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readingthroughtheages's review against another edition
4.0
A story to add to your immigration collection.
muddypuddle's review against another edition
4.0
This is a touching story, one that has been told in some version over and over. This time, however, it's not a family coming to a new land, it's one single nine-year-old girl. I can't even imagine, but it's based on a true story, although the "true story" girl was a few years older. Local illustrator Amy June Bates did a wonderful job with the illustrations, which include some lovely block prints (I do enjoy block prints!) Quite a bit of text, but the story is told well so that even quite young children will understand.
stenaros's review against another edition
3.0
Read for Librarian Book Group
Gittel is sad to leave her home to sail to America with her mother. She is even sadder when her mother has to send her on alone. The illustrations feel period-appropriate.
Gittel is sad to leave her home to sail to America with her mother. She is even sadder when her mother has to send her on alone. The illustrations feel period-appropriate.
agudenburr's review against another edition
5.0
A beautiful story about a Jewish child who travels to America by herself in the early 1900's. The story is based on a true story of two family members of the author's family. This book is a great reminder of what the Statue of Liberty means to immigrants, the sadness felt when families are separated, and a hope for a better future in America.
leslie_d's review against another edition
4.0
Gittel had already been prepared to leave her belongings, her best friend Raisa and her goat Frieda behind, that—at 9 years of age—she’d have to sail to America without her mother was unexpected. It isn’t safe to stay until Mama can pass the medical evaluation—and we can conclude why. The story opens with her mother bidding Gittel to come in to light the candles with her for Shabbos.
As her mother tells her she must go, she gives Gittel a paper with cousin Mendel’s name and address and the candlesticks. She would keep the tall white candles.
“She had Mama’s candlesticks but no candles. Mama had candles but no candlesticks. Candles and candlesticks belonged together just as she and Mama belonged together.”
In this scene we see Mama and Gittel apart, rendered with the same color palette in watercolor, engaged in the same act of closed-eyes, singing “the Sabbath blessing softly to herself.” The theme of light, flame, guidance, welcome/invitation is extended to the appearance of the Statue of Liberty. Note, too how the candlesticks peek from Gittel’s bag the way candles peek from Mama’s bag, both with the Stature and her torch lifted in the background.
Amy June Bates work is always stunning. The woodblock stamped frames and title page illustrations are gorgeous. Bates literally frames the text with a sense of the historic and cultural. The portraiture in Gittel’s Journey is remarkably effective in translating the feeling of something past while experiencing all the emotion in the present. Families shouldn’t have to flee, be separated, or be kept so vulnerable when they do and are. The Interpreter is a hero.
Newman introduces a compelling tension in the way Gittel tracks the paper her mother gave her. We understand its import and we fear alongside Gittel that she’ll lose it. While she has found kindness on the ship, will there be kindness to greet her at Ellis Island? Will she find Mendel as effortlessly as her mother made it seem?
I love Gittel’s invitation at the close. Her journey was incomplete without Mama and those tall white candles. And it is now her turn to call her mother home and to the lighting of the candles.
Gittel’s Journey is a treasure in text and illustration; two masterful portrait artists capturing a time so presently felt.
https://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/2019/05/07/the-lighting-of-candles/
As her mother tells her she must go, she gives Gittel a paper with cousin Mendel’s name and address and the candlesticks. She would keep the tall white candles.
“She had Mama’s candlesticks but no candles. Mama had candles but no candlesticks. Candles and candlesticks belonged together just as she and Mama belonged together.”
In this scene we see Mama and Gittel apart, rendered with the same color palette in watercolor, engaged in the same act of closed-eyes, singing “the Sabbath blessing softly to herself.” The theme of light, flame, guidance, welcome/invitation is extended to the appearance of the Statue of Liberty. Note, too how the candlesticks peek from Gittel’s bag the way candles peek from Mama’s bag, both with the Stature and her torch lifted in the background.
Amy June Bates work is always stunning. The woodblock stamped frames and title page illustrations are gorgeous. Bates literally frames the text with a sense of the historic and cultural. The portraiture in Gittel’s Journey is remarkably effective in translating the feeling of something past while experiencing all the emotion in the present. Families shouldn’t have to flee, be separated, or be kept so vulnerable when they do and are. The Interpreter is a hero.
Newman introduces a compelling tension in the way Gittel tracks the paper her mother gave her. We understand its import and we fear alongside Gittel that she’ll lose it. While she has found kindness on the ship, will there be kindness to greet her at Ellis Island? Will she find Mendel as effortlessly as her mother made it seem?
I love Gittel’s invitation at the close. Her journey was incomplete without Mama and those tall white candles. And it is now her turn to call her mother home and to the lighting of the candles.
Gittel’s Journey is a treasure in text and illustration; two masterful portrait artists capturing a time so presently felt.
https://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/2019/05/07/the-lighting-of-candles/
lize_barclay's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
backonthealex's review against another edition
4.0
When living in their small Jewish Eastern European village is no longer safe for Gittel and her mother, they decide to emigrate to the United States, where Mama's cousin Mendel lives. When an eye infection prevents Mama from boarding the ship to the US, she decides to send Gittel alone. Clutching Cousin Mendel's address, scared and along, Gittel makes the crossing, but by the time she reaches New York, the ink on the paper has rubbed away and no one read the address. Luckily, a kind Yiddish interpreter and a photographer have an idea about how to unite Gittel with Cousin Mendel.
This is a lovely story that highlights the bravery of children (or for that matter, anyone) leaving their home and traveling far despite the difficulties for a better life in America. Gittel's Journey is based on two true stories from the author's family (see the Author's Note). The watercolor illustrations are done in subtle browns, yellows and blues, with Gittel and her mother the only full color figures throughout. The illustrations and Newman's expressive text are frames in woodcut designs, giving the book an old-fashioned, yet timeless, feel. Back matter includes a Yiddish Glossary, and a Bibliography.
This is a lovely story that highlights the bravery of children (or for that matter, anyone) leaving their home and traveling far despite the difficulties for a better life in America. Gittel's Journey is based on two true stories from the author's family (see the Author's Note). The watercolor illustrations are done in subtle browns, yellows and blues, with Gittel and her mother the only full color figures throughout. The illustrations and Newman's expressive text are frames in woodcut designs, giving the book an old-fashioned, yet timeless, feel. Back matter includes a Yiddish Glossary, and a Bibliography.
thisfoxreads's review against another edition
5.0
At first I thought this was yet another story along the same lines of immigration. Then came the twist. Gittel's mother is not allowed to travel on the ship to America, so young Gittel must go alone. After that I enjoyed the story so much--how dare I get called to dinner when it's the climax of the story?!
The best part is that, while fiction, it was based on two immigration stories about which the author grew up hearing.
The illustrations are heartbreakingly perfect.
The best part is that, while fiction, it was based on two immigration stories about which the author grew up hearing.
The illustrations are heartbreakingly perfect.
toffychar's review against another edition
4.0
A very informative and well-illustrated story about the Jewish diaspora and migration through Ellis Island. Suitable for children.