At Ellis Island: A History in Many Voices
Nearly 100 years ago, Sura, 10, fleeing the Armenian genocide, writes letters to her lost mother about her voyage and the struggle to get past inspectors and join her father in America. Visiting Ellis Island today, a young girl thinks of her great-great-grandmother coming through in the rush of immigrants long ago. Terse, boxed, archival quotes by real immigrants from all over Europe and moving sepia-tone photos extend the two fictionalized narratives. The constant switch in viewpoints is sometimes confusing, especially the contemporary child's overview, but the facts are as dramatic as the fiction, and Krudop's full-color gouache pictures extend Sura's story, showing the crowded ship, the exciting and confusing landing, the terrifying interrogations, and, finally, the reunion with Papa. Many readers will find connections with their own family stories, whether in the past or coming here today.Hazel RochmanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved