A review by markma
The Orphan Band of Springdale by Anne Nesbet

3.0

I had very high expectations for The Orphan Band of Springdale by Anne Nesbet, as I love middle grade books and historical fiction. But this book did not meet those expectations. This book follows Gusta as she is sent to live with her Grandmother in Springdale while her father flees the country, accused as a communist, and her mother finds a job. Her prized possession is her French horn which is part of her family heritage, but in the letter sent to her grandmother her mother suggest selling it if they run low on funds. At her new school and her new home Gusta struggles to be true to herself but also figuring out what she thinks is the right things to do. This book took on a lot of topics, like what it means to be an American but I felt like it did not go as in-depth as it could have.