Ellis Island (National Geographic Readers Series)

by Elizabeth Carney

Overview

Explore the history of Ellis Island, one of the most recognized landmarks in American history. Kids will learn about its early history as a Mohegan island and rest spot for fishermen through its time as a famous immigration station to today's museum. The level 3 text provides accessible, yet wide-ranging, information for independent readers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781426323416
Publisher:	Disney Publishing Group
Publication date:	04/12/2016
Series:	Readers
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	95,507
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	800L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

ELIZABETH CARNEY is a writer and editor based in Brooklyn, New York. She specializes in nonfiction children's books and science, math, and STEM-related magazines. Her author credits include Everything Big Cats, Everything Dolphins, Great Migrations: Whales, Wildebeests, Butterflies, Elephants, and Other Amazing Animals on the Move, and several titles in the Face to Face and National Geographic Readers series. Carney received the 2005 AAAS Science Journalism Award for science reporting for children. Her titles Face to Face With Cheetahs, Face to Face With Gorillas, and Great Migrations: Whales, Wildebeests, Butterflies, Elephants, and Other Amazing Animals on the Move appeared on the National Science Teachers Association's Outstanding Science Trade Book list for 2008, 2009, and 2010 respectively.

Table of Contents

Island of Hope 4

American Dreams 8

A Difficult Trip 10

Gull Island 12

Buildings of Ellis Island 16

On American Soil 18

6 Cool Facts about Ellis Island 24

Trouble Upon Arrival 26

Helping Out 30

Beyond Ellis Island 32

Making an Impact 34

A Deserted Village 38

Restoring a Monument 40

Quiz Whiz 44

Glossary 46

Index 48

Editorial Reviews

05/01/2016
Gr 1–3—This slim volume about Ellis Island fills a need for basic, early-elementary materials. The introduction, which tells the story of Annie Moore and her two little brothers—the first immigrants to pass through Ellis Island—serves to personalize the material and draw in its intended audience of newly fluent readers, while an abundance of primary source photographs and a "Cool Facts" spread spark further interest. Divided into short, easy-to-digest mini-chapters, the text packs a large amount of high-interest information into a small space without being overwhelming. Sentences are mostly short and declarative, and the narrative flows evenly, with no disruptive sentence or paragraph breaks across pages. An illustrated glossary further aids comprehension. Where the book falters, however, is in its design. There is an overabundance of visual elements (changing background colors, text boxes, insets, and photos all within a single spread). These are distracting and tend to overwhelm the more subtle black-and-white photos that are this book's strength. Another negative for the library market is the inclusion of a multiple-choice quiz; many young patrons will be inclined to circle their answers. Finally, while the lack of sources in what is ultimately meant as an easy reader is perhaps understandable, the overall package would nonetheless have been stronger with their inclusion. VERDICT Despite its design flaws, this Ellis Island primer's easy readability and high-interest treatment of its subject matter make it a welcome entry in a relatively uncrowded field.—Eileen Makoff, P.S. 90 Edna Cohen School, NY

School Library Journal