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Letters from Rifka
Letters from Rifka | K. Hesse
38 posts | 39 read | 40 to read
In letters to her cousin in Russia, 12-year-old Rifka tells of her journey in 1919 to America, from the dangerous escape over the border to the journey through Europe and across the sea to the new country.
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ImperfectCJ
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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Pickpick

I'm not a fan of epistolary fiction, but this cross between diary and correspondence isn't bad. Hesse does a good job of capturing Rifka's age (12-13) and the contradictions of childishness and impending adulthood. She also does well showing the challenge of adjusting to a culture different from that one has grown up in and giving a little of the history of immigration to the US from Russia and eastern Europe during the early 20th century.

MidnightBookGirl I have two dear friends who loved this book as kids (and even dreamed of writing a screenplay about it before settling into adulthoods that didn't involve screenwriting), so they made me read this when I became friends with them. It's a great book! 3y
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review
K.Wielechowski
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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Pickpick

One of the books for my reading challenge is a book from your childhood so I picked one of my favorites to reread.
Rifka is a Jewish girl from Russia on the eve of WWII. Her brothers were in danger of being drafted into the army so the family fled Russia for America. Rifka catches ring worm and stays behind in Belgium for treatment while her family goes to America. The story is told in letters to her cousin Tovah back in Russia.

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mrp27
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Pickpick

#booked2020 #finishinaday

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Told through letters to her cousin, a young Jewish girl tells of her journey from Russia to America in 1919. Inspired by the authors aunt own immigrant story.

Bookwormjillk Sounds good! 4y
mrp27 @Bookwormjillk It was. I read it with the mg buddy read group. Middle grade fiction is one of my favorite genres. 4y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Nice! I might read some MG ... adult books are too real ... 4y
Cinfhen I‘ve heard this book is really special 4y
35 likes4 comments
review
GatheringBooks
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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Pickpick

#FebruaryFeels Day 28: The first letter from Rifka was dated September 2, 1919 in Russia. The entire book consists of letters that Rifka wrote to her Cousin Tovah, detailing the heart-in-your-throat moments that surround her Jewish family‘s escape from Russia to Poland then ultimately to the United States. Not quite #Loveletters but close enough. My review: https://wp.me/pDlzr-EM

