School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-Each book has an introductory figure who delivers information in narrative form, covering the topics through to the present day. The illustrations feature cheerful men and women of various ethnicities in settings where nothing is dirty or threatening. Even in Angel, when Chinese immigrants are building the railroad, being questioned by a panel, or enduring long stints of confinement, everyone is smiling. Many of the illustrations are large-scale, flowing spreads, superimposed over text. While the digitally produced pictures have a characteristic flatness, the figures are given a sculptural quality through shading and color block variations The books are not detailed enough for in-depth research, but their simple language and brief descriptions make them effective for introducing children to patriotic topics. Though they are similar in approach to the "Our Nation's Pride" series (ABDO, 2008), these titles have a larger format.-Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
With all the books about Ellis Island, there are few written at a low reading level. This picture book in the American Symbols series combines clear, bright computer graphics with a chatty, upbeat historical account to share at home and in the classroom. Beginning with the journey of nineteenth-century European immigrants to escape from war, hunger, and unfair laws, the double-page spreads move on through the long wait for processing on arrival, and then, for those who passed, a ticket to freedom. There is also a spread about the history of the island center, until it was finally closed in 1954 after more than 12 million immigrants had come through. The facts and statistics at the back will interest a wide age range of readers, and there is a brief bibliography. Connect this with the books about Angel Island, and also with the picture books listed in the feature Core Collection: The New Immigration Story, in Booklist's August 2005 issue.--Rochman, Hazel Copyright 2008 Booklist
