When Jessie Came Across the Sea

Gorgeous paintings and a graceful, luminous text tell a story that is about much more than immigration itself. I've read a lot of children's historical fiction, and this long picture-book is more meaningful and memorable, and *enjoyable,* than most of the novels I've read. I honestly do recommend it to every reader, young or old.
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Reread for group. Still very highly recommended.

When Jessie Came Across the Sea is a beautifully illustrated book about a 13 year old girl and how she came to America, and her new life once she arrived. It tells about the emotional worry and concern of the immigrants for the ones they left behind and how important it is to save money to bring them over. For Jessie this was especially true regarding her grandmother. Once she was finally able to afford to get her grandma to America her life really was able to move forward.

I loved this book. It has beautiful pictures with a wonderful story to go with them. Although it tells a hard story, the one of immigrants coming to America and what they thought it would be like, it is a easy story to read and really draws you in to the feelings of show more Jessie and what she must be going through. I don't think young children would understand this story, it is best suited for children about third grade to sixth.

This book would be an excellent addition to a lesson on immigration. Although it is fiction, it would help the students understand why people come to America, and what they go through when they first arrive. It would also be good for an art lesson, since it is wonderfully illustrated. Finally, this would be a good book for a lesson about travel during different times. In the book Jessie had to travel by boat and walk, and mail took weeks to get anywhere. Some children may not understand life without airplanes and internet and this would be a good story to show how life was before. show less

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 show more 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. show less

This beautiful paintings in the book truly highlight the story of young Jessie, age 13, who traveled alone to America to find a better life. The journey was long and arduous but Jessie passed the time sewing for people that she met on the boat. Once in America Jessie wrote letters to her grandmother and sewed for a friend of her Rabbi. She worked long and hard for 3 years and upon meeting a boy that would soon be her husband she had enough money to bring her grandmother to live with her. Younger people will be inspired by her tale and shocked by the story of such young girl being sent to live on her own.

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 show more of the story is to be brave. show less

A fictional tale based on the real life jouney many immigrants took to get to America, "When Jessie Came Across the Sea" follows the scary and uncertain path thirteen year old Jessie takes. After a rabbi elects to send Jessie to America to assist his brother's widow, Jessie must deal with leaving her grandmother behind and starting a new life in America. While the weather and long boat ride to Ellis Island are daunting, Jessie finds friendship and eventually love with another immigrant, Lou. Jessie starts a new life for herself in New York City but never loses connection with her grandmother overseas.

"When Jessie Came Across the Sea" tells the story of a young immigrant in an interesting and realistic fashion. Jessie's fear of leaving show more her home and family and embarking on an uncertain journey are vivdly depicted. The hope for a better life in America and the new beginning Jessie found are symbolic of the feelings and experiences many immigrants had in the late nineteenth/early twentieth centuries. show less

13-year old Jessie embarks on a journey from her small village in Eastern Europe to America after she is given a ticket by the local Rabbi. She struggles to leave her beloved grandmother, who has raised her since the death of her parents. She faithfully fulfills the trans-Atlantic voyage and works diligently for three years sewing in a dress shop in New York City. She saves enough money to eventually send for her grandmother and ultimately becomes a bride herself. Amy Hest communicates our heroine's courage easily, in a subtle yet skillful way.