Eggs Love Karen Hesse 💕💕 4y
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Lmstraubie
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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Sace I do feel like the themes of this book are still relevant today and would be a perfect part of a unit on immigration. 4y
Sace In addition to many other books too. 4y
sblbooks Agree with @Sace Thanks for hosting this month! 4y
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megnews Thanks for hosting!! 4y
Peddler410 I agree with @Sace 4y
mrp27 Thanks for hosting, I really enjoyed it. 4y
JaclynW @Sace Definitely!! This was a great book. Thanks for hosting. @mrp27 @Peddler410 @megnews @sblbooks Do any of you know how this book is reviewed by students? I'm curious to hear their thoughts. 4y
mrp27 @JaclynW Sadly I don't. My niece is 12 and I'm definitely going to recommend this to her, I think she'll like it. 4y
JaclynW @mrp27 I like to buy books for my nieces and nephews as birthday gifts, I might do this one. 4y
TheBookHippie So sorry to be late! Wonderful read! 4y
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Lmstraubie
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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Sace *snort* she's blond and from Russia. She'd be fine. It's the brown people fleeing for their lives our country has problems with (man... I am really bitter and cynical today...) 4y
Peddler410 I‘m not sure it would be different. 4y
mrp27 Well for one ringworm wouldn't bar anyone from entering the country nowadays at least I don't think so, and sadly I agree she's blond and multilingual so I don't think she'd have a hard time being allowed into the country. Her journey may still have been difficult though. 4y
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JaclynW @Sace 😂😂😂 4y
JaclynW I honestly have no idea how it would be but now I'm really curious. 4y
TheBookHippie @Sace word. ✊🏼 4y
6 likes6 comments
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Lmstraubie
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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megnews I am not surprised by this. When I visited Ellis Island we learned women could not leave without a male escort. There were laws to only take able bodied immigrants who would not be a burden on society. They gave “intelligence tests.” I listened to a recording of an immigrant who came at a young age and whose grandmother was turned back because she was too old. Never saw her again. It was quite sad. 4y
sblbooks It's ridiculous! What does being bald have to do with being a good citizen. You shouldn't discriminate against somebody for being single, and you base your decision to marry someone on how much hair they have. 4y
Sace Anger. Aren't we still using similar arguments to keep refugees out even today? 4y
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sblbooks @megnews It's a good thing I was born here because I wouldn't have been allowed entry. I have a disability, but I have never relied on the government for any assistance. I've always had a full-time job. I'm sure at that time it would be much more difficult for someone in my condition, but that's still no reason to keep them out. 4y
megnews @sblbooks it‘s very sad that humans tend to lump groups into categories and cast judgement on who is worthwhile and who not. So many people with disabilities have made great contributions to society and so many who aren‘t disabled don‘t. Why the need to judge value based on this or any category??? 🤷🏻‍♀️ 4y
sblbooks @megnews exactly, good ? 4y
megnews @sblbooks we‘re good. I hope you didn‘t think I agreed with that. Was just mentioning what they told us there about the laws and reasoning for immigrants at the time. 4y
sblbooks @megnews no, I meant "why the need to judge value based on this or any category" was a good question! I don't know why people do that, we always seem to focus on what makes us different, instead of similarities. 4y
megnews @sblbooks ahh I understand now. I agree. We have so much more in common than different 4y
Daisey This was frustrating but not surprising to me. The thing that surprised me was how they still had to argue her case once she clearly demonstrated her skill with the children and languages. 4y
Peddler410 I agree with what others have said. This was very frustrating and sad that it actually happened. 4y
mrp27 Absolutely ridiculous but it was a period of time when it was not common that women supported themselves. Sadly we haven't come very far from these backwards thoughts. Just take a gander at our current immigration laws and policies. 4y
JaclynW Agreed!! ⬆️ It is so sad, frustrating and ridiculous. These shouldn't be reasons to keep people out. 4y
TheBookHippie So infuriating ... 4y
6 likes14 comments
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Lmstraubie
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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Sace My cynical response - the naivete of youth. 4y
Peddler410 I thought the same thing @Sace 4y
Sace @Peddler410 I feel so bad about my cranky cynicism. It doesn't mean I didn't like the book though! 4y
JaclynW Some personalities are more naturally optimistic I think. But it could be her age like @Sace @Peddler410 said. 4y
TheBookHippie I think she was extremely intelligent and I think she was gifted a spirit of hope. Age maybe but I see cynical 4 year olds daily. I think a strong will to survive is a gift. She had it. It made her have hope. 4y
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Lmstraubie
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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sblbooks It helps her adjust quickly to new cultures in different countries, like Belgium. She was also able to help others, by translating. 4y
Sace It also makes her less dependent on others. 4y
Sace PS it's easy to be taken advantage of when you have to be dependant on a translator. 4y
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Daisey I agree with the comments by @Sace and @sblbooks. I also think it will make her successful in the U.S. as well as probably helping her whole family. 4y
Peddler410 I agree with everyone @sblbooks @Sace @Daisey 4y
mrp27 Helps her to assimilate more quickly. 4y
Sace @Daisey especially since at that time (and even long after) bilingualism was practically considered treason. And it's not just her ability to understand, she was able to pick up speaking. Granted it's easier when you're young. People are sometimes criticized for not learning English just because they don't speak it well. It's a lot easier to understand than to actually take the step of speaking. 4y
