“Immigrant Kids”

By: Russell Freedman

Summary: The book takes place during the late 1800s and early 1900s; this is when European immigrants came to American by way of Ellis Island. It tells about the horrible living conditions they had to endure on the ships, and the long process of admittance in the new country. With a piece of chalk you where labeled: L=Lameness, H=Heart, C=Contagious, I=Infection and worst of all X= mental defects. If you did not pass the examination you where sent back to your country. The book tells how some children living in very low income families had to go to work at a very young age. These poor children could not go to school because they had to help with the families expenses. Immigrant families had to share a one room tenement. Sweatshops were rampant in the 1900s; were children worked seven days a week with starving wages. This book tells you of a Child's plight in the new country.  

Illustration and Art: Photographs are used in this book from various photographers. The author: Mr. Freedman obtained the photos from the following: American Museum of Immigration; Children’s Aid Society; International Museum of photography at George Eastman House; Library of Congress; Louis N. Freedman; Museum of New York; and Staten Island Historical Society. All Pictures are photographed in Black and White; photographs provide visualizations showing the daily lives of immigrant children.

Evaluation by Genre: The genre is Non-Fiction; it dives into the real life of immigrant children. It is also Historical-Fiction, Telling the stories of coming to America by ship and getting thru inspection at Ellis Island. It is children’s, Inspirational, Family, History, Culture, Art, and Environment. It gives Authenticity in its photographs that show Diversity with English, Dutch, Irish, and American children in school and play.

Motivational Activities Include: (a) Ask Children to analyze the front cover as well and the photos and list three things you learned about the children. (b)Ask Children to list the similarities and differences of children in the 1900s and 2000s. (c) Ask Children to list all the jobs children had to do in the book. (d) Ask Children if they ever moved to a new State or City, and how did they feel? (e)Ask Children to write a letter to an immigrant child.

Reader Response Questions: 1.What was their lives like? And were the hardships they faced just? 2. What was the procedure when entering Ellis Island? 3. What was the role of the child in the family? 4. How did they live in the tenements? 5. Did the child labor laws help the children? 6. How are the child labor laws today? 7. What was education like in the 1990s? 8. What is education like today? 9. What kinds of games did they play in the 1900s as compared to today? 10. What did you learn about this book?

If you like this book you can also read: “If Your Named Was Changed At Ellis Island” By: Ellen Levine; “Coming To America: The Story Of Immigration” By: Betsy Maestro; “I Was Dreaming to Come to America: Memories from the Ellis Island Oral History Project” By: Veronica Lawlor Also Kids At Work and Children of the Great Depression both by Russell Freeman.

About the Author: Russell Freedman is an award-winning author of 47 books; most are diverse in a number of languages. Russell grew up in San Francisco and attended the University of California and Berkley. He originally worked as a reporter doing research for the public. He then branched out to become an author, he mostly writes nonfiction books and describe the lives and behaviors of people. He has earns many award, he now lives in New York City.

Personal Comments: I personally was drawn to this book because of my love of History. The photographs in this book tell a story without the words being read. But as you read through the book you heartstrings are tugged by the harshness of life in the 1900s. The harsh reality of a child’s life as an immigrant; it takes you on a journey from the ship to the stench of the tenements. The one thing I could relate to the opening of the fire-hydrants in the summer. I loved spending time in Harlem New York at my uncle’s house during the summer months. We would play in the hydrants to cool off from the heat of the large buildings with no shade from any trees. I love this book and would recommend every school aged child to read it. I plan to use it in my classroom.

This Non-Fiction book shows Informational sources that explain the subject. This book is designed to inform the reader. It covers diverse topics ranging from: poverty, race, culture, ethics, school, work, home, and play. It also provides knowledge about immigration life of a child. It enables students at different reading levels to engage in this book. It presents detailed information about its subjects through a brief straight forward text and carefully composted illustrations (photographs). (Literature and the Child, 117).

Cited

Freedman, Russell. Immigrant Kids. New York: Dutton, 1980. Print.

Whitman Galda, Lee, Bernice E. Cullinan, and Lawrence R. Sipe. "Literature and the Child." , 7th Edition by Lee Galda, Bernice E. Cullinan, Lawrence R. Sipe (9780495602392). Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, n.d. &, 1998. Print.

Post by: Terry M. Wheaton