American Too

American Too

Author: Elisa Bartone

Illustrator: Ted Lewin

Grade Level: Four

Genre: Historical Fiction

            Have you ever wondered what it was like to leave your country and go to a brand new one? Having to come to a brand new place and not knowing anyone except your own family? During the early and the middle of the 20^th century, families were leaving all that they knew back home and heading for a brand new home, the United States. This story is about a little girl’s struggle of keeping her Italian heritage, but also finding out who she was as an American.

            Rosina and her family left their home in Italy to move the United States. When they first arrived in New York Harbor, Rosina immediately noticed the Statue of Liberty. Her mother told her that anything was possible in America. While walking down the street one day, Rosina ran into a group of girls. The girls immediately starting taunting and putting Rosina down because she was from Italy and told her that she wasn’t American.  Rosina struggled with this and wanted nothing to do with her Italian heritage because people would make fun of her.

            The next day her Papa came into the kitchen with wonderful news! The Feast of San Gennaro was approaching and this year Rosina was going to be the queen. Rosina rejected almost immediately and told her Papa that she wanted nothing to do with it. She fought with him tell him that they weren’t in Italy anymore, that this was America and she was going to do what American girls are supposed to do. For days the Italy community prepared for the feast. Local stores were stocking up on different kinds of pasta, restaurants were had American and Italian banners hanging in front of them, and there were men building a shrine. Everyone was so excited, but Rosina had a surprise for everyone.

            The day had come! Everyone was so excited and Rosina was going to be queen. She could hear the band from her window and she knew that they were waiting for her to come out. When she finally walked out the crowd was in shock, Katie walked out dressed like the Statue of Liberty. She told one little girl that she was American now. The parade marched down the streets with Rosina leading them. When she reached her brother Jimmy waiting for her at the end, he was dressed as Uncle Sam.

            What made this book so special was it explained the struggles of a young girl moving to another country. During the time when this book took place, many people struggled with the same emotions. Some emotions such as finding that in between of becoming an American citizen and following what American did, but also continuing on with their cultures from home. This story is great because it is fictional but events such as immigrating to another country and trying to fit in are part of real life.

            I would use this book in a fourth grade class when talking about different the diverse nature of the American people and how we all came to live here. This would be a great story to begin with so students could see the struggles that immigrants faced when coming to America. Even today many immigrants face some of the same issues.

MLA Frameworks:

4.15 Describe the diverse nature of the American people by identifying the distinctive contributions to American culture of:

            C. Major European immigrant groups who have come to America, locating their countries of origin and where they tended to settle in large numbers (e.g., English, Germans, Italians, Scots, Irish, Jews, Poles, and Scandinavians