The Memory Coat

by Elvira Woodruff

paperback book

Genres: Picture Books, Historical Fiction, Family, Childrens, Russia, Historical, Travel

Paperback

First published March 1, 1999

About the author

Elvira Woodruff is an American children's author known for blending fantasy and history in her stories. Born in Somerville, New Jersey, she studied English literature at Adelphi and Boston University. Before becoming a writer, she worked a variety of jobs and later found inspiration while working as a librarian in Easton, Pennsylvania. Woodruff has published numerous children's books, including George Washington's Socks, The Memory Coat, and Dear Levi. Her work has been praised for its engaging storytelling and historical depth. Throughout her career, she has created imaginative, heartfelt stories that continue to captivate young readers.

Reviews

[Linda Lipko · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always been fascinated with Russian history. When watching a netflix movie titled The Last Tsar, I was reminded of the bloody revolts, and the ineptitude of Tsar Nicholas II, who did not want to rule, did not know how to rule, and in the end his life and that of his family came to a bloody end. His father, Tsar Nicholas I , at the beginning of the 19th century felt entitled to have the Cossacks randomly ride into Jewish settlements and kill. In fact, Tsar Nicholas I during the first part of 1900, listed 600 anti Jewish decrees. The author of this book provides a trove of information regarding the harshness of life of these pheasant people who eeked out a living. Many families lived in the same small wooden homes.

This is a story of Russian families who pulled together as much as they could in order to escape. Their escape destination was the United States. Two cousins, Rachel and Grisha lived together with Rachel's family. Sadly, Grisha lost his mother, and the only remaining thing he has is a raggedy coat she made for him.

When the family came to Ellis Island, they tried their best to look presentable, to look as through they could indeed not be a burden to the American population. Grisha wanted to keep his coat. In order to look presentable, he had to turn it inside out.
Tragically, many families were split apart at Ellis Island.

This is a story of many things, the harsh life of Jewish people in Russia, their determination to live without fear of being killed, and escaping to America. Once again, a well-written children's illustrated book explains historical experience woven into an understandable story of two Jewish children and the fears experienced in Russia. And, then the hope of going through the lines of Ellis Island and staying together as an intact family.

I firmly believe these excellent books that weave historical context to children, might spur them to learn more.

[Amber S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: Grisha and Rachel (cousins) are forced to leave behind their home in Russia for a better and safer future in America. However, the family is concerned that Grisha might be turned away due to his tattered and old coat. When Grisha is faced with the possibility of deportation at Ellis Island, but not because of his coat, Rachel saves her cousin and the family is kept together as they enter America.

Review: Inspirational and gripping, this tale will keep readers engaged with the story. I was enticed to keep reading and find out what happens to this Russian-Jewish family. The words and illustrations are beautiful, creating an emotional bond to the characters and their journey to America.

Connect/Pair With: Ellis Island website (https://www.libertyellisfoundation.or... An American Tail movie (1986; follows the journey of a young mouse who emigrates to America from Russia); Peppe the Lamplighter by Elisa Bartone; The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco

Delicious Quote/Use:

Two quotes have struck me as inspiring or emotional. The first quote provides insight into the thoughts of immigrants about inspection on Ellis Island:
"But the tales that frightened them the most were of those immigrants who had given up so much and traveled so far, only to be turned away at a place called Ellis Island, an inspection station in New York's harbor. There, immigrants were inspected to be sure they were healthy, and had enough money, and could take care of themselves." (Social justice issue: Immigration)

The second quote is beautifully written but emotional; it would be used as a model for writing: "Everyone lowered their eyes, ashamed at having forgotten how Grisha's dear mother had struggled to make him the little coat in the last winter of her life."

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cousins Rachel and Grisha live with their family in a shtetl in Tzar's Russia. The Cossacks, the Tzar's soldiers target the family because they are Jews. The adults decide to move to the United States, where it is safer. The problem is getting through Ellis Island's health check. Grisha refuses to give up the old tattered coat that his Mom made him, while she was dying.

The adults are afraid that the inspectors might use the coat as an excuse to send Grisha back. Things get worse when Grisha has an accident that scrapes his eyelid. Can Cousin Rachel figure out a way to save the day?

