Published by Simon and Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books

Summary:  “From land to land, brave travelers arrive with hopes, dreams, skills, and determination.”  The lyrical text and illustrations of this book celebrate the immigrants who have come to the United States, and the Statue of Liberty that welcomes them.  The gifts that people bring in terms of skills, languages, and cultures are recognized, as are the harder truths that people have not always been made to feel welcome.  “The long, bitter story of the US” is also acknowledged, including “stealing land from Native people, bringing enslaved captives all the way from Africa, and then seizing a huge part of Mexico.”  The final image, though, is of Lady Liberty’s torch, and the book concludes on this hopeful note.  Includes notes from the author and illustrator about their personal experiences of immigration.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  This would make an excellent introduction to immigration, with poet Margarita Engle’s text and Raúl Colón’s colored pencil illustrations depicting so many different nationalities coming to the US.  While some hard truths are acknowledged, the tone is basically hopeful and celebratory.

Cons:  A list of additional resources would have made this even more useful for older kids.

December 12, 2021 at 07:29PM Janet Dawson