Levitin, S. (2007). The Junkman’s Daughter. Ilus. Guy Porfirio. Chelsea, MI: Sleeping Bear Press.
Brief Annotation: Hanna and family left their home country for America. Her father promised Hanna and her brothers that in America the streets are lined with gold. All Hanna and her family found when they reached America was cold nights and endless hunger. Until one day when they were walking to school huddled together for warmth, they stumbled upon something shiny. It was not gold, but it would change their lives forever. They started a family business collecting and selling junk. This is an inspirational tale that proves that in America dreams do come true with hard work and a little luck.
Genre: Historical Fiction Picture Book
Grade Level: 3-6
Readers who will like this book like learning about immigration. Readers also like happy endings about families.
Response/Rating (1-4): 4. This story was inspirational. It was an authentic interpretation of person’s genuine feelings. I particularly liked how the story ended with Hanna gown and waving out the window to and “Abram and Family” work truck.
One question you would ask before a read aloud: What do you think it would be like to come to be in a new country?
Reading Strategies Connection: Literature Map (Yopp, Yopp – pp. 65) There are many aspects of this story that a student could map like Hanna ,her school and her working, her father, struggling to support his family and his temptation to give up and move back, Hanna’s mother, or immigration. There are many great ideas that a student could focus on with this story. This map could be a gateway to talking about other immigrants and how they made their way in America. After writing down questions students had about the story, they could read about Sonia Levitin’s life to see if any of their questions were answered.
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