Home at Last

by Susan Middleton Elya, Felipe Dávalos (Illustrator)

A sympathetic tale of a mother-daughter bond and overcoming adversity, brought to life by the vivid illustrations of Felipe Davalos.

Genres: Picture Books, Immigration, Family, Latinx, Childrens, Fiction, Cultural

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2002

About the author

Susan Middleton Elya is the author of many books that cleverly incorporate Spanish vocabulary into lively verse. She is originally from Iowa and now lives in Northern California.

Reviews

[Lizeth Matzir · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Home at Last, Susan Middleton Elya writes the story of Ana who moves with her family from Mexico to the United States. It’s a big change for them, especially because of the cultural and language differences. Ana is able to learn English and fit in at school. Her father does the same while working at his new job in a factory. Ana’s mother on the other hand stays home and doesn’t have the opportunity to learn English. The transition of immigrating to the United States is hard on her and wishes she were back home in Mexico. Ana’s mother encounters difficulties when running errands because of her lack of English. Despite the situations, she refuses to learn English until Ana’s brothers get sick and her mother isn’t able to communicate with anyone in order to get help. That is when Ana’s mother begins to realize the importance of her learning English, so with the support of her family she begins to attend English classes. In the end, she is able to learn English and begins to feel more at “home at last” in the United States. The detailed illustrations by Felipe Davalos allow for the story to come to life. Home at Last is a great depiction of similar difficulties immigrants have when arriving to the US. They face with the issue of learning a new language in order to adapt, but there are some who don’t want to. I feel that it’s the fear of losing their culture, but they are instead gaining a new one. The perspective shown is that of a mother’s difficulties learning English, but that is the case for many English language learners in school. It is a great book to read to children to give them the perspectives of the hardships that immigrants have to go through.

[Andrew Jongeneel]

Home at Last, written by Susan Middleton Elya, in a realistic fantasy genre, and illustrated by Felipe Davalos, is about a young girl, Ana, and her family that just immigrated to the United States from Mexico; they must quickly adjust to the new surroundings, language, and general way of life . By attending school, Ana is able to pick up English fairly easily, with only a few problems, and her father got a job in which he needs to speak English, which he learns. The mother on the other hand, stays at home with the twins all day and starts to feel homesick and frustrated when she cannot communicate for any basic needs, such as grocery shopping. She does not try to learn English until one of the twins falls sick, she does not know how to ask for help and realizes that she will not last long without speaking English. With much support from the family, she goes to English class and picks up on the language fairly easily. She learns that speaking English makes her life way easier and allows her to think of the United States, and her new home, as home. This story focuses more on the mother and her struggle to adapt to this new way of life. Family is very important and has a big role in a child’s life; when they are brave and take risks, they end up being good role models for their kids. When a child reads this easy to understand story, they could relate to a parent not understanding a new language and struggling to adapt to a new way of life. The illustrations show how important family is. The girl and mother are smiling and happy together, and this is very important for children to understand; family is everything.

[Irma Dogic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ana is eight years old, when her mother, and father decide to move from the United States to Mexico with her and her twin baby brothers. Ana’s father earns a job working in a factory and Ana goes to school to learn English. The young girl is able to express her worries, but a main focus is turned onto to her mother. Ana’s mother is having a hard time adjusting to the families new life, and does not seem to want to acclimate. She is essentially forced to learn English because she is having a hard time communicating basic needs. This doesn’t happen until one of Ana’s twin brothers falls sick. She begins to go to English class and with a lot of support, she too begins to adjust to her new life in this new country. I find this book a great tool to introduce immigration not just from a child’s view point but from a parent’s as well. I can relate directly with this work, because my parents immigrated to the United States when my sister and I were young. They had to quickly adjust and one of the ways they did that was by going to night classes to learn English. The vivid illustrations in this book also do a good job of grasping students attention, and bringing this story to life!

[Elizabeth Bott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ana and her family moved from Mexico to the United States and Ana begins school. Ana begins to learn English in school but her mother speaks no English and her dad speaks a little bit. Ana’s mom starts to experience some issues because she can’t understand or speak English and so she starts going to school to learn English. At the end of the story, Ana and her family are able to talk to each other in English and feel like where they live is now their home.

