My America: Home At Last: Sofia's Immigrant Diary Book Two - Hardcover

Lasky, Kathryn

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0439449634 ISBN 13: 9780439449632

Publisher: Scholastic Press, 2003

Synopsis

Kathryn Lasky brings readers the second installment of Sofia's Ellis Island Diary, depicting Sofia's move to the North End of Boston and her first steps as a new American.

After her dramatic release from quarantine and reunion with her family, Sofia moves to the North End of Boston, where the Monaris start their new lives in their new country. While her parents struggle to make ends meet, Sofia must adjust to her American school, friends and job.

About this title

From Booklist:

Reviewed with Kathryn Lasky's Hope in My Heart.

Gr. 3-6. An Italian immigrant child writes her diary in these two small books that are part of the My America series. Hope in My Heart is the most dramatic. After the family finally arrives at Ellis Island, nine-year-old Sofia is separated from her parents and quarantined. Terrified, angry, and knowing almost no English, she is at the mercy of officials and doctors, some of whom are prejudiced and corrupt. Only her friendship with an Irish girl and the support of a kind official and a priest make her life bearable, until her heartfelt reunion with her family. Home at Last is a conventional account of Italian Americans who struggle and eventually make it in the North End community of Boston. A teacher makes a huge difference, as does a doctor, whose character is based on a real person, Lasky's husband's grandfather. As is often the case with books in this series, the diary format is an awkward contrivance, but it certainly makes the tale more immediate. A historical note and archival photos add to the story. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About this edition

• Publisher: Scholastic Press
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0439449634
• ISBN 13: 9780439449632
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 112