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(4)
YA
An American Irish Traveler, sixteen-year-old Bridget is tired of her family's grifting: she wants to stay in one place, go to school, and stop scamming people. This well-paced first novel features a likable protagonist, but supporting characters and the context of Traveler life never rise above the stereotypical.
158 pp.
| Scholastic
| May, 2003
|
TradeISBN 0-439-18894-6$$10.95
(4)
4-6
My Name Is America series.
Finn Reardon, an Irish-American living in New York City in 1899, attends sixth grade, works as a newsboy each evening, and dreams of becoming a reporter. Bartoletti gives her reader a great deal of historical information in a novel that is more about a time period than about a character. An afterword explains which elements of the story, such as the newsboys' strike of 1899, are based on historical fact.
126 pp.
| Chelsea
| March, 2003
|
LibraryISBN 0-7910-7128-6$$22.95
|
PaperISBN 0-7910-7511-9$$9.95
(4)
YA
Immigrants in America series.
Covering stereotypes, challenges, and prejudices, each of these comprehensive but dryly written books discusses the history and contributions of a specific immigrant group. Archival photos and text boxes break up the presentation and extend the information. Profiles of notable immigrants are interspersed. Addresses, reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind. [Review covers these Immigrants in America titles: Italian Americans, Irish Americans, Swedish Americans, Chinese Americans, Japanese Americans, and German Americans.]
(4)
K-3
We Are America series.
These books bring the story of immigration to America up to the present, but some of the titles omit part of the story. For example, Russian covers both nineteenth-century and contemporary immigration of Soviet Jews, but Irish fails to include discussion of modern immigration. Still, the plentiful photos, stories of actual immigrants, and charts are useful features. Reading list. Glos., ind. [Review covers these We Are America titles: Irish Americans, Polish Americans, Vietnamese Americans, Cuban Americans, Korean Americans, and Russian Americans.]
250 pp.
| Holt
| May, 2002
|
TradeISBN 0-8050-6686-1$$16.95
(3)
YA
Re-creating the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire for its climax, this novel follows sixteen-year-old Irish immigrant Rose Nolan's first few months in New York: her family's separation at Ellis Island, an uncomfortable stay with inhospitable relatives, and her work at the soon-to-be notorious factory. Deftly depicting--but not stereotyping--ethnic rivalries, this is fast-moving and emotionally involving historical fiction.
109 pp.
| Benchmark
| September, 2002
|
LibraryISBN 0-7614-1323-5$$31.36
(3)
4-6
Great Journeys series.
Beginning with an account of how the potato famine affected life in Ireland, this volume describes the major wave of immigration that brought a million of that country's citizens to North America between 1845 and 1851. The clear text describes the dangers of the Atlantic crossing and the challenges the immigrants faced in the New World. Black-and-white historical reproductions enhance the book. Bib., ind.
32 pp.
| Whitman
| October, 2002
|
TradeISBN 0-8075-7344-2$$15.95
(4)
1-3
Illustrated by
Ben F. Stahl.
On his way to America from Ireland during the 1830s, Fergus carves a walking stick, or shillelagh. His story and the stick are passed down through the generations--one family member fights in World War I, another works in a factory during World War II--and the result feels like an outline rather than a real story. The paintings of the many red-haired characters help move the story through time.
239 pp.
| Delacorte
| February, 2001
|
TradeISBN 0-385-32571-1$$17.95
(1)
YA
While sharing a common Irish heritage, the voices and styles of the well-known and award-winning writers gathered here are as refreshingly diverse as those of any top-notch short story collection. A strong sense of place, from a tiny island off Ireland's west coast to a roadhouse in West Texas, is the common thread of these growing-up stories; that, and the strength of the writing.
Reviewer: Lauren Adams
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2001
170 pp.
| Gareth
| April, 2001
|
LibraryISBN 0-8368-2812-7$$22.60 1993, Bantam
(4)
4-6
Ellis Island series.
Dreams tells of Kristin Swensen from Sweden, Hope features Rebekah Levinsky from Russia, and Promise focuses on Irish Rose Carney's immigration story. Although formulaic, these books present three strong female characters whose attempts to reconcile their heritage with their new lives offer an interesting look at important eras in American history.
32 pp.
| Blue Earth
| September, 2001
|
LibraryISBN 0-7368-0795-0$$22.60
(4)
4-6
Coming to America series.
The accessible books in this series focus on reasons for immigration, traditional life in the "old country," conditions on the voyages, hardships faced in the United States, and the economic, political, and social advances made. Soft edges around the photos give the archival pictures a sentimental feeling while the contemporary color photos just look odd. Included are a recipe (no warnings about adult help), a time line, and places to write and visit. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Coming to America titles: German Immigrants, 1820-1920; Irish Immigrants, 1840-1920; Chinese Immigrants, 1850-1900; Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish Immigrants, 1820-192; Italian Immigrants, 1880-1920; Japanese Immigrants, 1850-1950.]
248 pp.
| Carolrhoda
| August, 2001
|
LibraryISBN 1-57505-510-4$$15.95
(4)
4-6
Adventures in Time series.
As a result of the Irish potato famine, Annie and her brother are sent to live with their sister in New York to earn money to bring the rest of the family to America. They undergo many trials but come out on top with a little help from their friends. The fast-paced, if formulaic, story touches on many aspects of the immigrant experience in New York during the mid-nineteenth century.
197 pp.
| Viking
| October, 2001
|
TradeISBN 0-670-89278-5$$15.99
(4)
4-6
Two girls--one rich, one poor--live through the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. One year later their paths cross as Kate is hired as a companion to terminally ill Jolie. On a subsequent trip to Ireland, their relationship and visions of their future are explored. While some plot points are hard to believe, both girls are appealing, if somewhat underdeveloped, characters.
137 pp.
| Holiday
| September, 1999
|
TradeISBN 0-8234-1422-1$$15.95
(4)
4-6
In late-nineteenth-century New York, destitute Irish immigrant Kevin O'Donnell is hired as a messenger boy for the Chronicle. The owner of the newspaper helps develop Kevin's interest in journalism and writing, but a false allegation of stealing causes Kevin to quit. The conclusion is hopeful, though not fully convincing. Despite some extraneous scenes, the story moves at a quick pace.
149 pp.
| Pleasant
| September, 1999
|
TradeISBN 1-56247-816-8$$9.95
|
PaperISBN 1-56247-760-9$$5.95
(4)
4-6
History Mysteries series.
Well-drawn historical contexts--War of 1812, Pony Express in 1860, women's suffrage movement in 1814, and World Wars I and II--combine with thin but fast-paced mysteries and courageous preteen heroines for satisfactory historical-fiction fare. The best of the group, Secrets on 26th Street, relates the predominantly middle- and upper-class suffragists' efforts to recruit working-class women. Historical notes are included.