JaclynW Agree with everyone ⬆️ Knowing multiple languages is always a benefit. I wish I were more multilingual. (I do know Spanish. Sort of.) 4y
TheBookHippie Huge benefit to her surviving it all. 4y
7 likes9 comments
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Lmstraubie
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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sblbooks I quess that's what older brothers do. Sibling rivalry. I think it bothered Saul that Rifka adjusted quicker than he did. 4y
megnews @sblbooks agree about siblings 4y
mrp27 In some ways he was just being a typical big brother but I also think there was a hint of jealousy. Perhaps that was just how he dealt with the horrors they were forced to live through. 4y
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JaclynW @sblbooks @megnews @mrp27 What about him feeling the stress/burden to protect her?? That's what I thought. I think he really cared for her. I think he worried about her safety. To me, he was a protective brother. He just showed his love differently. 4y
mrp27 @JaclynW I agree. That's part of what I was trying to say about him dealing with the difficult circumstances in his own kind of way, protecting her, himself. 4y
JaclynW @mrp27 Living in those circumstances at that time would be a lot to deal with. It would definitely wear on people and alter behaviors. 4y
TheBookHippie Fight flight I think the stress of it all. 4y
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Lmstraubie
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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Sace Oh hell no. They weren't safe anyway. I'm sure the uncle was targeted soon after by virtue of having wealth. 4y
Daisey No, I do not at all think she should actually send the letters. They reveal too much. 4y
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mrp27 No way. That's all I could think about as she was writing these letters, too much info that could to lots of trouble. 4y
JaclynW NO! That's so sad to me too. I can't imagine.... 4y
TheBookHippie No!!!!! Oye. 4y
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Lmstraubie
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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sblbooks I like the style, it gives it a more personal touch. 4y
megnews I think it gives the sense of finality when immigrants left the Old World and everything they knew behind and how many families never saw each other again. 4y
Sace I think it also makes the reader feel an instant connection with Rifka. The letter format allows direct address (ie "you.) 4y
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megnews I love books written as letters. 4y
Daisey I agree with @Sace and and that it makes everything written feel very personal. Especially when writing a letter that might not be sent, the writer expresses exactly what they are thinking and feeling. 4y
Peddler410 This format is a great way to build a more personal connection, as others have already mentioned. It also gives the story a uniqueness among many set in the time period. 4y
mrp27 I agree about the letters making it feel more personal, almost like writing in a journal. 4y
JaclynW @sblbooks @Sace @Daisey @Peddler410 @mrp27 Agreed. Letters really do give a personal touch. It jumps right into the real, genuine person and their inner thoughts. @megnews I love books written in this format too. 4y
TheBookHippie I agree with the personal relational so you are invested and feel it. 4y
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Lmstraubie
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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Daisey I actually wondered about this some as I read and it looks like none of us really have an answer. Maybe his business was already well established before persecution picked up and money talks? 4y
Peddler410 I would have to agree with @Daisey 4y
mrp27 I agree with the others but I also wondered if he provided a service that was needed and valuable by the government or something like that. 4y
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JaclynW @Daisey @Peddler410 @mrp27 I wondered those things as well. I also thought he may be paying them money to let him stay. Or giving much needed jobs to the locals. 4y
TheBookHippie He probably put it in a benefactors name the benefactor takes a cut and registers it with the government. It‘s a risk but it is how most Jews had to do business during severe times of persecution very popular way in Germany and the Netherlands as well. @JaclynW @Daisey @Peddler410 @mrp27 4y
JaclynW @TheBookHippie Oh wow. I didn't know that. 4y
TheBookHippie @JaclynW it is also how Anne Franks family did it. 4y
JaclynW @TheBookHippie I feel like I should know this! Thanks for bringing it to my attention! 4y
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Lmstraubie
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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megnews I suppose it is toward the end of the persecution of Jews shown in The Fiddler on the Roof. 4y
sblbooks No, I have read numerous Holocaust historical fiction novels. I don't remember any about Russian Jews. 4y
Sace Yes. Unfortunately I can't remember where I heard about it. Maybe some book by Cynthia Freeman? 4y
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Chelsibno Yes, I first learned about it from the movie An American Tail. 4y
Daisey I‘ve read some about persecution of different groups in Russia, but not specifically Jews. 4y
Peddler410 I read this book quite a while ago and that was my introduction. 4y
mrp27 I don't recall when or how I learned about this but I was aware before I read this book. 4y
JaclynW I am not really familiar with the persecution of the Jewish people in Russia. I've heard bits, but never read it in a book or dove into it deeply. I've mostly learned about the Nazis. 4y
JaclynW The Russians seemed to be quite brutal though in what I have heard. Brutal to everyone who wasn't Russian. I'm curious about this. 4y
TheBookHippie Yes. My grandma told me. 4y
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Lmstraubie
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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Lmstraubie
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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Soooooo...yeah, in my mind this Sunday is January 31st, you know the last Sunday of the month reserved for the #mgbuddyread But apparently according to the calendar this Sunday is Feb. 2nd. So we'll be discussing this book a little late 🤦

