An Ellis Island Christmas
Illustrator
Dennis Nolan
Publisher
Vikings
Publication Year
1992
ISBN
9780670831821
Pages
32 pages
Genre
realism
Format
picture book
Item Type
Fiction
Annotation
Papa has already left Poland, and Krysia longs to see him again. "First we must cross the ocean to get to Ellis Island in America," says Mama. "That's where Papa is waiting for us." Saying goodbye to her home is hard, and the ocean voyage is long and stormy, but finally, on Christmas Eve, Krysia sees the Statue of Liberty! Dennis Nolan's richly rendered illustrations powerfully evoke the uncertainty, wonder, and hope of this young immigrant's experience. An Ellis Island Christmas is a holiday story to treasure, year after year.
Grade Level
PK-1; K-3; 3-5
Lexile Measure
530L
Diversity Topics
Family Relationships; Culture/Ethnicity; Language barrier; Poverty; Immigrants and refugees; different languages; learning a new language; impoverished family; immigrant family; immigrant parents; immigrant children; migration; relocation
Main Character
female child
Race/Ethnicities
White (Polish)
Family Formation
mother and father
Awards
Adventuring with Books: A Booklist for PreK-Grade 6, Tenth Edition, 1993
Marion Vannett Ridgway Award, 1993, Honor Book
Keywords
Poland; dolls; Christmas; journey; boat; dolphins; hope; reunion; melting pot; sea sickness; Ellis Island
Diversity Impact
direct
STARS Citation
Leighton, Maxinne Rhea, "An Ellis Island Christmas" (1992). Diverse Families. 1755.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/diversefamilies/1755