for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.