Tags: Immigration -- Emigration -- separation -- death -- grief -- fleeing -- prejudice -- Family -- Parents -- Child -- Cousins -- Storytelling -- Jews

[AKSHEETA · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the story The Memory Coat by Elvira Woodruff,Elvia uses a different technique to express how Rachel acts like a sister to Grisha. When everyone wanted Grisha to get a new coat so, they had a better chance to enter America. Rachel sticks up for him. Rachel explains to the family why the coat was important to Grisha. In the text it cites, “It’s lined with the beautiful wool from his very own mothers coat. Inside he can still feels his mama’s touch.” When Rachel said this the family realized what the coat meant to Grisha. This shows even when people try to force Grisha to do something Rachel will stick up for him like a sister would.

[Hannah Dahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Upper Primary/ Middle Grades
Historical Fiction

I was a huge fan of this book! The illustrations and writing went very well together and made the story come to life. I loved the relationship between Grisha and Rachel as well as with the rest of their family. I think the strong family ties made this book personally relatable to me. I also appreciate how timeless the concept of immigration is, although this family is immigrating to the US from Russia, immigration is still a daily reality for many all over the world. I definitely would read this book in my future classroom.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

A touching and well told story about a Jewish family fleeing Russia, with the hopes of being allowed to immigrate to America.

Ages: 6 - 12

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[Noah Sayers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historical fiction follows a Jewish family trying to flee Russia and seek asylum in America. Grisha's tattered coat threatens the family's presentation, and possibly their ability to emigrate to America. However, this coat holds great significance to Grisha, as it is a family heirloom.

This book provides a good history lesson on what it was like to be an immigrant in the early 1900s. Additionally, the significance of Grisha's coat brings up themes of family memories, loss, and what it is like to cherish something you connect to family.

[Spencer Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book because it made me feel like I was apart of the story as well. It has very good illustrations and a great story. I think someone who lost their mother could relate to this story and find hope in their troubled times. I think this could also relate to people who have immigrated here and how their stories could be similar. This book is historical fiction and in the 2nd-4th grade range

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel and her cousin Grisha live in Russia. Grisha’s parents have died, so he lives with Rachel’s family. Together, they create stories. But being Jewish in Russia has gotten too dangerous. So the family plans to go to America. They want to make Grisha a new coat so he “looks acceptable” for the Ellis Island inspectors. But Grisha won’t give up the coat his mother made for him right before she died. Luckily, Rachel finds a way to solve the issue.

[Reece Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book follows the story of Rachel and Grisha who are immigrating to America from Russia in order to escape danger. In the story, Grisha has a coat he doesn't want to give up when his family finally realizes the reason for this they end up letting him keep the coat. The illustrations in this book help it come to life. I would use this book in fourth or fifth grade when teaching about immigration to Ellis Island and what people had to go through at the time.

[Cindi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poignant and real this is a story about a family of Jewish immigrants from Russia to America. It tells of some of the dangers being faced in Russia at the time as well as the realities faced trying to get into America, especially at Ellis Island. I love that this was inspired by true events and a coat seen in the Ellis Island museum. The story is imagined, but the challenges the characters faced were real.

[Lydia Johns · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is so endearing! "The Memory Coat" belongs to Grisha, and his deceased mother had made it for him. It is this coat, as well as his family's quick thinking that allows Grisha to stay with his family in their immigration journey. I enjoyed most of the illustrations, but I found the grayscale pictures a tiny bit strange. But it was well written, and I would share it with any child!

[Hannah Cussen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Historical Fiction
3rd-5th grade
This was a great story about the memories we hold onto, a long journey, and the importance of family. I was in suspense, scared, and hopeful as I read this book. This would be a good book to introduce the topic of Ellis Island. It included a few Russian words. I also liked how it was inspired by parts of a true story.

[JadeShea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really interesting story. I loved the coat idea, and I enjoyed how one kid decided to keep the memories of his family. It was a really moving story. I would not use this in my classroom however. I do not believe many children would really understand this, and even the older ones might lose interest. The pictures seem old, and the students may not enjoy that a whole lot.

[Abbie Gerig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Historical Fiction
Grades: 3-5

This was a great read! This story is very real in that people had to risk so much to escape harm but keep what was most beloved to them. What I loved most was that the boy was able to escape harms reach and keeping his cherished coat with some quick thinking.

