Skip to main content

Ellis Island Coming to the Land of Liberty

Image
By Carla Morris

by Raymond Bial
Houghton Mifflin
Non-fiction picture book
56 pages
2009
From 1892 to 1954 more than twelve million immigrants entered the United States through the portal of Ellis Island. Today more than two million visitors visit Ellis Island to follow in the footsteps of their ancestors who came mainly from Western and Northern Europe: England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Germany, France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland. Bial has captured how immigrants must have felt as they entered the New York Harbor, sailing past the Statue of Liberty. Actual photographs of various immigrant faces are combined with photos of new displays documenting luggage, shoes, toys, and other precious belongings that were carefully selected and brought to this country. Informative and complete,
Bial even shows the parts of Ellis Island that are currently awaiting restoration. The $160 million project was funded by many donations. More than twenty million Americans contributed to the project. Bial, himself, had maternal grandparents who came to this country via Ellis Island and describes visiting Ellis as "one of the most poigant experiences of my life."
If you are unable to visit Ellis Island, read this account for pretty much the same experience.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Painting for Peace in Ferguson

By
Painting for Peace in Ferguson By Carol Swartout Klein Treehouse Publishing Group, 2015. Nonfiction. When the city of Ferguson was overrun with so much hate and despair that homes and businesses had to be boarded up to protect property, citizens of the community decided to bring a message of hope by painting the boarded windows. Klein’s rhyming text supports the photographs of the hundreds of artists and volunteers and their artwork as they bring the messages of peace, hope, love, and that by being united they can make a difference. A great book to show children how a community rallied to make a positive change and that even a small gesture can make a huge difference. A great discussion opener on how we should treat each other.
Post a Comment
Read more

Dragon Run

By
Dragon Run by Patrick Matthews Scholastic, 2013.  336 pgs.  Fantasy      Al Pilgrommor is excited for Testing Day, when he will receive his rank, a tattooed number on the back of his neck, and a path forward to his future occupation and life.  He feels confident because his parents were fours on a scale of seven, but he is worried for his friend Wisp who doesn't have much of a chance of scoring above a two at best. But when Al is scored a zero, he not only has no prospects, he may lose his life as the dreaded Cullers are unleashed to kill him and his family to purify the land's bloodlines.  Al's world is ruled by dragons--the lords and supposed creators of humankind--so he thinks that even if he survives, he will have to make his living as a beggar or thief. But when Al sticks up for his Earther friend in front of Magister Ludi, he is drawn into the struggle of a secret organization hoping to destroy the Cullers, and perhaps the dragons them...
1 comment
Read more

Books to Read... Inspired by Our Summer Reading Theme

By
I am very excited about the summer reading theme here at the library: Color Our World. From the first moment I heard what the theme was going to be, it has been on my mind, and I noticed I was seeing bright and vibrant colors in so many picture books. Here are a few colorful books that inspired me! I hope you enjoy reading all summer long. How Do You Eat Color? Written by Mabi David Illustrated by Yas Doctor Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025. Picture Book. If you want a book full of vibrant colors, this one will definitely meet your expectations. Bold and eye-catching, the illustrations are a reminder that color is all around us, including in delicious foods that we eat. Even the endpapers are a deep and stunning shade that made me think of summer! I appreciated the tips the author included for why eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables is important for all of us. Inventions to Count On Written by Dana Marie Miroballi Illustrated by Sawyer Cloud New Y...
Post a Comment
Read more