Your browser is not supported. For the best experience, you should upgrade to a modern browser with improved speed and security.
  • Home
  • The Orphan Band of Springdale

The Orphan Band of Springdale

It's 1941, and tensions are rising in the United States as the Second World War rages in Europe. Eleven-year-old Gusta's father, a foreign-born labor organizer, has had to flee the country, and Gusta has been sent to live in an orphanage run by her grandmother. Nearsighted, snaggletoothed Gusta arrives in Springdale, Maine, lugging her one precious possession: a beloved old French horn, her sole memento of her father. But in a family that's long on troubles and short on money, how can a girl hang on to something so valuable and yet so useless when Gusta's mill-worker uncle needs surgery to fix his mangled hand, with no union to help him pay?

Inspired by her mother's fanciful stories, Gusta secretly hopes to find the coin-like "Wish" that her sea-captain grandfather supposedly left hidden somewhere. Meanwhile, even as Gusta gets to know the rambunctious orphans at the home, she feels like an outsider at her new school — and finds herself facing patriotism turned to prejudice, alien registration drives, and a family secret likely to turn the small town upside down.

Current Price :

  • Featured
    $23.17
  • Lowest
    $18.99
Prices as of 01/15/25 03:34
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on amightygirl.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

Current Price (CAD):

  • Featured
    C$24.99
  • Lowest
    C$24.99
Prices as of 01/14/25 07:39
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on amightygirl.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

Availability:

Out of Stock

Availability:

Out of Stock

Where to Purchase:

What's this?

Support A Mighty Girl & Help Grow Mighty Girls!

It's easy to support A Mighty Girl's girl empowerment mission. Every time you purchase resources using the vendor buttons on our website, A Mighty Girl receives a small commission – all at no added cost to you. Thank you for helping us to provide these resources for everyone raising Mighty Girls!

Save & Share:

Related Products

Hand-picked to complement the item you're viewing
  1. The Endless Steppe: Growing Up In Siberia
    The Endless Steppe: Growing Up In Siberia
    $7.99
    C$12.50
    A$21.59
    £8.71
  2. The War That Saved My Life
    The War That Saved My Life
    $6.99
    C$13.99
    A$15.39
    £6.43
  3. Wolf Hollow
    Wolf Hollow
    $7.99
    C$25.99
    A$31.46
    £7.49
  4. The Sound of Freedom
    The Sound of Freedom
    $7.21
    C$12.95
    A$23.00
    £16.40

Description

"Financial strains force Gusta to leave her parents and New York City for her grandmother’s home in Springdale, Maine, where the townsfolk are wary of anyone different — especially someone with an unusual name or unusual talent, both of which Gusta, a passionate French horn player, possesses.... Buoyed by memories of [her father's] encouraging words ('In war and struggle, we do what we must!'), Gusta adjusts to her new life, instinctively standing up for what she believes is right. Nesbet deftly weaves disparate elements — music, orphans, labor unions, carrier pigeons, and a magic wish — into a richly developed story set during a pivotal era in American history." — Publishers Weekly

Product Details

Recommended Age 10 - 13
Author Anne Nesbet
ISBN 0763688045
Publication Date Apr 10, 2018
Publisher Candlewick
Language English