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Gittel's Journey: An Ellis Island Story by [Lesléa Newman, Amy June Bates]

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Leslea Newman

Gittel's Journey: An Ellis Island Story Kindle Edition

by Lesléa Newman (Author), Amy June Bates (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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Gittel and her mother were supposed to immigrate to America together, but when her mother is stopped by the health inspector, Gittel must make the journey alone. Her mother writes her cousin’s address in New York on a piece of paper. However, when Gittel arrives at Ellis Island, she discovers the ink has run and the address is illegible! How will she find her family? Both a heart-wrenching and heartwarming story, Gittel’s Journey offers a fresh perspective on the immigration journey to Ellis Island. The book includes an author’s note explaining how Gittel’s story is based on the journey to America taken by Lesléa Newman’s grandmother and family friend.

Reading age

5 - 8 years
Print length

48 pages
Language

English
Grade level

Kindergarten - 3
Publisher

Abrams Books for Young Readers
Publication date

Feb. 5 2019
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ISBN-13

978-1419727474
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**STARRED REVIEW**
"Mixed-media images by Bates (The Big Umbrella), washed in yellows and browns and framed by woodblock motifs, give readers a vivid sense of the historical context while infusing the story with a timeless emotional immediacy. Newman (Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed) skillfully modulates her narration, capturing her protagonist’s feelings of excitement, loneliness, and fear. The ending, handled with both restraint and warmth, relies on one of those improbable twists of good fortune that define so many immigrant stories—and it’s based on a real event." (Publishers Weekly)

**STARRED REVIEW**
"Beautifully designed and illustrated . . . The watercolor illustrations artfully capture an era and people." (School Library Journal)

**STARRED REVIEW**
"Newman's spare yet evocative text works well as a read-aloud, and the solution to Gittel's problem . . . is both clever and true . . . She [Bates] employs Old World style decorative frames throughout (setting off both art and text), appropriate to the story's turn-of-the-century setting." (Booklist)

"The illustrations are beautiful . . . Classroom teachers can use as an example text showing one child’s story of immigration. An excellent addition to a library collection." (School Library Connection)

"Newman tells Gittel’s story with sympathy and tenderness, incorporating Jewish phrases (italicized) and customs and placing within it facts about that time and place. Gittel’s every emotion is felt in Bates’ soft, earth-toned, framed illustrations reminiscent of old-time sepia photographs . . . A heartfelt, lovely evocation of one facet of the immigrant experience." (Kirkus Reviews) --This text refers to the hardcover edition.

About the Author

Lesléa Newman is the author of 70 books for adults and children. Her literary awards include a National Endowment for the Arts poetry fellowship, the Association of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Award, and the Massachusetts Book Award. She lives in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Amy Bates is the illustrator of Bear in the Air, Minette’s Feast, and The Dog Who Belonged to No One. She lives in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

--This text refers to the hardcover edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07BFTRCR4
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Abrams Books for Young Readers (Feb. 5 2019)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 26439 KB
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Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 48 pages

Customer Reviews:
33 ratings

About the author

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Leslea Newman

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Lesléa Newman is the author of 75 books for readers of all ages including the teen novel in verse, OCTOBER MOURNING: A SONG FOR MATTHEW SHEPARD; the middle grade novel, HACHIKO WAITS; the poetry collection, I CARRY MY MOTHER; the short story collection, A LETTER TO HARVEY MILK; and the children's books, A SWEET PASSOVER, THE BOY WHO CRIED FABULOUS, KETZEL, THE CAT WHO COMPOSED, and HEATHER HAS TWO MOMMIES. Her literary awards include poetry fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Massachusetts Artists Foundation. OCTOBER MOURNING: A SONG FOR MATTHEW SHEPARD was named an American Library Association 2013 Stonewall Honor Book, and A SWEET PASSOVER was named a 2013 Sydney Taylor Honor as well. A past poet laureate of Northampton, Massachusetts, she is a faculty member of Spalding University's brief-residency MFA in Writing program. Her newest poetry collection, I CARRY MY MOTHER is a book-length cycle of poems that explores a daughter's journey through her mother's illness and death. From diagnosis through yahrtzeit (one-year anniversary), the narrator grapples with what it means to lose a mother. The poems, written in a variety of forms (sonnet, pantoum, villanelle, sestina, terza rima, haiku, and others) are finely crafted, completely accessible, and full of startling, poignant, and powerful imagery. These poems will resonant with all who have lost a parent, relative, spouse, friend, or anyone whom they dearly love.

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Mike K Hallam

Excellent

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 17, 2019

Verified Purchase

Moving tale, beautifully illustrated. A very good read for 6-8 year olds.

Kay

Beautiful illustrations, maybe not the right story for today

Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2019

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I bought one of these books for my granddaughter, one for gift. I'm wary about gifting the second book. A nine(?) year old is sent on a trip to America by herself because her mother could not join her due to an eye infection. She is to be met by a relative she does not know. The mother has amazing faith that all will work out fine; that everyone will be helpful; that everyone will be nice. And that her mother would join her when the infection healed. Maybe this story works in the early 20th century. Not so much now. Even if it is true. It may have been the reality then and for some it might work out now. I'm not so sure I would want to tell a story in this way to a young child now. (The book is definitely for kids under 10.) The illustrations are beautiful.

One person found this helpful

K. Yocom

A story we need today

Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2019

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This story of a little girl's journey to America beautifully conveys the emotion of the immigrant experience of leaving one's beloved home and traveling to an unknown country. The story lets the young reader (or listener--this is a book to be read aloud to a child) feel empathy for Gittel and her mother as they bravely face their journey, and their ups and downs will make for rich discussion material. The happy ending could feel a little unlikely--but the fact that it's based on a true story makes it all the more satisfying. The illustrations convey the tenderness of Gittel and Mama's love for each other. Parents who want to introduce their children to their own family's immigrant experience will find this book a wonderful entry point. I highly recommend it.

Margo

Memorable and important

Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2019

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This moving story is beautifully written and illustrated. The six year old I read it to was engrossed in the dramatic events. The nine-year old (who still loves pictures books, even though kids that age pretend they don't) found the back matter fascinating. It's an important book for these times, reminding us of our own family's immigration stories.

2 people found this helpful

Orange

Captivating story

Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2019

Verified Purchase

What a captivating story! My daughter and I loved the suspense, Gittel’s bravery, the relevance, and yes, the happy ending. This story could be made into a movie.
The illustrations are also gorgeous and fitting to the time period in which the story takes place. Truly, this is a book for all ages.

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Gittel's Journey: An Ellis Island Story Kindle Edition

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About the author

Leslea Newman

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