Making a New Home in America

By: Maxine B. Rosenberg, George Ancona
Publisher: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, 1986
Age Level: 9-12
Language: English
ISBN: 0-688-05824-8

OUT OF PRINT

Leaving the country of one’s birth to live in another is never easy. Saying good-bye to old friends and familiar customs is difficult, even though the reasons for leaving may be as compelling as a war-torn homeland or a government that does not allow its people to practice the religion of their choice or to talk freely about ideas.

With the same sensitivity, warmth, and matter-of-fact frankness that characterized all their collaborations, Maxine B. Rosenberg and George Ancona explore the feelings of four young new comers to the United States. Two of the young people presented here have immigrated with their families and plan to become citizens; the other two have come on temporary visas because their fathers have been transferred on business.

All four children experienced fear, confusion, and some sadness in the early months. Only after a period of adjustment have they begun to be open to the wonders and surprises of a new life. Their stories are juxtaposed with a moving epilogue about a sixteen-year-old Vietnamese immigrant, who reminds us how much newcomers add to the richness of this country as well as how much America contributes to their lives.