BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lasky, Kathryn. 2004. An American Spring: Sofia’s Immigrant Diary, 1903, Book Three, (My America Series), Vol. 3. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc. ISBN-10: 0-439-37045-0 ISBN-13: 978-0439370462

PLOT SUMMARY
Sofia is a 10 year old Italian immigrant living in 1903 Boston’s North End. Her friend Maureen, who is the same age, is living with Sofia’s family. They met while quarantined on Ellis Island, where Maureen’s mother died. Her father had to return to Ireland with her brother and sisters. Both the girls are in the 5th grade and are learning about American history with a teacher that they love and who makes learning fun and enjoying, celebrating American holidays. The Monari family has just opened a grocery store in which the girls work. Sofia’s older sister is a budding seamstress, who also requires their help. Going to school also keeps Sofia very busy. She chronicles her life and thoughts through a diary.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The My America diaries series was written for younger readers ages 7-10. An American Spring: Sofia’s Immigrant Diary is book three and the final book in the series. This story is a continuance of Sofia and her Italian family’s life as immigrants in early America, blending facts with fiction. The story will appeal to young girls, who will celebrate in Sofia’s family’s successes, relate to her family hardships, and her difficulty in learning new customs while maintaining her Italian culture. It is really nice how Kathryn Lasky has combined the facts in such a way that children will be fascinated to learn about the Pilgrims and the American Revolution through solving riddles. Her style should inspire readers to check out “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” (Lasky, 17).

Kathryn Lasky offers a brief history of Boston, Massachusetts from 1630 to1903 at the end of the book, discussing the Pilgrims, Isabella Stewart Gardner, The North End and the adjustments of being an immigrant in America, which she conveys throughout the story. I also liked how she included Italian words throughout the story. This is a great multicultural introduction to the Italian language.

The display type was set in Edwardian Medium. The text type was set in Goudy. Photo research by Amla Sanghvi. Book design by Elizabeth B. Parisi.


REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Cindy L. Carolan - Children's Literature
Sofia Monari and her family live in the North End of Boston in 1903. Speaking not one word of English, they came on the steamship Florida from Italy to Ellis Island. Sofia is excited because her best friend, Maureen, who also came to America on a ship (the Mayflower), is now living with her because Maureen's mother died and her father returned to Ireland with the rest of her siblings. Sofia shares her thoughts about life in the neighborhood where so many newcomers to America started out. Written in journal format, readers will be oblivious that they are learning a great deal about the early history of the United States, just as Sofia and Maureen do during a sixteen riddle hunt for their fifth grade history course! A four page "Historical Note" at the end of the book briefly explains historical developments in the geographic area from the landing of the Pilgrims onward. This is the third book in the "My America" series about Sofia and her experiences. The author has written numerous books for children and adults including the Newbery Honor winning book Sugaring Time. Highly recommended. 2004, Scholastic Inc, Ages 8 to 12.

CONNECTIONS
Kathryn Lasky
http://www.kathrynlasky.com/KK/Books.html
Other Books in this Series
Lasky, Kathryn. My American: Hope In My Heart, Sofia’s Ellis Island Diary, Book One. ISBN-10: 0439449626 ISBN-13: 978-0439449625
Lasky, Kathryn. My American: Home At Last, Sofia’s Ellis Island Diary, Book Two. ISBN-10: 0439206448 ISBN-13: 978-0439206440


AWARDS/HONORS
No awards for this book. Kathryn Lasky has received many awards for her other books.

Boston Globe/Horn Book Award, 1981, for The Weaver's Gift; Notable Books designation, American Library Association (ALA), 1981, for The Night Journey and The Weaver's Gift; National Jewish Book Award, Jewish Welfare Board Book Council, and Sydney Taylor Book Award, Association of Jewish Libraries, both 1982, both for The Night Journey; Notable Book designation, New York Times, and Best Books for Young Adults designation, ALA, both 1983, both for Beyond the Divide; Newbery Honor Book, and Notable Books designation, both ALA, both 1984, and both for Sugaring Time; Best Books for Young Adults designation, ALA, 1984, for Prank; Notable Books designation, ALA, 1985, for Puppeteer; Best Books for Young Adults designation, ALA, 1986, for Pageant; "Youth-to-Youth Books: A List for Imagination and Survival" citation, Pratt Library's Young Adult Advisory Board, 1988, for The Bone Wars; Golden Trilobite Award, Paleontological Society, 1990, for Traces of Life: The Origins of Humankind; Parenting Reading Magic Award, 1990, for Dinosaur Dig; Edgar Award nominee for Best Juvenile Mystery, 1992, for Double Trouble Squared; Sequoyah Young Adult Book Award, 1994, for Beyond the Burning Time; National Jewish Book Award and Notable Books designation, ALA, both 1997, both for Marven of the Great North Woods; John Burroughs Award for Outstanding Nature Book for Children, and Editor's Choice designation, Cricket magazine, both 1998, both for The Most Beautiful Roof in the World: Exploring the Rainforest Canopy; Western Heritage Award, National Cowboy Hall of Fame, and Edgar Award nominee, both 1999, both for Alice Rose and Sam. In 1986, Lasky won the Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Nonfiction Award for her body of work; she is also the recipient of several child-selected awards.