Worth by A. LaFaye

Bibliography
LaFaye, A. 2004. Worth. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, Inc. ISBN 0689857306.

Plot Summary
When Nathaniel Peale's leg is crushed in an accident, his father decides to bring John Worth, who recently lost his family to a fire, home from the orphan train to help him on the farm. Since Nathaniel is no longer able to help his father on the farm, he is sent to school to learn. Nathaniel dislikes John and resents the time that John gets to spend with his father while he is at school. John once had a dream of getting a diploma and working for a bank dislikes Nathaniel for having what he wants...a family and a chance at an education. However, they are able to come together when a conflict between the ranchers and farmers threatens the family's farm and financial stability.

Critical Analysis
LaFaye writes a powerful story of family, friendship, and character in Worth. During a farming accident, Nathaniel Peale is injured and no longer able to help his father on the farm. Unable to pay for hired help, Nathaniel's father brings home John Worth from the orphan train to help on the farm. Both boys immediately dislike and distrust the other one. Nathaniel is jealous of the time John is spending with his father and John is jealous of Nathaniel because he has his family and the opportunity to get an education. As Nate points out, "each of us hates the other for being what we couldn't be (pg 96)."

A love for mythology and a local conflict between the ranchers and farmers bring the boys together. They soon realize that they could "make do with what they had and what they had was pretty darn good (pg 144)."

Worth has something for everyone. It is a story of family, community, and healing. LaFaye does a wonderful job bringing this often forgotten about time in our history to life. Both children and adults will fall in love with it.

Reviews
Booklist: Starred Review "The short, spare novel doesn't need the heavy heroic parallels; it tells its own story of darkness and courage. A great choice for American history class."

Kirkus: "It's a lively story of two boys set against a backdrop of the Orphan Trains, range wars, lynchings, drownings, and sheep killings. Something for everyone."

Connections
*Have students research the orphan train along with other major events during this time period and create a timeline mapping out the events.
*Create a map of the possible routes the orphan trains took from the larger cities to the Midwest.