The major themes of this story are love, helpfulness, encouragement, and family.

When I read Home at Last, I was encouraged by the way the little girl was the hero of the story. This story showed how kids can be the difference makers and love and encouragement are so important. I also like how this book shows the importance of family, as they are Ana’s number one support system and the focus of the book.

I would definitely recommend this book to students, particularly kids who may be transitioning into the American way of life or are ESL students. The book really shines a light onto the fact that change is hard and can be uncomfortable, but with your families love, and your hard work, acceptance will happen. It can also make immigrant students feel like they are not alone, and that others have gone through similar things. It is a book that students can also take home and share with their parents.

[Taylor Meier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Home at Last is a story about a family who moves to America from Mexico. The main character, Ana, goes to school, her mother stays at home with the twins, and her father has a job. Ana picks up the English language in school very quickly with the help of her teacher. Ana's father is able to learn the English language at the canning factory where he works. However, Ana's mother misses her home in Mexico and doesn't know the English language because she is always at the apartment with the twins. When Ana's mother goes to the grocery store and one of the twins gets very sick, she is very embarrassed because she doesn't know how to ask someone for help. However, this is when Ana's mother realizes how important it is to learn the English language. Ana's mother enrolls herself into classes at night to help learn the English language. After learning English, Ana's mother starts to enjoy living in America. Even though this story is told from the point of view of Ana, the story really focuses on Ana's mother and her journey to learn the English language. I really enjoyed this book because it talks about real problems that many people face when coming to America and they are unsure how to speak the English language.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike all the other picture books by this author that I've read, this one is for older readers. What else is different?

* No bilingual vocab for Spanish and English.
* No rhyming verses.
* A more developed story line, with some depth to the fiction.
* Also there's a special appeal to all immigrant readers. (And, by extension, to readers who may have met such children in the neighborhood or in school.)
* In terms of language, this book can appeal greatly to children who might have been English speaking since birth... yet their parents do not speak that language much.

THE PLOT HINGES AROUND THE DIFFICULTY OF NOT SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE OF THE NEW COUNTRY

Eventually Mama decided to take an evening English class in the next town. Papa attended too.

Thank goodness!!!!

FIVE STARS. Big thanks, as usual, to Susan Middleton Elya. Thanks, too, Felipe Davalos. I found your illustrations so welcoming and relatable. (And beautiful.)

[James Potts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Home at Last is the perfect book to try to explain what an English Language Learner is and what they are trying to achieve. It shows a Mexican family transitioning to their new life in America. In no hurry learning English, they started their new life here with no problems at all. Until Ana, the main character of the story, her little brother grows sick. Her mother could not find help though because she did not speak any English at all. This book was perfect for ELL in the classroom. It shows the struggles one may have when coming from a different place or part of the world. It shows students to accept their classmates that may have to learn the new language and not make fun or rush them because they are learning just like them.

[Courtnie Sepe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is about a non-English family, this book taught me the value of the importance of patience and understanding. It is easy to not consider the struggles non-English families have when they come to a new country were not many people understand them. In this story, the little girl shared her experience at school and the challenges she has coming into a new school and needing to learn English. The story also shared the difficulty for parents and older adults on how difficult simple tasks are for them such as going to the store or asking for help. I found this story to help me gain knowledge of second language learners and useful to help me to be patient and help those who might not understand and need help. This book is a great tool to help children to understand the second language learner and to inform them of their challenges.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ana's family moves from Mexico when she is 8. It is a big adjustment for all of them, but her Mama is the one who is struggling the most. At school, Ana starts to learn English and she has a very understanding teacher and Papa is working in the same place as his brother, so he is learning English, as well. Mama must stay home with the twins, so learning English isn't her top priority. But, it starts to become a problem when Mama can't communicate with the people in the neighborhood, especially when one of the twins gets sick and Mama can't find anyone to help. That is when she and Papa decide that she needs to take an English class. Once she starts learning the language, Mama begins to feel more at home.

