Take a photo of a barcode or cover
40 reviews for:
Dreams In The Golden Country: the Diary of Zipporah Feldman, a Jewish Immigrant Girl, New York City, 1903
Kathryn Lasky
3.84 AVERAGE
40 reviews for:
Dreams In The Golden Country: the Diary of Zipporah Feldman, a Jewish Immigrant Girl, New York City, 1903
Kathryn Lasky
3.84 AVERAGE
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
To quote that great SNL sketch with the American Girl movie trailer, these little girls are going through too much.
But this was so great! Definitely one of the better books in this series so far--I just loved our heroine, Zippy, and how spunky and fiery and determined she was. The way she writes in her diary reminds me a lot of the way I used to write in my diary when I was a tween, and I loved how Lasky managed to capture that "twelve-year-old talking like a long-suffering adult because even though she's just a little girl she's seen some things" vibe. Except Zippy actually HAS seen some things: the inherent trauma of Ellis Island and almost being separated from her family and sent back home for what only looked like an eye infection; the cruelties of being a poor immigrant in a country as occasionally unforgiving as America; the clash of her traditional Orthodox Jewish upbringing against the new customs of a new place; and the grim realities of sweatshop work, including one very visceral scene that, while taking place several years before the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, is meant to evoke the same kind of thing. There's happiness too, though, including a budding fascination with (and career in!) Yiddish theatre for Zippy that was truly delightful to read.
If I have one nitpick about the book, it's that a non-Jewish person like myself might have to look up a lot of terms. This isn't necessarily something that doesn't make sense to the book: of course a Jewish girl wouldn't need explain to her diary the meaning of the Sukkot holiday or what a sukkah is, any more than a Gentile would go into depth explaining the meaning of Christmas. And it's a great opportunity to do some research on your own! (Or just do what I do and follow Miriam Ezagui on Instagram because she's so warm and delightful and discusses the minutiae of Orthodox Judaism, the way her family practices it, in detail.)
But this was so great! Definitely one of the better books in this series so far--I just loved our heroine, Zippy, and how spunky and fiery and determined she was. The way she writes in her diary reminds me a lot of the way I used to write in my diary when I was a tween, and I loved how Lasky managed to capture that "twelve-year-old talking like a long-suffering adult because even though she's just a little girl she's seen some things" vibe. Except Zippy actually HAS seen some things: the inherent trauma of Ellis Island and almost being separated from her family and sent back home for what only looked like an eye infection; the cruelties of being a poor immigrant in a country as occasionally unforgiving as America; the clash of her traditional Orthodox Jewish upbringing against the new customs of a new place; and the grim realities of sweatshop work, including one very visceral scene that, while taking place several years before the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, is meant to evoke the same kind of thing. There's happiness too, though, including a budding fascination with (and career in!) Yiddish theatre for Zippy that was truly delightful to read.
If I have one nitpick about the book, it's that a non-Jewish person like myself might have to look up a lot of terms. This isn't necessarily something that doesn't make sense to the book: of course a Jewish girl wouldn't need explain to her diary the meaning of the Sukkot holiday or what a sukkah is, any more than a Gentile would go into depth explaining the meaning of Christmas. And it's a great opportunity to do some research on your own! (Or just do what I do and follow Miriam Ezagui on Instagram because she's so warm and delightful and discusses the minutiae of Orthodox Judaism, the way her family practices it, in detail.)
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I loved these books as a kid, and so I picked this one up at the library on a whim. They're still really great middle readers and appropriately historically accurate for the reader age.
Content Warnings
Minor: Body shaming, Child death, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Classism
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It was exactly how you might think a Dear America book should be. I just felt like it fell a little flat in helping us learn about Jewish holidays or traditions, and how the varying countries differ in culture. It was less a JEWISH immigrant girl, more a Jewish IMMIGRANT girl. Also, Dear America books are usually really good about finishing up loose ties and this one didn't. It left me feeling like there should have been more, but not in a good way.
"Who in the world is Millard Fillmore?"
"Millard Fillmore, in spite of living 74 years, had a very boring life and could have done it in half the time."
I like that I finished this book on Purim, which was often mentioned throughout the book.
"Millard Fillmore, in spite of living 74 years, had a very boring life and could have done it in half the time."
I like that I finished this book on Purim, which was often mentioned throughout the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Rereading some of this series for an upcoming Slatebreakers feature is really satisfying. This one was always my favorite, and I'm pleased to report that it was still really good. Zipporah and her sisters are all fabulous characters and I love watching her come into her own through the theatre. Full review up at Slatebreakers, http://slatebreakers.com/2012/07/04/dear-america-review-dreams-in-the-golden-country-by-kathryn-lasky/
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Zippy's story is so charming and relatable for all people with complicated families. I appreciated that the author didn't shy away from difficult topics often skirted in middle grade books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Blood, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Suicide, Xenophobia, War