Their Great Gift: Courage, Sacrifice, and Hope in a New Land

by John Coy, John Coy

With lyrical text and thought-provoking photography, Their Great Gift explores the experiences of immigrants in the twenty-first century, focusing on the lives of children. Images of families who came to the United States from many different parts of the world celebrate the diversity of our country and contain a vision of hope for the future.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Immigration, Family, Photography, History, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2016

About the author

John Coy is the author of young adult novels, the 4 for 4 middle-grade series, and fiction and nonfiction picture books. John has received numerous awards for his work including a Marion Vannett Ridgway Award for best first picture book, a Charlotte Zolotow Honor, Bank Street College Best Book of the Year, Notable Book for a Global Society, and the Burr/Warzalla Award for Distinguished Achievement in Children’s Literature. He lives in Minneapolis and visits schools around the world.

Reviews

[Dest · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a lot of things about this book. The big thing is how real and true it is -- the photographs and the simple text give it such wide appeal. I don't know what percentage of people are descendants of immigrants who moved to another country for a better life, but I'd guess it's high, especially in the United States. So for most people, something in this book will ring true. It's powerful and important to share with young people.

I also like that this book is positive without being too RAH RAH U.S.A. WE'RE #1! The United States is not a perfect land of opportunity and plenty (the photographs do a good job of telling that part of the story) but it's a relatively prosperous and peaceful place to grow up. This book is much more about being grateful to your parents and grandparents than being grateful to America. And that's how it should be.

[Laura Giessler · Rating 3 out of 5]

A photo journal on the topic of immigration. The photographer says in a note in the back that all photos were not taken specifically for this project. Perhaps that's why it felt a little disjointed to me. Still, the photos and relatively simple text could jumpstart important conversations and the sharing of stories, which would be fantastic. The culminating question seemed a bit "off" to me: What will we do with their great gift? I guess the "we" is "we, the people of the United States", but it seemed odd to me. I like "what will _they_ do with their gifts" better, but I understand that the point is to ask how America will welcome and incorporate the gifts of newcomers. Love the idea for the book.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picture book is filled with gorgeous photographs of diverse people who live in the United States. The book speaks about the way that families came to our country. It talks of the dreams that they had and how difficult it was to make the journey and learn a different language. It is about the hard work that it takes to be an immigrant, the mistakes that are made, the way money is sent back home. At it’s heart this is a book about determination, grit and resilience, qualities that make our country great and that exemplify the immigrants who add so much.

Coy’s words are simple and yet very powerful. He states each fact in a way that makes it easy to understand but also in a tone that rings with truth. His focus is on humanizing immigrants, showing that they are just like all of us who may have been born here, no matter how they worship, dress or what language they speak. Don’t miss the final pages of the book where the author and the illustrator speak to the ways both their families arrived here.

The photographs in this book are what make it so lovely. Done in a mix of black and white and color, the photographs capture people of various backgrounds and cultures. There are children, adults and the elderly and each page opens to reveal faces that form a tapestry of diversity on the page.

A very timely and important picture book, this book will open discussions for elementary-aged children about the larger topic of immigration in a way they can understand. Appropriate for ages 5-7.

[Lannie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very short read with great photos of real immigrant families. Great opener for dialogue with kids on immigration and their own family history. The author and photographer also include their immigrant stories at the end.

[Janine Darragh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous photos depicting immigrants from around the world. Sparse text to support. I especially like that the author/photographer have included their own "arrival stories" at the end of the book.

[Marathon County Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful, heart-warming children’s book gave me goosebumps. The photographs portray a multitude of immigrants who came to America from many different countries. In simple, almost lyrical text it imparts the great sacrifices that the previous generation made, not only to bring their family to a new country, but to survive and provide new opportunities for their children. The messages to their children are similar—work hard, do well in school and never give up. The great question, or challenge for the new generation, is what will they do with this great gift that they have been freely given. This wonderful celebration of diversity is perhaps a reminder to the new generation to not waste this precious gift.

Sharyn H. / Marathon County Public Library
Find this book in our library catalog.

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A photographic essay depicting the immigrant experience in America. I love the idea of this picture book, and feel it is especially needed now with what is going on in the United States. But the execution of this book has some issues. Since the photographs were not taken for this actual book but were selected from the photographer's archive, many of them look dated and some of them don't match the text as closely as they should. The pages of this book appear crowded with too many photos, rather than shooting/choosing the one right photo that illuminates the text. Many of the photographed subjects are adults, elderly, or teens, which minimizes the appeal to young children. There really is no hook here for a picture-book-aged child. Could possibly be used with older elementary school or middle school students as a discussion starter or example for a photo diary project.

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is mostly a photography book of many ethnically and culturally diverse people who have immigrated to the US. The short and simple text briefly tells of some of the contributions of these immigrants. The photos are mostly black and white with a few color ones here and there. This is a nice book to introduce young children to immigrants.

[Joanne Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible pictorial journey of random American immigrants from every corner of the globe. Spare, poetic text focuses on our shared experiences as well as our struggles. Photos are poignant, speaking of family, tradition, sacrifice. Our families and histories, though diverse, bind us together. Moving.

[Kris · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes after reading reviews about this "timely topic." But was disappointed by so many b/w photographs. One reviewer mentioned they look like pictures from the 1970s and 80s. I agree. I have discarded several culture and country books from the 80s with similar dated photos from my library. Wonderful message in text but will take some discussion. Best shared with older students.

