When Jessie Came Across the Sea (1997)

great story about a young woman coming to America, good way to include books in the history or social studies classroom. ( )

I liked this book for many reasons. The pictures in the story really help the reader follow and feel connected. I could feel the emotions that Jessie’s grandmother had when she was told that Jessie would be going to America. When Jessie is on the boat, I really felt like I was there with her by the way the author described the people that she was meeting. The author develops the character of Jessie really well throughout the book. She was scared to go to America and leave her family but she was brave and got right to work when she arrived. This books gives a great insight to immigration and how hard it is to adjust to being somewhere new. This books takes place a long time ago but the concept is still relevant now. I think the message of the story is to be brave. ( )

A great story of a young immigrant moving away from her beloved grandma to live in America. It's a great book to show kids the process of immigration back then and through the eyes of someone their own age is a great feat. Good job. I definitely recommend this book for a social studies library. ( )

This book tells the story about a girl who finds herself having to leave everything she knows, overcoming her situation with bravery, and being okay in the end. Good for a lesson on immigration or Ellis island. ( )

When Jesse Came Across the Sea is an enjoyable story about a young woman, Jessie, who immigrates by herself from Eastern Europe to the United States. Her journey to America is a very difficult one, Jessie is ill and sad to leave behind her grandmother and home. But as her journey on sea progresses, she begins to make friends and actually laughs for the first time since leaving. Then, when she arrives in New York, she is scared at first, but eventually begins sewing beautiful dresses and learning English successfully. I highlight those plot points because I feel like they represent a huge lesson of this story, that at the beginning of new journeys, it is always difficult and scary. But if you give yourself and the situation a chance, you can adapt and learn to love new experiences and opportunities. I really enjoyed this book, and I think students will as well. The story really gives you an insight into the grueling journey across the sea and the difficulty of adapting to a new country. The illustrations are very beautiful and descriptive, helping the story progress along nicely. While in Jessie's village, the illustrations are darker, with almost a brown/red color to them. Then when she arrives in New York, we see blue skies and brighter colors, showing the promise of what her new life has to offer. I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. ( )