A Piece of Home [Hardcover]

Sonia Levitin (Author), Juan Wijngaard (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1996 | Age Level: 4 and up

Gregor decides to take his special blanket when his family leaves Russia to live in America, but he worries about his choice all during the journey.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When Gregor's family emigrates to the United States from Russia, he is allowed to take one item. The "piece of home" he chooses is his baby blanket-a surprising choice for a school-age boy, and indicative of Gregor's anxiety. But his dicey choice only compounds his trepidation: Will his American cousin Elie think he is a baby for bringing a blanket? Levitin (Nine for California) tells this tale with great empathy, steering clear of sentimentality. Gregor's divided feelings ring true, as do those of his anxious and excited parents. Wijngaard's (Emma Bean) realistic watercolor renderings, perceptive and expressive, virtually tell the story on their own. He captures moments so clearly-Gregor's skeptical inspection of American airplane food, for example-that young readers will feel they are sharing these characters' experience. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-When young Gregor and his family leave their home in Russia for America, each chooses one "special treasure" to bring. For Mama, it's a samovar; for Papa it's a garmoshka, a small accordion; for Gregor it's the comforting blanket Great-Grandmother made. The boy immediately regrets his choice because he fears his American cousin Elie, who is his age, will make fun of him. Instead, the blanket dissolves the unfamiliarity between them. Written in short sentences, the present-tense narrative conveys the tension of the move. The strangeness of the family's new situation is revealed through small details. Realistic watercolor paintings are documentary rather than dramatic, moving the story along with an appropriately austere mood. The highest emotional pitch occurs when the boys' mothers acknowledge how much they've missed one another. This title will be a good conversation starter about emigration, but it lacks the resonance of other books about family heirlooms, such as Tony Johnston's The Quilt Story (1992) and Steve Sanfield's Bit by Bit (1995, both Putnam).
Carolyn Noah, Central Mass. Regional Library System, Worcester, MA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dial (November 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803716257
• ISBN-13: 978-0803716254
• Product Dimensions: 20 x 20 x 20 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,310,775 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

My life is mainly devoted to friends and family, my writing and my home. I enjoy hiking in the mountains, especially with my dogs. You can see their pics on my web page, and also pics of my family andfriends. I like to traveling to interesting places. I've been to Europe, parts of Asia, Hawaii, and many beautiful places in the U.S. My most exciting new project is working with a great team on creating a musical based on my novel The Return. We plan the premier in fall, 2006, and now we're casting and soon going into rehearsal.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Sweet story, February 14, 2007

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Flamer (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Piece of Home (Hardcover)

Great book for kids dealing with moving from another country to the U.S. Book was delivered quickly. No problems.