Ellie's New Home

by Becky Citra

Ellie and her little brother Max find themselves moving from their grandmother's comfortable home in England to Upper Canada. Their mother is dead, Father wants to start over again, and in 1835 there are many opportunities for settlers in British North America. Despite the strangeness of this vast new world, Ellie is sure things will turn out all right, as long as the family stays together. But once they are in Upper Canada, Father leaves Ellie and Max with strangers on an isolated homestead, while he goes on ahead to find land and build a cabin. Although the mother and father are kind to her, Ellie makes an enemy of their daughter Mary, who is insulted by the newcomer's distant manners, fine clothes and talk of her London home. Ellie's loneliness and discomfort, however, gradually turns into a growing fear. Where is Father? Why hasn't he come back to them? A gripping story for young readers that explored the world of early settlers.

Genres: Historical Fiction

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Rebecca]

When nine-year-old Ellie's widowed father decides to leave England and move to the Canadian frontier in 1835, she doesn't know just what to expect, but she is sure her family will stay together. However, when they arrive in Canada, Ellie's father leaves her and her five-year-old brother, Max, with a pioneer farm family while he goes off to find land and start building their home. Ellie is upset that her father has left her and fears he may not return. She also has trouble adjusting to life on the frontier, which is very frightening compared to England. And she can't seem to get along with Mary, the daughter of the family she is staying with. Will Canada ever be home to Ellie, and can she and Mary ever become friends?

This was a very sweet story about a young immigrant girl's struggle to adjust to life on the Canadian frontier in the 1800s. Ellie is a sympathetic character and young girls will relate to her feelings of loneliness in a new home and her struggle to fit in. Fans of the American Girls books and other similar historical fiction will most likely enjoy this book.

[Tori Campbell]

This book features a young girl named Ellie. Her and her brother are forced to move from England to Canada. Her mother is dead and her father wants to have a new start. However, during the story he ends up leaving them and doesn't go with Ellie's plan to keep her family together. This story also explores the historical topic of English settlers, and is an engaging way for children to learn about this time period.

[Helen]

This is a touching pioneer story for a young reader by a talented Canadian author. We can all see a little bit of Ellie in ourselves: boastful when feeling inadequate, fearful of the unknown, grumpy when we don't get our way. The end makes me want to know more of what the future holds for this sweet, endearing character.