AT HOME IN A NEW LAND

Sandin presents her third slice of Swedish-American history in the venerable I Can Read series. Carl Erik, after leaving Sweden during the “hunger years” of 1868 and ’69, now lives in Minnesota with his family and close relatives. Thanks to the Homestead Act, soon 160 acres of land will belong to his family and the long, difficult times will be over. But, in order to clear the land and build the house, Carl Erik’s father will first have to make some money, faraway in a logging camp. Carl Erik will now be the man of the house. Frequent charming watercolor-washed black-line drawings show the worry and diligence of the boy. He faces his unfounded fears of the native Ojibway, the anti-Swede taunts of a schoolmate as he struggles to read English and the difficulty of finding food. Sandin skillfully presents this slice of immigrant life through words and illustrations that will both inform and please. For young history students and children wishing to learn more about Swedish immigration. (author note, glossary) (Fiction. 4-8)