When Jessie Came Across the Sea

Rating:
Summary: A beautiful, touching story
Review: Even though it breaks her heart to be separated from her beloved grandmother, Jessie leaves her small town when she is offered a trip to America. She vividly describes the wonder of living in the new world and finding a new love. She works hard and uses her sewing skills to save toward purchasing a ticket for her grandmother.

This 1998 Kate Greenaway award winner uses lush paintings to portray a realistic setting of the story. The illustrations complement the story, but they are so beautiful that they almost overwhelm the story.

I enjoyed this beautiful story and its beautiful illustrations. Though at times heartbreaking, the story of Jessie and her trip across the sea to America is very inspirational.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book to Read to 7-8 Year Olds Learning about World
Review: My son really enjoyed this story of a young orphaned girl "chosen" (to her dismay) to leave her country and go to America by herself, leaving behind her grandmother. The pictures are excellent, and the story moves quickly. The story provoked frequent questions by my son such as: "Why did Jessie have to leave her homeland and her grandmother?" and "Why did the villagers think going to America was such a good thing?" Because Jessie was a child, my son identified with her. A beautiful story.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful
Review: Somehow, I always have a fondness for beautiful picture books. I always feel that a children's picture book should be something of beauty that is timeless...something that we can all treasure but something that is especially written in the straightforward language that a child understands. This is certainly not one of those mediocre, trashily illustrated, dime-a-dozen children's book. It is the uplifting story of Jessie, a girl who comes to America to begin a new life. The language is simple but beautiful, and Jessie is someone who we can all love. And the illustrations...oh!!! They are so gorgeously realistic; especially the cover with its beautifully done painting of immigrants watching the Statue of Liberty as they arrive in America. Beautiful story, beautiful pictures...what more could you want? "When Jessie Came Accross the Sea" is the kind of book that every child should have.

Rating:
Summary: A Picture Book For History Students Of All Ages
Review: This beautifully illustrated picture book tells the coming-of age story of a young Jewish girl in an eloquent historically-based fashion. Jessie, a poor Jewish girl in a land far away, lives with her grandmother in a small village. A letter is sent to the Rabbi of the village asking that he come to America. Feeling that he must stay with his people, the Rabbi sends Jessie as his representative. Young Jessie journeys to America and, over the next three years, writes her grandmother who still lives in the village to tell her of her many adventures.
The illustrations in this book, done in watercolor and guache, are so very realistic that even the most minute details ae brought to life. The text and the pictures form a cohesive partnership, even down to the placement of the text on the page and the font chosen as Jessie writes to her grandmother. While the beginning maintains the natural flow of a hallmark picture book, the text can, at times, jump from one setting to the next in one page turn with only a statement like "weeks pass" and "three years later". This leaves the readers to account in their own minds for the missing time when the timeline of the pictures and story is so crucial to the plot line. However, the undeniably impressive spirit of the illustrations definitely makes up for the somewhat jaunty feel of the text.
This book may be used with primary and intermediate grades in American History units involving discussions of emigration to the United States. Considering that this book holds and endorsement from the Jewish Museum of New York City for its historical authenticity, it may also be used in units that discuss the cultural diversity of the United States.

Rating:
Summary: Touching
Review: This book is about a young girl named Jessie and her grandmother. They live in Eastern European. One day, the Rabbi informs the villagers that his brother has died and left him one ticket to "the promised land." The rabbi does not want to leave his people and decides to give the ticket to 13-year-old Jessie. In America, Jessie follows in her grandmother's footsteps and becomes a dressmaker. She works for three years until she has enough saved to purchase another ticket--for her grandmother. I found this book to be very moving. Not only was it a touching story but the illustrations were breath taking. The author sends a wonderful message of bravery and strength. This is a great "coming to America" book.

Rating:
Summary: Touching
Review: This book is about a young girl named Jessie and her grandmother. They live in Eastern European. One day, the Rabbi informs the villagers that his brother has died and left him one ticket to "the promised land." The rabbi does not want to leave his people and decides to give the ticket to 13-year-old Jessie. In America, Jessie follows in her grandmother's footsteps and becomes a dressmaker. She works for three years until she has enough saved to purchase another ticket--for her grandmother. I found this book to be very moving. Not only was it a touching story but the illustrations were breath taking. The author sends a wonderful message of bravery and strength. This is a great "coming to America" book.

Rating:
Summary: Sydney Taylor Award Honor Book for Younger Children
Review: When Jessie Came Across the Sea is a strikingly handsome picture book, an immigration romance with dramatic illustrations setting off sentimental text. The eponymous Jessie, an orphan maid, makes her way in the wide world from shtetl to America where she works hard until Prince Charming comes along. Narrow, sad past blossoms into boundless future in a three-hanky happy ending. For elementary school age children.