Berlie Doherty takes what little is known about the London urchin and child, Jim Jarvis, reputed to have inspired Dr Barnardo to set up his homes for destitute children, and weaves a riveting fictional account of his possible experiences. A brilliant book… incredibly carefully crafted narrative.’Jonny Rodgers of CLPE (Centre for Literacy in Primary Education) on YouTube I stopped reading about workhouses and orphanages long ago. They always give me the creeps. I always feel like giving up but honestly, I've never given up on such books. So I read it. And I finished it. In Street Child, Jim tells Dr Barnardo his life story. But he couldn’t possibly tell it all in one go, or Dr Barnardo would have fallen asleep! So let’s pretend that you are Jim, sitting on a stool by a lovely warm fire, and you’re telling your story in real time (rather than novel time). So, as you read each chapter, I suggest you summarise it in just a few sentences.

I thought this was a good book as so many different things happen to the main character and you are willing him to find a kind person who will look after him. It reminds children about hardship and how difficult life can be. A gripping book that doesn't shy away from the brutal reality of life for a lower class Victorian child. There are some topics about death that may have to be dealt with more carefully. contents: introduction • thomas barnardo - life • barnardo and ragged schools •barnardo homes • child migration• 'boarding out' • dr barnardo and controversy • conclusion• further reading and references • links• how to cite this article Jim and his sisters Emily and Lizzie live in a London tenement with their mother, Annie. They are evicted by the landlord because Annie is too ill to work and can’t pay the rent. Annie leaves her daughters with her friend Rosie, and then she and Jim are homeless and on the streets. The workhouseI felt sorry for Jim. But I really liked his character. The plot brought out all kind of emotions but mind this, I DID NOT CRY. I don't have much to say for the plot. AOnly Jim Jarvis and Dr Barnardo. I don’t know whether Jim had any sisters, or if he knew someone called Rose – they’re all made up. AYes. It’s very hard for anyone of us to imagine what it must really be like to have nothing and nobody in the world. I was showing Street Child to some children in a school in Brussels and a little boy called Juan told me that he used to live on the streets in Peru, and was adopted at the age of nine. Very sadly, many children today live on the streets. The book tells the story of an orphan called Jim Jarvis who as living and working in London in Victorian times. The author based her story on a real boy boy who met Dr Barnardo. The doctor was so upset by the boy’s story & those of others like him that he decided to set up the famous Barnado’s children’s homes.

Berlie Doherty movingly captures the life of an orphan in Victorian London. She makes the past come vividly alive in this story that will help young readers to fight injustice. Best suited for upper KS2. Potential entry text for more challenging texts such as Oliver Twist or David Copperfield that children may experience at secondary school. Good for those studying Victorians, or even looking at Dr Barnardo.

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BRILL! TRUE AND A VERY SAD STORY SET IN THE 1860'S! Looking forward to finding out what happens next!

QAfter you’d finished writing Street Child did it make you think more about children on the streets? They are taken to the workhouse, where Annie dies. Life in a Victorian workhouse was harsh and hopeless for Jim. Imagine the workhouse school, the workhouse infirmary, the madhouse. London street life street child is a very sad book but nice ending my very favourie charater is tip because he is very out going and talkitive AI wanted to write something about Doctor Barnardo and decided that the best way to do it was through the eyes of one of the real children whom he helped. Jim Jarvis was a real child, and he was a very important figure in Barnardo’s life. Jim changed Barnardo’s life just as much as Barnardo changed his. Easy cross curricular links with history- children's place in society, men and women's roles, social classes. Could use this for letter writing from Jim to his sisters.At the end of Chapter Eleven, Rosie lies to Jim and tells him that his sisters Emily and Lizzie went to live in the countryside in a summer house with a grey-eyed lady. Street Child ends with Emily and Lizzie wanting to tell their story from the moment their ma leaves them in the care of Rosie at the big house. Their adventures have only just begun. Whether you're looking for lovely display materials for your classroom, reading comprehension activities, or more, this varied collection of teaching materials are here to make your life easier.