Seasons of Service

Coming to America Stories

A Day's Work by Eve Bunting 1997: Houghton Miflin. An immigration story about a Mexican boy, his grandfather, and the values they teach each other.

How Many Days to America? by Eve Bunting 1988: Clarion Books. Paralleling the original Thanksgiving story, a refugee family copes with danger during their Caribbean voyage to reach the United States.

I Was Dreaming to Come to America: Memories from the Ellis Island Oral History Project illustrated by Veronica Lawlor with the Ellis Island Oral History Project 1997: Scotts Foresman. Fifteen excerpted passages describe "the melting pot view of immigration."

Oranges on Golden Mountain by Elizabeth Partridge 2001: Dutton Books. A young Chinese fisherman comes to California in 1850 and finds a new life that is both rewarding and lonely.

Tea with Milk by Allen Say 1999: Houghton Mifflin Company. A Japanese girl grows up in San Francisco and returns with her parents to their native Japan where she experiences cultural conflict.

The Colors of Freedom: Immigrant Stories by Janet Bode 2000: Franklin Watts. Although this anthology of immigrant voices is for Grade 7-12, the student writings, interviews, poems and artwork are powerful descriptions of how contemporary young people deal with coming to America. Good for read aloud & sharing.

The Memory Coat by Elvira Woodruff 1999: Scholastic Press. A turn of the century story about a Russian Jewish family coming to Ellis Island.

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