Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • The Orphan of Ellis Island

  • A Time-Travel Adventure
  • By: Elvira Woodruff
  • Narrated by: Lloyd James
  • Length: 3 hrs and 22 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (38 ratings)
Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
The Orphan of Ellis Island cover art

The Orphan of Ellis Island

By: Elvira Woodruff
Narrated by: Lloyd James
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

Buy Now for £9.99

Buy Now for £9.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

Prisoner B-3087 cover art
Projekt 1065 cover art
Caddie Woodlawn cover art
The Golden Goblet cover art
Johnny Tremain cover art
The Watsons Go to Birmingham: 1963 cover art
Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims cover art
The Kite Runner cover art
Running Barefoot cover art
Echo cover art
I Will Always Write Back cover art
Melissa cover art
Pollyanna cover art
Freak the Mighty cover art
The Witch of Blackbird Pond cover art
Little Lord Fauntleroy cover art

Summary

Dominic Cantori is an orphan. Ashamed of his situation, Dominic avoids making friends for fear of exposing his terrible secret. One day on a class trip to Ellis Island, a tour guide asks everyone about their families. Immediately, Dominic flees from the class and hides in a closet, where he falls asleep for hours.

When he wakes up, the museum is deserted. Lonely and afraid, he picks up one display telephone after another, listening to the recorded voices of immigrants who describe their lives in faraway countries and their journeys to Ellis Island. To Dominic's surprise, the voice of an old Italian immigrant speaks directly to him! And before he knows it, he's transported back in time: to Italy in 1908. There, he unlocks the door to his past, and discovers just what it feels like to be loved by his own family.

©1997 Elvira Woodruff (P)2007 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"Woodruff's well-researched novel beautifully describes the similarities between an orphan's and an immigrant's search for a home." ( ALAN Review "Easy to read and hard to put down, this convincing novel gives a poignant and believable picture of the lives and motivations of some of this country's immigrants, and of one boy who learns about himself....An enjoyable and informative tale." (School Library Journal)

What listeners say about The Orphan of Ellis Island

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    24
  • 4 Stars
    9
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    23
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    21
  • 4 Stars
    6
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Utterly charming

A well-constructed and thoroughly delightful short story. Uplifting and lovely to listen to. Nicely narrated.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Lovely story, poignant & poetic

Lloyd James is a talented narrator & wove the story with ease.
A well written tale, would recommend it 😊

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Touching

Beautifully scripted and read fantasy with a strong message . Loved every single word .

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

beautiful little book

I don't usually read or listen to short books but I'm really glad I listened to this one. Beautifully touching story well written and read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!