Watch The Stars Come Out

Title: Watch the Stars Come Out

Author: Riki Levinson

Genre: Historical Fiction

Summary: A little girl’s grandma told her stories of her mama and how similar they were. They both had red hair, liked to go to bed very early, and watch the stars come out at night. The little girls tells a story about her journey on a big boat to America. She went with her big brother, while their mama, papa and sister waited for them. On the boat, an old lady watched over them. Once in a while, the boat rocked back and forth and people got sick. The old lady got very sick and she died, so the girl’s brother, who was ten years old at the time, told her not to worry because he would take care of her. At night, she got sad because she couldn’t see the stars come out. Finally, one morning, he woke up to see two islands. One had a statue on it. This was the Statue of Liberty. They got their bags, but didn’t see mama, papa or sister. They went on another boat and to a place on an island. They got off the boat and carried their things into a room full of other children with mamas and papas. The next day, the children went on a ferry. The land came closer and closer and everyone waved, including the little girl and her brother. Mama, papa and sister were there! When they got home, mama said it was like a palace. Mama and papa had their room in the middle and the children had their room in the front. In the back was the kitchen with a black stove and a sink to bathe in. Mama brushed her hair and sister gave those cookies and tea. That Friday night, she was able to go to bed very early, like she loved to do. She watched the starts come out and hoped that her grandma would come and tell her another story.

Setting: a boat, New York Harbor, Ellis Island

Plot: getting to a family safely

Theme: N/A

Setting: boat to America, New York City, Ellis Island

Opinion: I thought this book was okay. It wasn’t my favorite and I was confused as to what importance the older lady had on the boat, especially since she died soon after her character was introduced. Also, the title was only mentioned and understood in the book in the very beginning and the end, and the stars were only mentioned once in the middle of the book while the little girl and her brother were on the boat.