[Mackenzie Hoolihan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about how a family moved from Mexico to America. The family had to learn how to speak English, but the mother did not want to. The mother faced many challenges because she could not speak English, so she eventually decided to learn. I think this book does a great job showing the struggles immigrants go through when they move to America. I like the book because it is written in English, but it has some Spanish in it was well. I think this book is a great way of introducing Spanish to children who speak English. I also like this book because it shows children, and adults, how hard it is for some Spanish speaking people to learn how to speak English.

[Kelsey Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a little girl named Ana and her immigrant families new life in America. They speak little to no English and struggle communicating with others. Ana adjusts rather quickly thanks to school, her teachers, and classmates however her mother is homesick and doesn't want to learn English. When Ana's little brother gets sick and no one can communicate what is wrong, Ana's mother finally decides to learn English. Through learning English she starts to feel comfortable and at home in America. This book is a great book to read to ELL students or students with strong cultural backgrounds.

[Concetta Seidler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book does a great job at showing how families overcome adversity. Ana and her mom are to start a new life but some things don't go as well as planned. Ana is having no problem adjusting but her mom is having a very difficult time. Her brother becomes sick and Ana's mom trys tog et help but can't because she does not know English. This is what inspires her to learn English. Once she becomes better at this her confidence grows and she begins to feel much better. This book teacher a great lesson on how to adjust and react to new things.

[Stephanie Watson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of a Mexican immigrant family's experience in America. Though told through the eyes of the daughter, the focus of the story is actually the mother, who struggles the most to adapt to her new home. I felt this book was probably a good representation of the immigrant experience, and would help children sympathize with the challenges of living in a new place. In short, it lives up to its purpose, though for some reason I didn't fall in love with this book.

[Atlas Miladin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book truly describes the struggles that English Language Learners face in the United States. It shows how difficult is for them to communicate with others and get their message across. This story builds compassion in its readers for those that have a different primary language. It helps children to see the importance of being patient with their peers, especially those that speak other languages.

[Annie DeLuco · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is about a family’s transition when moving from Mexico to America. although Ana, the main character, and her father for the most part have a smooth transition, her mother does not. After an incident, the family pulls together and supports her mom while she tries to adapt, and learn English. This story has a good lesson on being there for one another, and supporting people, especially your family, when they are going through rough times. I really enjoyed the theme for this book.

[Kaylee Randall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a family and their move from Mexico to America. They have trouble communicating with others because they speak little to no English. The mother did not want to learn English and faced many challenges because of it. Eventually she decides to learn and the family feels more comfortable. This is a good book for children who are adapting to a new culture. It also shows the hardship of immigrants. I love how it includes some Spanish as well. Overall good book!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Spanish speaking family moved to the U.S. and the young girl went to school. She started to learn a little English, but he mother still hadn't that was a struggle for her when she would go anywhere and couldn't communicate. She then began to learn English. This is an encouraging book about adapting to new cultures.

[Linsey Atkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book about the family moving to America is so touching. It shows that anything is possible! This is a good read for students so they can grow their understanding of diversity. It’s good for students to see the struggle of people moving here from a different country.

[Jessi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the fact that this book tries to be empathetic to the immigrant experience, but I don't appreciate how they painted Ana's mother to seem stubborn and resistant to change. It felt disrespectful. And as a side note, English is a very complicated language to learn. I didn't like the tone.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful story about not giving up when in a new place. A window for our students to see others through.

[Janine Darragh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ana is 8 when her mom, dad, and twin baby brothers move to the United States from Mexico. Her father works in a factory and Ana goes to school and learns English. Mama is hesitant to learn English and to call this new country home at first. This sweet picture book infuses Spanish words and phrases.

