I Can be...Me by Leslea Newman

This was a fun book to read.  The author gives two choices and what the girl does is demonstrate both throughout the book.

Lee & Low  Books let me read this one and it has been published and you can get it now.

The choices are tough.  The illustrations are lovely.

She has fun with her choices.  She enjoys being me.

Alicia and the Hurricane by Leslea Newman, Elizabeth Erazo Baez, Georgina Lazaro

Alicia is young and goes to sleep each night listening to the frogs.  But when a hurricane comes, her family boards the house up and heads for a shelter.

Lee and Low Books and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thankyou).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

At the shelter she can hear the people and the weather outside but no the frogs.  After the storm, they head for home.  Their house has been damaged but her father says they'll fix it up even better than it was.  She still hears no frogs.

Did the hurricane kill them?  Read it and see.

Gittel's Journey: An Ellis Island Story by Leslea Newman

Gittel and her mother are going to emigrate to America.  But her mother is ill and isn't allowed passage.  So Gittel must go by herself...

Abrams Young Readers sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It is being published today.

She keeps her relative's name and address close with her and offers it to the custom's official on Ellis Island.  Alas, it got damp and is all smudged.  However a journalist takes her picture for the paper and her mother's cousin comes down to find her.

My Grandfather worked as a translator for the US troops in WWI and got citizenship.  He worked in the states to get enough money to bring Grandma over.  She arrived with a three year old child he didn't even know he had.  They went through Ellis Island, too.

There are many stories about emigration, even from many years ago.