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When Jessie Came Across the Sea

Author Amy Hest
Illustrated by P.J. Lynch
Paperback
$7.99 US
11"W x 10.13"H x 0.18"D   | 9 oz | 50 per carton
On sale Sep 29, 2003 | 40 Pages | 978-0-7636-1274-0
Age 6-9 years | Grades 1-4
Reading Level: Lexile 470L | Fountas & Pinnell S
"Hest simply and faithfully holds a mirror to the milestone event for millions of turn-of-the-century immigrants." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

When a young girl from a poor eastern European village learns that she must leave her beloved grandmother for a new life — and a new love — in America, they both feel that their hearts will break. The sure and inspired narrative by award-winning author Amy Hest is paired with paintings by P.J. Lynch that glow with warmth and carefully observed detail, creating an unforgettable tribute to the immigrant experience.
  • WINNER
    Christopher Award
  • SELECTION
    IRA Notable Books for a Global Society
  • SELECTION
    NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies
The strong threads of family and faith run throughout this unabashedly sentimental story of one family's immigrant experience...heart-tuggingly emotional. Lynch's idealized watercolors are dramatically composed...Aside from being a story that has relevance for many, this could be used to personalize a discussion of immigration issues both historical and current.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, recommended review, The

A touching tale. . . . The stunning paintings by P.J. Lynch beautifully convey the courage and hope that are part of the universal immigrant experience.
—Cleveland Plain Dealer

With this tale of a 13-year-old girl's journey from a shtetl in Eastern Europe to America, Hest simply and faithfully holds a mirror to the milestone event for millions of turn-of-the-century immigrants...The subtle, emotional exposition is enriched by Lynch's dramatically charged watercolor and gouache illustrations. The candlelit and sunlit compositions express the yearnings of the immigrants; their faces form a study in hope, loss, and dignity. A compassionate, heartening view of an archetype.
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
Amy Hest is a three-time winner of the Christopher Medal and winner of the BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Award. She lives in New York City. View titles by Amy Hest

About

"Hest simply and faithfully holds a mirror to the milestone event for millions of turn-of-the-century immigrants." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

When a young girl from a poor eastern European village learns that she must leave her beloved grandmother for a new life — and a new love — in America, they both feel that their hearts will break. The sure and inspired narrative by award-winning author Amy Hest is paired with paintings by P.J. Lynch that glow with warmth and carefully observed detail, creating an unforgettable tribute to the immigrant experience.

Awards

  • WINNER
    Christopher Award
  • SELECTION
    IRA Notable Books for a Global Society
  • SELECTION
    NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies

Praise

The strong threads of family and faith run throughout this unabashedly sentimental story of one family's immigrant experience...heart-tuggingly emotional. Lynch's idealized watercolors are dramatically composed...Aside from being a story that has relevance for many, this could be used to personalize a discussion of immigration issues both historical and current.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, recommended review, The

A touching tale. . . . The stunning paintings by P.J. Lynch beautifully convey the courage and hope that are part of the universal immigrant experience.
—Cleveland Plain Dealer

With this tale of a 13-year-old girl's journey from a shtetl in Eastern Europe to America, Hest simply and faithfully holds a mirror to the milestone event for millions of turn-of-the-century immigrants...The subtle, emotional exposition is enriched by Lynch's dramatically charged watercolor and gouache illustrations. The candlelit and sunlit compositions express the yearnings of the immigrants; their faces form a study in hope, loss, and dignity. A compassionate, heartening view of an archetype.
—Publishers Weekly, starred review

Author

Amy Hest is a three-time winner of the Christopher Medal and winner of the BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Award. She lives in New York City. View titles by Amy Hest