How I Became an American

Gundisch, Karin. 2001. HOW I BECAME AN AMERICAN. Trans. James Skofield. Chicago Ill.: Cricket Books. ISBN-10: 0812648757.

PLOT SUMMARY
Based loosely on letters collected from German immigrates in the early 1900’s. This first person tale follows along with ten year old Johann and his family as they emigrate from Austria-Hungary to Youngstown, Ohio. Johann keeps a journal at his mothers urging and describes his family’s daily life in their home town as well as their adventures traveling across the ocean. Once in America Johann describes the hard times as well as the good times as their family adjust to their new life and seem to be on the road to the American dream.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Gundisch’s choice to use the voice of Johann was a wise one. The story at times tends to be a bit slow. Often the details written in our young narrator’s journal are boring and would not be exciting for the attended audience of this book. However, the likable young narrator keeps you going through the slow times.
The author’s use of letters as research helps to make the story more authentic. I would have liked to have known the author used these letters at the beginning of the story rather than the end. Many of the trials and tribulations that Johann writes about in his journal are ones that many immigrants faced on their journey to American. One example that makes the story realistic is the family’s fears on the ship as they journey to America. The illness and death of their shipmate was a common fear faced by many travelers. After the family arrives in the new land they are faced with another struggle, the death of the baby. Johann’s mother asks “why did Eliss have to die? If we had stayed at home she would still be alive.”
Even with all their struggles the family begins to adjust to their new home. All of them accept the mother. She seems to have the hardest time embracing the new ways and letting go of their homeland. She continues to make soap and rather than buy it. Eventually she stops her tradition of bread making and buys it and becomes wrapped up in the American dream of making money to support the family and get ahead. Overall, it would be a good story to use for an historical fiction study or a unit on emigration.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Publishers Weekly
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.

School Library Journal
An immigration story of the early 20th century, this lively and interesting account is told through the eyes of "Johnny" (Johann on his birth certificate). His father is the first of this German-speaking family to emigrate from Siebenburgen (Austria-Hungary) to a job in the steel foundries of Youngstown, OH. Eldest son Peter follows him, and, in 1902, 10-year-old Johnny and the rest of the family arrive

Reviews accessed at:
http://www.amazon.com/How-Became-American-Karin-Gundisch/dp/0812648757


CONNECTIONS
Annushka's Voyage by Edith Tarbescu ISBN-10: 039564366X
Coming To America: The Story Of Immigration by Betsy Maestro ISBN-10: 0590441515