[Mary Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Straight to my heart. We'll read this one over and over again, I'm sure. Maybe make our own version.

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I received a digital review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, by local author John Coy and local photographer Wing Young Huie, is nominated for our state Star of the North award. On the first reading, I was immediately moved by the incredible photographs. Touching, thought provoking, and a perfect reflection of the beautiful fabric that is our country of immigrants. While I think much of the powerful impact of this book is lost on a younger audience, the excitement that came from my primary students as I explained what an immigrant is and their excited proclamations that they or their parents are immigrants, was not lost on me. The text shares the great sacrifices made, the immense stress that comes when moving to a new country, learning a new language, giving up everything in the hopes of more, and I couldn’t help thinking of my own grandparents as they made that journey. No doubt, it is a tremendous gift from those that came to this country before us.

[Pita-eater · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is largely a collection of photos with minimal yet poignant text. The photos depict immigrants to the U.S., and I could imagine a reader pausing on each page to examine the photos and see themselves in the emotions, families, and settings. Each picture holds a story and invokes questions and conversations. Unfortunately, I am not sure how the photos will hold up over time. The mix of black-and-white photos with color photos didn't really work for me.

The lines . . .
"They made mistakes and people laughed.
Others didn't understand how much they'd sacrificed."
. . . were especially powerful to me.

[Megan Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful picture book with beautiful photos. It is written for second grade readers but should be read by all ages. It shows diversity among Americans who once were immigrants arriving to our nation with nothing and working their hardest so that their children can have a better future. I wish everyone to read the story. It shows the love for the idea America stands for to people around the world whose human rights don’t exist where they live. This is a must read book to show why our ancestors and people today immigrate here.

[Sandra Sy]

"Their Great Gift" by John Coy and photographs by Wing Young Huie has a copyright date of 2016. This book is a wonderful read-aloud option for preschoolers and kindergarteners. I want to read this book in my future classroom to teach about the beauty in diversity and to provide my students with an outlook of acceptance towards individuals that may look different from them. This book is about the journey of immigrants who sacrifice all that they are in order to ensure a brighter future for the generations to come.

[Ashley Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Coy and Wing Young Huie provide this touching picture book that gives the reader an idea of how hard people worked to come to the United States to provide a life for their families. When I picked this book, I didn't realize it would not fall under a specific category I needed, however, I think it is important for children to read non-fiction books because there are important, real-life concepts that can be learned and conversation that can be had from books like this one. A great read and a great choice for a read aloud to a class to bring up and talk about cultural diversity.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the positive message and beautiful images for us to view and talk about. It is a wonderful way to start a conversation with your child about people who are different from you...and yet are just like you. The last image of the smiling little brown girl staring through to your soul is perfectly coupled with the last line of text, "What will we do with THEIR GREAT GIFT?" Ten stars for message and artistry.

[Zheling Zhang · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is easy-to-read and has many great illustrations. It shows the diversity of the United States and contains a vision of hope for the future. They made mistakes, didn’t speak English, worked at difficult jobs, but they never give up. They always have hope and courage to begin their new lives. At the end of the book, the author and the illustrator tell us about their arrival stories and why they wanted to write the book.

[Emily✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about the children of immigrants understanding and being grateful for the sacrifices and hard work of their ancestors. It’s about the trials and tribulations immigrants face in a new country, leaving behind family and friends, maybe not speaking the language, learning a new culture, struggling to make money and maybe sending some of it back to relatives in their native land.

The text is simplistic but effective and the photographs were varied and interesting.

[Violetta · Rating 5 out of 5]

"With lyrical text and thought-provoking photography,
Their Great Gift explores the experiences of immigrants in the twenty-first century, focusing on the lives of children. Images of families who came to the United States from many different parts of the world celebrate the diversity of our country and contain a vision of hope for the future."

[Nat Whitman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Using large spare text paired with color and black/white photos-Coy skillfully brings the reader into the lives, joys, and dreams shared by immigrants the world over. This powerful text humanizes the remarkable stories immigrants carry with them to new lands.

[Jenny Larges · Rating 4 out of 5]

No AR rating as of 12/17

Both the writer and photographer live in Minneapolis. This is an awesome photo book of immigrants who share their story of sacrifice for "courage, sacrifice and hope in a new land"

I would use this book for social studies, diversity and family tree projects

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This beautiful collection of photographs depicts immigrants from various walks of life and tells about the choices and sacrifices they make to have a better life. It is a great introduction to the topic of immigration for young children.

[Lindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting because of the lesson it was trying to teach, but mostly because of the photography. I think illustrations would have made this book less serious, so I think the choice of photography was smart.

[Katie Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really beautifully done introduction to the concept of immigration and all the sacrifices and hopes it can involve. The photography is stunning and underscores the short text really well too.

[Yapha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent exploration of immigrant lives through moving photographs with sparse yet powerful text. Highly recommended for grades 2 & up.

[Brandy T · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars

Story of immigration through pictures.
Learn your story and what you have to give back.

[Brenda Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This beautiful photoessay would make for a great discussion starter/ reminder.

[Brandon O'Neill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful reminder to us all when we are constantly bombarded with messages to fear "the other". We were all the other at one time or another.