@JaclynW @mrp27 @sblbooks @LibrarianRyan @Peddler410 @megnews @Chelsibno @TheBookHippie @cwarnier @Daisey @Lifeisasnap @SamanthaMarie @SaturnDoo @AnneCecilie @Sace

TheBookHippie It‘s that way in my mind too ..so carry on ..❤️🤪🤷🏽‍♀️😂😂😩 4y
Lmstraubie @TheBookHippie 😖🤪🤯 lol thx for understanding 4y
sblbooks No problem, it'll be worth the wait. 4y
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Daisey Lol! That‘s a perfectly understandable reason for needing to wait for a few more days before discussing. 😂 4y
Peddler410 I‘m just glad to know my Litsy feed isn‘t broken 😂 I thought I might have accidentally muted the hashtag or something. 4y
LinesUponAPage Is there any way to follow a hashtag on Litsy? I keep missing the announcements for the #mgbuddyreads I‘m getting frustrated I‘ve missed some good books and good discussions. 4y
JaclynW No worries! I'm glad I didn't miss it! 4y
Lmstraubie @JaclynW @Peddler410 @Daisey @sblbooks You can't make this stuff up lol thanks for understanding ❤️ 4y
Lmstraubie @Lifeisasnap I'm not sure how to follow a hashtag, but know that I haven't posted much recently in regards to the #mgbuddyread I know you can search the hashtag. I will be sure to tag you in any future posts. 4y
LinesUponAPage @Lmstraubie Lisa, you tagged me for this one that‘s how i knew, so thank you. 4y
35 likes11 comments
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Daisey
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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#BookReport #DaiseysReadingWeek
📚 With some snow days this week, I got lots of reading time and finished #MGBuddyRead, a couple from #NetGalley, etc.

#CurrentlyReading - all #ReadingEurope2020 and/or #1001books
🎧 The Unwomanly Face of War
🎧 The Red and the Black
📖 The Magician of Lublin

#WeeklyForecast
📚 Continue current reads
📖 Smilla‘s Sense of Snow #ReadingEurope2020
🎧 The Comedy of Errors - hoping to join #ShakespeareReadalong

merelybookish Yay! Pleased you might join us for Comedy of Errors! 4y
Cinfhen Wow!!! You do NEED your own hashtag 😜so many books 🙌🏻❣️😘 4y
Daisey @merelybookish I‘ve wanted to join in a few times and never quite fit the reading in, but new year means new goals. Looking forward to it! 4y
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Daisey @Cinfhen Thanks! It was a pretty unusually week for me! 4y
JazzFeathers I'm always so envious of your weeks. You're doing a great job! 4y
Daisey @JazzFeathers I just saw this again when comparing last week to this week. This week looks quite a bit different . . . all I seemed to do was pick up new books without finishing much. 4y
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review
Daisey
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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Pickpick

I‘ve read and enjoyed several of Karen Hesse‘s books over the years, but somehow I completely missed this one. I‘m so glad I finally read this great historical fiction about a Jewish girl immigrating from Russia to the U.S. in 1919-1920.

#MGBuddyRead #middlegrade

Eggs 💗 Karen Hesse 4y
jewright Is this your book? If so, I want to read it! 4y
Daisey @jewright It‘s not mine, but it‘s from the school library. 4y
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review
sblbooks
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Pickpick

I loved this Episolary novel, about a Jewish girl's Escape From Russia in 1920. Rifka faces many challenges on her way to the USA. This should be a great discussion. #MiddleGrade #MGBuddyRead

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TheBookHippie
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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#mgbuddyread I‘m ready!!! My Hebrew name is Light (pictured) PJ our way is free books Jewish stories and history once a month-you pick- for ages 8.5-11 my son absolutely loved it! He‘s aged out but my grandson will soon be old enough!

https://pjourway.org/ in case you want to sign kiddos up.

Butterfinger Oh I love this. Thank you for sharing. 4y
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megnews
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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Pickpick

This was an excellent choice for #mgbuddyread. I fell in love with Rifka. Can‘t wait for the discussion.

Book 328 12/30/19

Lmstraubie I'm looking forward to reading this one. 4y
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megnews
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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💚
Photo taken on a trip to NYC.

#mgbuddyread

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megnews
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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tournevis True 4y
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megnews
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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Took a break from #24b42020 to pick up January‘s #mgbuddyread (tagged) from the library and ended up with 6 graphic novels as well.

