Orphan at My Door facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Orphan at My Door

Orphan at My Door: The Home Child Diary of Victoria Cope, Guelph, Ontario, 1897
Author	Jean Little
Country	Canada
Language	English
Series	Dear Canada
Subject	Literature
Genre	Historical fiction
Publisher	Scholastic Canada Ltd.
Publication date	September, 2001
Media type	Print (Hardcover)
Pages	221
ISBN	0-439-98834-9
OCLC	46626131
Preceded by	A Prairie As Wide As The Sea
Followed by	With Nothing But Our Courage

Orphan at My Door is a historical fiction novel written by Jean Little. It's the second book in the popular Dear Canada series. This series features stories from Canadian history, told through the eyes of young people.

The book is written like a diary, with entries from a fictional character named Victoria Cope. It was first published in Canada in September 2001 by Scholastic Canada Ltd.. You can find Orphan at My Door in both English and French.

Meet the Main Characters

Victoria Cope: The Diary Writer

• Victoria Cope: Victoria is the main character and narrator of the story. She is eleven years old when the book begins. Victoria is very curious about "Home Children" – young British orphans sent to Canada. She loves writing in her new diary, filling it quickly with her thoughts. Her early entries describe everyday life and chores. Later, her diary entries become more serious as she learns about Marianna and Jasper's difficult journey. Victoria becomes a close friend to Marianna, treating her like a sister.

Marianna Wilson: The Home Child

• Marianna Wilson: Marianna is a "Home Child" from Britain who comes to live with the Cope family. She is twelve years old at the start of the book. At first, Marianna is shy, but she soon opens up to Victoria. She is very worried about her younger brother, Jasper, and baby sister, Emily Rose, who were separated from her. Marianna forms a strong bond with Victoria and the Cope family. She even helps when Victoria's baby sister is born. The Copes name the baby Emily Rose in honor of Marianna's lost sister. Marianna is adopted by the Cope family at the end of the book.

Jasper Wilson: Marianna's Brother

• Jasper Wilson: Jasper is Marianna's younger brother, who is eight years old. After arriving from Britain, he was separated from his sisters. He was sent to a farm outside of Guelph, where his employer, Carl Stone, treated him very badly. Jasper was forced to sleep in a chicken shed and was often hungry. He secretly appears at the Cope household, very thin and sick. Victoria's older brother, Thomas, later finds him hiding near the river. Jasper is also adopted by the Cope family at the end of the story.

Other Important People

The Cope Family

• Lilias Cope: She is the mother of the Cope children and Dr. Alastair Cope's wife. At first, she worries about Home Children carrying diseases. However, her heart softens once Marianna arrives.
• Dr. Alastair Cope: He is a respected doctor in Guelph and the father of the Cope children. He helps Jasper recover from his illness. He also delivers Victoria's new baby sister.
• David Cope: David is the eldest Cope child, sixteen years old. He has strong opinions against Home Children, influenced by his wealthy friends.
• Thomas Cope: Thomas is fourteen years old and treats everyone fairly, including Jasper and Marianna. Victoria especially looks up to him. He is the first family member, besides Victoria and Marianna, to discover Jasper hiding. Thomas bravely rescues Jasper when he finds him by the river.

Other Key Figures

• Aunt Lib: She is Lilias Cope's aunt and the great-aunt to the Cope children. Aunt Lib is often rude to Marianna and other Home Children. She is the foster mother to Cousin Anna.
• Cousin Anna: Anna is Aunt Lib's foster daughter. Her biological parents passed away from typhoid, leaving her in Aunt Lib's care. She is a close friend of Mrs. Pansy Jordan.
• Mrs. Pansy Jordan: She is Carl Stone's sister and a good friend to Cousin Anna. Jasper runs away from the Cope house a second time because he is scared she might tell Mr. Stone where he is.
• Carl Stone: Carl Stone is Jasper Wilson's cruel employer. He treats Jasper like a slave, making him work long hours with little food. Eventually, he is arrested by the authorities in charge of the Home Children.
• Roberta Johns: Roberta is one of Victoria's close friends. She tries her best to cheer Marianna up.