Letters from Rifka [Paperback]

Karen Hesse (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2001

Rifka knows nothing about America when she flees from Russia with her family in 1919. But she dreams she will at last be safe from the Russian soldiers and their harsh treatment of the Jews in the new country. Throughout her journey, Rifka carries with her a cherished volume of poetry by Alexander Pushkin. In it, she records her observations and experiences in the form of letters to her beloved cousin she has left behind. Strong-hearted and determined, Rifka must endure a great deal: humiliating examinations by doctors and soldiers, deadly typhus, separation from all she has ever known and loved, murderous storms at sea — and as if this is not enough, the loss of her glorious golden hair. And even if she does make it to America, she’s not sure America will have her. “Hesse’s vivacious tale colorfully and convincingly refreshes the immigrant experience.” — Publishers Weekly, Starred Review “Based largely on the memories of the author’s great-aunt, this historical novel has a plot, characters, and style that will make it an often-requested choice from young readers. A vivid, memorable, and involving reading experience.” - School Library Journal, Starred Review

--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Twelve-year-old Rifka's journey from a Jewish community in the Ukraine to Ellis Island is anything but smooth sailing. Modeled on the author's great-aunt, Rifka surmounts one obstacle after another in this riveting novel. First she outwits a band of Russian soldiers, enabling her family to escape to Poland. There the family is struck with typhus. Everyone recovers, but Rifka catches ringworm on the next stage of the journey--and is denied passage to America ("If the child arrives . . . with this disease," explains the steamship's doctor, "the Americans will turn her around and send her right back to Poland"). Rifka's family must leave without her, and she is billeted in Belgium for an agreeable if lengthy recovery. Further trials, including a deadly storm at sea and a quarantine, do not faze this resourceful girl. Told in the form of "letters" written by Rifka in the margins of a volume of Pushkin's verse and addressed to a Russian relative, Hesse's vivacious tale colorfully and convincingly refreshes the immigrant experience. Ages 9-12.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Gr 4-8-Listeners will be immediately drawn into this compelling and touching story of Rifka, a 12-year-old girl fleeing to America from a Jewish community in Russia in 1919. Karen Hesse's author's note indicating that the story (Holt, 1992) is based on a chapter in her great aunt's life combined with the letter format and Angela Dawe's emotional narration provides a deep and layered intimacy that will connect listeners to Rifka. Although she realizes that it will be a difficult journey, Rifka is excited about arriving in America, connecting with brothers she has never met, and having the opportunity "do everything there." Through letters to her cousin back in Russia that she knows she can never send, written inside the pages and margins of a poetry book by Alexander Pushkin, Rifka tells her story of dealing with Russian soldiers, typhus, quarantine, a storm and sea, and more. Short poems preface each letter. Angela Dawe becomes each character, and she ably expresses Rifka's fear, despair, suspicion, and ultimate hope. Rifka grows and becomes stronger through her experiences, and this is palpable as Dawe expertly changes vocal tones. A fine supplement to the history curriculum.-Stephanie A. Squicciarini, Fairport Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 148 pages
• Publisher: Puffin Books (June 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0141311967
• ISBN-13: 978-0141311968
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (95 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,827,193 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #93 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > Fiction > Holocaust

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enthralling immigration story, November 13, 2004

By 

F. Orion Pozo "Orion Pozo" (Raleigh, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Letters from Rifka (Mass Market Paperback)

I started reading this book because it won an impressive number of awards:

National Jewish Book Award

International reading Association Children's Book Award

Sydney Taylor Book Award

American Library Association Notable Book

School Library journal Best Book of the Year

Horn Book Outstanding Book of the Year, and

Booklist Editor's Choice.

However once I started reading it, I was taken with the simple and compelling story.

The book consists of a series of letters written by 12 year old Rifka to her cousin in Russia. They start when in 1919, to avoid persecution, Rifka and her parents and two older brothers have to suddenly leave Russia in the middle of the night with just a small backpack and the clothes on her back. One of these few possessions is a book of Pushkin's poetry given to her by her cousin Tovah. Their destination is the United States where two of her brothers already live.

To calm her fears and give her something to do during the lonely hours of travel, Rifka starts to write letters to Tovah in the blank spaces in the book. The story evolves through these letters which Rifka knows she will not be able to mail until she reaches the US. In the book, each letter is preceded by a quote from a Pushkin poem.

Rifka's trip is not easy. She gets separated from her family and it takes over a year before she learns if she will be reunited with them. At a time when Jewish children are normally surrounded with family celebrating their coming of age, Rifka is alone and in charge of her own destiny.

The book excels in character development, historic accuracy, and plot. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in immigration stories, Jewish history, or young women's literature.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's so exiting & you never know what will happen., January 26, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Letters from Rifka (Mass Market Paperback)

This is one of my favorite books. One of the reasons that I like it so much is because you can acually imagine yourself as Rifka. You can feel the way that she does and you just want to read on and on and on. This book tells you about how the Russians treated the Jews. This book is so exciting clear until the end. It doesn't all of a sudden stop either, like some other books I've read.I would definitely reccommend this book to anyone.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring story!, August 8, 2006

By 

Colleen McMahon ""Omnivorous Reader"" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Letters from Rifka (Mass Market Paperback)

Written as a series of letters from Rifka to a cousin back in Russia, this book tells the story of a Jewish girl's tortured path of emigrating to the US. Rifka and her family leave Russia in 1919 after her brothers flee from the Russian army, where Jewish draftees are abused and often killed. Rifka is the only girl and is a key part of their escape, and then must call on even more resources when illness leads to her being left behind in Poland, having to follow on her own after she recovers.

The letter format made this a quick and easy read and very inspiring too, especially after the words from the author reveal that the story is based on the true story of what one of her relatives endured in emigrating to America. It's a great read for 9-13 year olds interested in immigration and history, and especially for girls as it portrays an independent and resourceful heroine who is able to first help her whole family escape from Russia and then travel on her own the majority of the way to the United States. Not an easily forgotten story, even for this adult reader.