HOW I BECAME AN AMERICAN

In this rather rambling and awkward chronicle, based on letters written by immigrants between 1902 and 1986 (according to an afterword), a fictional boy describes his family's experiences emigrating from Austria-Hungary to the United States. In 1902, 10-year-old John, his mother and three siblings leave their town of Siebenbürgen to join his father and older brother, who have already emigrated to Youngstown, Ohio. Unfortunately, the narrative is often stilted and the dialogue forced, as when John's father announces his decision to leave his homeland ("I want to immigrate and try my luck in Youngstown, where they need workers. The weaving business is going downhill here, and I don't think it's going to get better. I don't want to wait until we have nothing to gnaw on. I see only one possible way out: immigration"). The boy recounts the family's arduous voyage to America, the sometimes trying adjustment to a new life and language, and the resolute efforts of both parents and children to support themselves financially. Throughout, John underscores the many differences between the two lifestyles and cultures, noting at one point that his mother, who insists on making rather than buying soap, "is just accustomed to the old home ways, and won't give them up." Though it introduces a likable young narrator and offers a clear view of the daily lives of German-speaking immigrants in early 20th-century Ohio, this account will likely prove slow-going for most middle graders. Ages 9-12. (Nov.)