Description
From Newbery media winner Karen Hesse comes an unforgettable story of an immigrant family's journey to America.
"America," the girl repeated. "What will you do there?"I was silent for a little time.
"I will do everything there," I answered. Rifka knows nothing about America when she flees from Russia with her family in 1919. But she dreams that in the new country she will at last be safe from the Russian soldiers and their harsh treatment of the Jews. Throughout her journey, Rifka carries with her a cherished volume of poetry by Alexander Pushkin. In it, she records her observations and experiences in the form of letters to Tovah, the beloved cousin she has left behind. Strong-hearted and determined, Rifka must endure a great deal: humiliating examinations by doctors and soldiers, deadly typhus, separation from all she has ever known and loved, murderous storms at sea, detainment on Ellis Island--and is if this is not enough, the loss of her glorious golden hair. Based on a true story from the author's family, Letters from Rifka presents a real-life heroine with an uncommon courage and unsinkable spirit.
Author: Karen Hesse
Publisher: Square Fish
Published: 01/06/2009
Pages: 176
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.30lbs
Size: 7.60h x 5.20w x 0.50d
ISBN13: 9780312535612
ISBN10: 0312535619
BISAC Categories:
- Juvenile Fiction | Religious | Jewish
- Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure | Survival Stories
- Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Emigration & Immigration
About the Author
Karen Hesse is the author of many books for young people, including Out of the Dust, winner of the Newbery Medal, Brooklyn Bridge, Phoenix Rising, Sable and Lavender. She has received honors including the Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Award, the Christopher Award, and the MacArthur Fellowship "Genius" Award, making her only the second children's book author to receive this prestigious grant. Born in Baltimore, Hesse graduated from the University of Maryland. She and her husband Randy live in Vermont.