Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

A first-time author re-creates her father's experience of coming to America early in this century with his family. Krysia, the youngest child, describes a typical but uneventful journey, going through immigration, then being met on Christmas Eve by Papa, who's already established a home. Unfortunately--despite a nice moment when Mama gives Krysia a beloved doll as a Christmas gift--the straightforward, rather choppy account never quite comes to life. Still, authentic details plus Nolan's misty, rather somber paintings capture the period--especially the Ellis Island site--with grace and care. (Young reader/Picture book. 5- 9)

Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Fiction: Y Kyrsia and her brothers leave Poland with their mother to join their father in America. After an arduous ocean voyage, they arrive at Ellis Island on Christmas Eve. Sepia-toned and soft-edged, the illustrations convey a young immigrant's hopes and fears. Horn Rating: Recommended, satisfactory in style, content, and/or illustration. Reviewed by: cls (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Ages 5-8. In an upbeat picture book about a Polish child coming to America at the turn of the century, six-year-old Krysia describes her journey with her mother and brothers: the sad leaving from their village home; the longing to join her father, who had gone ahead of them; the cramped, sometimes stormy crossing; the first view of the Statue of Liberty; the arrival at Ellis Island on Christmas Eve; the forms and medicals and uncertainty. Nolan's soft-textured watercolors express Krysia's bewilderment and hope. Through her eyes, we see the smiling warmth that radiates from her mother, even among the blurry lines and confusion of the crowded immigration halls. The Christmas tree is a sign of joyful connection, and Krysia learns that the Polish Saint Mikolaj is called Santa Claus in America. The climactic family reunion in glowing earth colors contrasts with the final misty view of the New York skyline as they leave the island for their new home. Leighton's language is quiet, and the incidents are general enough for children and those who read to them to fill in the details of their own family journeys. The tiny illustrations of a battered passport and a sepia photograph will touch memories across generations. ~--Hazel Rochman