Review Detail

Written entirely in dialogue, this beautifully arranged book features incredibly well-written yet concise immigration history, told from a grandfather's personal perspective. A granddaughter comes to visit her elderly, Italian grandfather, and she picks out an old 'diary' made up entirely of old matchboxes in an empty cigar box. Within each matchbox is a token from his childhood--and every item has a significant, important story to match it. As you read it, you're exposed to very real, very stark images in the impeccable illustrations which convey each difficult step on her grandfather's journey from Italy to America and his family's life, trying to make a living once here. The illustrations are painstakingly well-done, and look almost like photographs in their attention to detail and beauty. I am excited and happy to have this lovely book in our library to use as an incredible visual and historical addition to what we learn about our history and the many nationalities that comprise what we call "Americans."