[Ana Romero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Home at Last is about a young girl and her family that recently arrived in the U.S from Mexico. The story is able to show the types of jobs that immigrants are offered. The young girl is able to express her worries about school but with time she learns the language. It is interesting that they mother is actually the main focus of the story because she ends up having a difficult time adjusting to the new setting and does not seem to want to learn English. This book goes with my topic because it is important to understand that family is very important and that they impact children's lives. Parents need to learn how be brave and take risks so that they can be good role models for their children. This is a realistic fiction book because I feel that this situation can happen a lot. I was able to relate to the story because I feel that I would have had an easier time in school if my parents had learned English. Since I am an only child the only people that would have been able to help me with assignments were my parents.

The illustrations go great along with the text and would definitely hold children's interest because the characters are very realistic. Many Latin American children would probably be able to picture their parents in those same situations. Even today, many parents have no ways of learning the English language and is still a big issue. The book shows that even parents go through a hard time adjusting to new ways of life. It gives children a different perspective on the subject of immigration.

[Julia Somer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is about a family who moves to America and can not speak English. The daughter, Ana, quickly adapts to the language, but her mom is having a harder time. "How difficult it was, for her to start over in America." After being charged the wrong price at the store and not being able to dispute it, and also after not being able to ask for help when Ana's brother was sick, Ana and her dad basically forced the mom to begin English classes. The mom, who was reluctant at first, agrees to go. At the end of the story, when the mom goes to buy chicken to celebrate passing her English exam, she is charged the wrong price again. This time, she can dispute it. This leaves the reader thinking that all is well now that the mom can speak minimal English, although this did not seem very realistic to me. There was a lot of Spanish in this book, and you could definitely learn a few words or phrases from it. The illustrations in this book are colorful and detailed and they enhance the story. This book gives children a variety of things to consider about families who move to America.

[Kris · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciate what the author is trying to convey in this book. A friend of mine recommended I read this book because she knows how passionate I am about diversity, acceptance, and ESOL students. For a children's book, I would say it's good/ok. I wish the mother in the story wasn't pushed to learn English. I wish the author didn't have the young girl seem to learn English so effortlessly. I would prefer to expose students to a book that my students could relate to. The message I got from this book was a) the child learned the language quickly b) the mother had a hard time because she couldn't speak English c) the child and the father pressed the mother to learn English. I wouldn't want my students going home with this type of attitude or ideas for their non-English speaking parents-- it's not fair and doesn't pay tribute or respect for their native language.

[Yahya Han · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is about an immigrant family who came from Mexico to the USA. They don't know any English except father and they tried to live in the USA like other people. First, Ana started to the school with her worries, but after a short time, she adapted to the school well. But, her mother still has a problem to be adopted to her new life and she started learning English. The book has many conversations in Spanish and then author translated them into English. If someone wants to learn some short conversation in Spanish, I really recommend to read this book.

[Karol · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story portrays a realistic experience of an immigrant family from Mexico. The book is written in English with some Spanish. Which I like for realism and learning. Often, I think, children seem to learn a second language more easily than grown ups. It can be frustrating for children to have to continually translate for their parents. Also, it can be scary and hard for an adult to adapt to a new country and learn the language. The author did a good job exploring this circumstance that I grew up with and still see in my community.

[Wendy Wei · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story can be helpful to let people know about not all the people can adopt easily to a new situation, especially for those their first language is different than where they live. It also shows that the hardship of immigrants. At the end of the story, it shows how the mother learn english and adopt new lifestyle and new country. They believe that with help of people around them, they will be able to overcome the struggle. There is many Spanish phrases in the book and the author translate into English. Many pictures are colourful and really detailed.

[Tahlor Kimble · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a really good story for ELL because these characters are all working on learning English. At first the mom didn't want to learn the English because she was having a hard time adjusting to living in America. Eventually she realizes that she needs to learn English to communicate with people in America. I think this story could really show an ELL that learning English will pay off, you just have to try. Also it could help us to really understand how these people who move here not knowing English feel when no one can understand them.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a mother and daughter coming to America and facing hardships. Her daughter encourages her mother to learn English to make their journey in America easier. I would use this book in my classroom to show foreigner's the struggles they may have adapting to their new country, but with the help of the people around them, they are able to adapt to the new culture.

[Amanda Herman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book about a family who has just immigrated from Mexico and the struggles of starting over in a new country where you do not speak the language