[Alexis Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Memory Coat is about a Russian family that immigrates to America. The little boy Grisha hurt his eye and was told he couldn't become an American citizen. From reading this book, it helped me realize all the troubles families had to go through to become American Citizens.

[Kelsie Hutton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall I did not like this book. The memory coat is a story about a Jewish-family leaving Russia. I believe that children would not enjoy this story because it's boring and also the art is awful. The story would be better if approached in a different way, for an older age group. The art actually took away from the text because it was distracting.

[Lauren Waters · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a touching story of a tale that has been shared with family members of a young boy's journey to America from Russia. The book highlights the difficulties of life for a Russian-Jewish immigrant and the feelings of anxiety to pass the medical inspection at Ellis Island.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A touching story of the immigrant experience. Informative about what those who passed through Ellis Island had to go through. My child found the first half of the story a bit slow, but the second half she enjoyed quite a bit.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story of their immigration journey - the coat, such a wonderful symbol of love, hope, empowerment....

[Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars
1-4th grade
Historical fiction
I thought that this book was very good! I loved how the family took in the other child in like one of their own! They were trying to make their lives better my immigrating to America that they were worried about every single thing that could possibly not let them all through! This book is very helpful and has some good experience that could be used to introduce a variety of lessons!

[Zachary McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical fiction/ modern fantasy 1st-3rd
This story was a bit more violent than you might expect for many children’s books. Beginning with the Cossacks sacking the Jews isn’t really something children deal with or would understand, but the story is written in a way that they can understand. The story of the coat and the “magic” with it also helps that point.

[Tram Nguyen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Memory Coat is a historical fiction about a Jewish family fleeing from Russia to escape persecution, and they went through one of the famous inspection station at Ellis Island. It was important that they leave a good impression in order not to be turned away, so they emphasized the importance and how a tattered coat may make a boy look sick and be sent back to Russia. However, he found his way to keep the coat and they were able to enter the country. The determination the boy expressed and in the dialogue helped the family come to a new country and keeping a memento. I love how expressive the characters were and the illustrations complimented with the story and gave the book an overall effect. The warm and realistic illustrations made it even more real where it felt like you were watching a documentary. The illustrations complimented with the story, because there were moments it was like black and white as if they felt hopeless, but full of color again for Grisha when he was determined to pass through Ellis Island. There was no negative stereotype and I found it informative and interesting. I found this book interesting, because it gave me a historical side where the family was fleeing from a country. One of the most popular picture books I found were about their experience and struggle in the new country, because their family saw an opportunity. However, this book gave a perspective of the process and struggles when they are immigrating to the country. When the students are reading this picture book, they are seeing the immigrant experience and the struggle the characters had to go through in the late 19th and early 20th century, because some of the students were born in the country and hopefully they can empathize by talking about if there was a similar situation. We can also discuss this in contemporary issues.

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rachel and her cousin, Grisha, lived in Russia until the anti-semitism became so strong that the Tsar's soldiers were coming into the Jewish communities to kill those who were Jewish. The family immediately decided to leave for America. They talked about the importance of making it through inspection at Ellis Island where immigrants could be turned away if they were not believed to be healthy or able to take care of themselves. The family wanted to make Grisha a new coat because it was so tattered they were afraid it would make a poor impression on the inspectors at Ellis Island. However, Grisha refused for this was all he had left of his mother and it held the memory of her. The book portrays the long and difficult journey across the Atlantic, but also the hope the immigrants had of a new life in America. When they finally arrive at Ellis Island, Rachel and Grisha are playing and Grisha accidentally falls and scratches his eye on a basket. By the time they reach the health inspection, his eye is not looking good at all and the doctor marks his back with an "E" (for "Eye Trouble"). Rachel's father tries to tell the doctor it is only a scratch and he will be fine, but the translator has already gone and the docctor does not understand Yiddish. However, when they reach a second doctor who does understand some Yiddish, he tells them to just turn Grisha's coat inside out and not to worry. They are successful in making it to Manhattan and the story ends well. There is a nicely written historical note regarding the background research the author did for the book. I thought this was an excellent portrayal of the journey of an immigrant including the reasons why, the hope, and the fears. This picture book for older readers is appropriate for students in grades 2-5.

