#84 The Orphan of Ellis Island

In The Orphan of Ellis Island, Dominic is a young boy without a family. He has been moved from foster home to foster home, and he is feeling scared and alone in his new school. He joins his new class on a field trip to the Ellis Island Museum, but when the guide asks them each to tell where their family came from Dominic becomes scared. He doesn't want to admit to his class that he doesn't know where his family came from, and, in fact, doesn't even have a family. So he runs and hides in a janitor's closet. While hiding, he falls asleep.

When Dominic awakes he finds that he is all alone in the museum. As he looks for help, he begins to look through the displays and this is when the real adventure begins. Dominic is transported into the past to Italy in 1908! There he meets three boys, and for the first time in his life he begins to feel like he is in a family.

But will Dominic ever get back to the future? And will his experiences in Italy teach him anything about who he is and where he came from? To find out, you must read this book!

I read it because one of the great PME 4th graders recommended it to me through Destiny. I hope you'll continue to recommend those books: and I'll keep on reading!

If you're interested in learning more about Ellis Island, you may want to check out this website: http://ethemes.missouri.edu/themes/1723?locale=en. here you will find more information about the author, Elvira Woodruff, and about the immigrants who arrived through Ellis Island.