Customer Reviews

When I First Came to This Land

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Many baby boomers will remember joyfully singing Oscar Brand's folksong, "When I First Came to this Land," in primary school. Harriet Ziefert's story version, paired with Caldecott Award Winner Simms Taback's lively illustrations, introduces this simple immigration story to another generation of children. The repetitive language and humorous illustrations should appeal to students as they follow the adventures of a typical nineteenth century immigrant pursuing the American dream. Aimed at primary students, this imaginative book could serve as an introduction to American immigration history for students at any grade level.

I purchased this book to introduce a unit on culture to 2nd grade students. I like the way it explains that when we come to a new land it is not always easy to get what you are seeking. The author explains that with hard work we can achieve our goals and become happy. I like that the words are written as a song in the back of the book. I did not like that it did not give the music to go with the song. I will teach it to the students as a poem.

I use this book in my 3rd grade music classes. It has wonderful illustrations, provides an age-appropriate example of cumulative form in music, is a good example of how the lyrics of folk songs sometimes get changed over time, and teaches a bit about American history and the American experience at the same time. I highly recommend it for school libraries!

A young immigrant has arrived to the United States and its territories in the late 1800s. Although he has little money, he uses his courage, physical strength, and a sense of humor to start a working farm. With his new wife and son, together they prosper in the new land. This cheerful book, rooted in folklore and based on a song by Oscar Brand, incorporates important economics lessons about natural resources, human resources, and economic history. Caldecott Medal-winning artist Simms Taback provides striking illustrations that give readers a sense of the challenges and accomplishments that America's new immigrants experienced as they settled in the western territories.

Fine book, based on the song by Oscar Brand, but this "2007 edition" has the same ISBN as the 1998 issue and seems identical in every aspect.