[Alexandria Hiam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rachel and her cousin, Grisha, lived in Russia until the anti-semitism became so strong that the Tsar's soldiers were coming into the Jewish communities to kill those who were Jewish. The family immediately decided to leave for America. They talked about the importance of making it through inspection at Ellis Island where immigrants could be turned away if they were not believed to be healthy or able to take care of themselves. The family wanted to make Grisha a new coat because it was so tattered they were afraid it would make a poor impression on the inspectors at Ellis Island. However, Grisha refused for this was all he had left of his mother and it held the memory of her. The book portrays the long and difficult journey across the Atlantic, but also the hope the immigrants had of a new life in America. When they finally arrive at Ellis Island, Rachel and Grisha are playing and Grisha accidentally falls and scratches his eye on a basket. By the time they reach the health inspection, his eye is not looking good at all and the doctor marks his back with an "E" (for "Eye Trouble"). Rachel's father tries to tell the doctor it is only a scratch and he will be fine, but the translator has already gone and the docctor does not understand Yiddish. However, when they reach a second doctor who does understand some Yiddish, he tells them to just turn Grisha's coat inside out and not to worry. They are successful in making it to Manhattan and the story ends well. There is a nicely written historical note regarding the background research the author did for the book. I thought this was an excellent portrayal of the journey of an immigrant including the reasons why, the hope, and the fears. This picture book for older readers is appropriate for students in grades 2-5.

[CH _Kenya Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Memory Coat a Jewish family escapes persecution in Russia and flee to America for refuge. Their only worry is will they pass the inspection station at Ellis Island. Rachel and her cousin Grisha has become very close as they love to create stories and pictures to pass time. Grisha's family has been loss to him and all he has to remember them is a worn tattered coat made for him by his mother before she died. As the family worry about the inspection they try to convince Grisha that his coat would not be suitable to pass the inspection at Ellis Island. Holding fast to the memory of his mother Grisha's held fast to his coat and the family made it to America. This story gives insight into the situation that families had to endure as they fled dominating countries and escaped to America for refuge. Teachers could use this book as a resource to share some of these experiences with their students and help them understand the time and culture.

[Lesly Bruner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story of one Russian, Jewish family's experience of fleeing Russia during the Reign of the Tsar. This group of people fled to save their children and were fearful of how they would all pass inspection upon arrival. They knew if one of them was not allowed through- they would never see each other again. Historical Notes in the back include valuable information to help kids understand what was going on during this period of history. Great book to discuss the treatment of Jews in history aside from Hitler. Good connection to lead into Stalin and read with Between Shades of Grey. Stretch, but also reminded me of I AM LEGEND when they are selecting people to leave the island and some are forced to stay due to health issues.

[Helen Tesfaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a Russian-Jewish family leaving Russia due to fear of being persecuted for their religion, so they plan to travel and seek refuge in America. They fear that not everyone will pass the inspection station at Ellis Island. This book relates to my topic because it discusses the backstory of an immigrant and why some immigrants make the difficult journey to America. Also it is very important for readers to understand the strictness of the inspection stations, because just because someone traveled far to arrive to Ellis Island, it is not guaranteed that they could enter the United States. The quality of the book was good and the developmental appropriateness for this book is 2nd to 5th grade. The genre of this book is historical fiction.

[The Reading Countess · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beautiful illustrations remind me of "The Little Matchbox Girl" in style, and lend an air of whimsy and wonder to this historical piece. I would consider pairing it with another immigration book, perhaps "Lady Liberty." At the back of the book, the author shares how she struck upon the seed idea for the book: she saw a tattered jacket in a museum on Ellis Island. This would make a wonderful text to springboard the idea to student writers that authors write about objects they see around them.

[Brittany White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Social Studies implementation: We actually used this book recently with my fifth graders. The day before they had read small, informational books about immigration to the United States. So, we began by watching a short film on coming through Ellis Island. We then discussed the film and read this story. Afterward, students worked in small groups to answer comprehension questions about the story. It was a great story to read from a child's point of view about the importance of making it through inspection at Ellis Island.