Andrew65 Our library is shut until the new year. 😳😬😔 4y
megnews @andrew65 oh no! 4y
Andrew65 @megnews Not good! But at least got plenty of library books out beforehand. 4y
38 likes3 comments
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Lmstraubie
Letters from Rifka | Karen Hesse
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Thank you to everyone who participated in our November/December #mgbuddyread Mark down our next reads and join in-last Sunday of the month.
January - Letters from Rifka
February - The Parker Inheritance
March - Refugee
April - Fish in a Tree
May - The Night Diary

@JaclynW @mrp27 @sblbooks @LibrarianRyan @Peddler410 @megnews @Chelsibno @TheBookHippie @cwarnier @Daisey @Lifeisasnap @SamanthaMarie @SaturnDoo @AnneCecilie @Sace

megnews I put it on hold. 4y
TheBookHippie I‘ve got my copy ❤️ 4y
JaclynW I have my copy for this! 4y
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Sace I'm ready! 4y
Daisey I‘m going to try to find a copy when we get back to school. 4y
LibrarianRyan I will get the ones I have not read put on hold. 4y
Peddler410 Was today the day for talking about Rifka? 4y
Lmstraubie @Peddler410 Sorry for the delayed response. Discussion is this coming Sunday :) 4y
Peddler410 I‘m so excited to start this month‘s book tonight. And....I‘m reading Fish in a Tree right now to my daughter — helping her catch up for Battle of the Books! 😊 4y
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review
GatheringBooks
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#SelfImprovementSept Day 19: #LettersEpistolaryNovel reminded me of this award-winning classic. In the 1920s America was more than a country for Rifka and her family and the thousands of immigrants who arrived during this period of social and political unrest with famine and diseases spreading out through cities. It was a place where one has a possibility of transforming one‘s life. It meant Hope and Survival. My review: https://wp.me/pDlzr-EM

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks ❤️❤️ 5y
OriginalCyn620 👌🏻📚❤️ 5y
52 likes4 stack adds2 comments
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CoffeeNBooks
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#WanderingJune Fleeing from Russia to America with her parents during WWI, Rifka is initially not admitted at Ellis Island for medical reasons. She is then sent to #Amsterdam to recover before she can try again to gain admittance in order to be reunited with her family.
@Cinfhen @BarbaraBB

Cheshirecat913 Oh wow. Blast from the past. I remember reading this book back when I was young. 5y
Cinfhen Sounds really sad 😔 5y
BarbaraBB Oh wow, this sounds good! Thanks for playing this month 💜 5y
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CoffeeNBooks
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Letters From Rifka is a middle grades book about a young Russian girl escaping to America with her family after WWI. One of her only possessions is a book by Alexander Pushkin, which she uses the margins of to write letters to her cousin Tovah back in Russia, telling about her journey. #AugustIsATrip #Russia @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @vkois88

vkois88 Sounds like a good read. 6y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Beautiful cover 💗 6y
Literary_Siren I love this book! I read it all the time when I was younger. I think it needs a reread because I haven‘t read it for over a decade. 6y
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CoffeeNBooks
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"I miss you like soup misses salt."
I'm going to remember this one! It's so simple, and makes complete sense. ?

Vertabrain Love this...especially since I am currently making soup. 😉 6y
90 likes1 comment
review
CoffeeNBooks
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Pickpick

This is a great upper elementary/middle grades book about a young Russian girl escaping to America with her family just after World War 1. Review continued in comments... #childrensliterature #historicalfiction #epistolary #englishteacher #teachersoflitsy

CoffeeNBooks Written as letters to her cousin back in Russia, the reader really gets the sense of how Rifka is feeling about everything- the escape, how scared she is, and about not being able to enter America when they arrive at Ellis Island, even though her parents are allowed to enter. Every letter (chapter) begins with a quote from Pushkin. 6y
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Eggs
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"...and from the gloomy land of lonely exile
To a new country bade me come..." -Pushkin

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HiddenGemBooks
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Pickpick

"I cried until I was empty of tears. Then I was still. As still as the sea after a storm."

????4/5 stars
It was about 130 pages that I read in less than a day. It's written in a Pushkin Russian poetry book in the form of letters to Rifka's cousin Tovah, who decided to stay back in Russia as Rifka and her family fled to America. It was quick and simple, filled with hope AND hopelessness, I loved every second I spent with this book...??

Tanzy13 💟📚 7y
Oftencantdecide Oh man, this was one of my favorites as a kid. Not sure how many times I reread it.💕 7y
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HiddenGemBooks
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Been up since 3am reading this short book. I'm in love with Rifka, and her strength at just 13 years old. I couldn't imagine being separated from my family over the span of the Atlantic Ocean.

All-nighter, here I come! 🙃💜

MidnightBookGirl My two besties love this book and introduced me to it! 7y
[DELETED] 2678557665 Such a fantastic book! I read it around the same time as Number the Stars and loved them both dearly. 7y
minkyb All her work is spectacular! 7y
92 likes13 stack adds3 comments