At Home in a New Land

by Joan Sandin

Having moved from Sweden to his new home in Minnesota, Carl Erik must make great adjustments to live in his new environment, including learning English, building relationships with his Indian neighbors, and taking over as man of the house when his father is working far away from home.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Historical

64 pages, Hardcover

First published August 28, 2007

About the author

Joan Sandin is a children's book author and illustrator. Her grandfather was born in Sweden and immigrated to Wisconsin with his parents in 1882, when he was only two. Joan herself spent time in Sweden and did extensive research to create her well-loved classic books about the immigrant experience.

Reviews

[Prabhat sharma]

At home in a new land by Joan Sandin- author and illustrator- Children’s colur picture book- From 1867-1869 famine people were forced to eat bread from tree barks. During this period, about 50000 swedes shifted to America. U S Homestead Act, 1862 by which 160- acre land could be allotted to a citizen or a future citizen for development and farming. After 5 – years of development, the land will belong to the citizen. Some swedes settled in State of Minnesota. In this book, Carl Erik, a Swedish boy arrives from Sweden to Minnesota. His mother’s sister had arrived here one year earlier. Sara, her husband and daughter Anna Stina welcomes them in a new home in Minnesota. The two men, Axel and Anders were offered work on Logging Camp for one dollar per day. With this money, they could buy horses and nails to construct a cabin. Carl helped in milking the cow, providing her fodder and laying a trap for small birds. During this period, Schools were organized by local farmers at their farms. Carl went to a school at a farm near their house. He is good at Mathematics but he learns English soon. Miss Lind is the teacher and Ralph is his classmate. The family is informed that Ojibway Indians are helpful tribe. One day, Carl Erik encounters a hungry Ojibway Indian who shows by hand action that he wants potatoes. Carl takes him to the basement and fills his shawl with potatoes. For his first Christmas in America, the tribe provides him with deer meat. Anna teaches him to bake popcorn. Their fathers arrive at night on Christmas day. All celebrate Christmas together. The book is a moving portrait of uncertainty, eagerness, and triumphs that come with settling into a new environment in The Long Way to a New Land and The Long Way Westward. Illustrations help the reader to understand the text easily. I have read this book in Hindi language. This book teaches history of America in an easy way.

[Aimee Fuhrman]

The final story in Joan Sandin's trilogy, this book tells what happens to Carl Erik and his family their first months in Minnesota. Though not as engaging as the first two books, this story is still worth reading to round out the historically accurate look at the life typical of hundreds of Europeans who emigrated to our country and settled the American frontier.

[Sara]

Hud read/enjoyed. Quick, easy read.

[babyhippoface]

In this beginning chapter book, Carl Erik, a Swedish boy adjusting to a new home in Minnesota, must be the man of the house when his father and uncle go off in search of work at a logging camp in the late 1860's. He learns to read, encounters a hungry Ojibway Indian, and enjoys his first Christmas in America.

No one's gonna mark this down as his all-time favorite book, but it's solid for kids learning to read on their own.

[Danette]

2/7/2017 Read with Naomi

[Mckinley]

Liked this simply told story of a family of immigrants. Well done for a beginning reader; sometimes the stories are lacking in I-can-read sorts of books, but not here.

See: Song of the Pines: A Story of Norwegian Lumbering in Wisconsin by W. Havighurst for young adult level.

[Tricia]

level 3 fiction easy reader offers decent amount of information about immigrants from sweden living in minnesota in the late 1800s in the challenges that face carl erik.