Turn-of-the-Century Immigration

1870 – 1920

Around the turn of the 20th century, millions of immigrants came to America seeking opportunity and fleeing hardship, arriving at ports like Ellis Island and Angel Island. They faced challenges like discrimination and adapting to a new culture, yet their contributions helped shape the nation’s diversity and growth. You can find more books about the Gilded Age and the Progressive Era here.

Picture books

Peppe the Lamplighter

Moving story of an immigrant boy in Little Italy

Escaping to America: A True Story

Lively story of a Jewish family leaving Poland for America

All the Way to America: The Story of a Big Italian Family and a Little Shovel

Charming story of an Italian immigrant family

When Jessie Came Across the Sea

Story of a girl immigrating to America alone

Her Right Foot

Award-winning reflection on the Statue of Liberty

Streets of Gold

Story of a Russian girl immigrating with her family and finally going to school

Naming Liberty

Dual story of an immigrant girl and the artist behind the Statue of Liberty

The Memory Coat

Moving story of a Russian family immigrating to America

Saving Lady Liberty

The story of how Joseph Pulitzer raised funds to finish the Statue of Liberty

Wilhelm’s Journey

Fictional diary of a German immigrant’s voyage to America

Chapter books and novels

Dear America: Dreams in the Golden Country

Fictional diary of a Jewish immigrant girl in New York City

My Name Is America: The Journal Of Otto Peltonen, A Finnish Immigrant

Fictional diary of a Finnish boy who immigrates to Minnesota

Under Copp’s Hill

Story of a girl solving a mystery at an immigrant settlement house

A House of Tailors

Charming story of a German immigrant girl in Brooklyn

Hannah’s Journal: The Story of an Immigrant Girl

Illustrated fictional diary about a girl immigrating to New York

Letters from Rifka

Story of a determined Russian girl immigrating with her family

Maggie’s Door

Story of an Irish family’s passage to America (2nd book in series)

Water Street

Poignant story of an Irish immigrant family in Brooklyn (3rd book in series)

Meet Rebecca

First in American Girl series about a girl helping her family immigrate from Russia

Non-fiction books

Immigrant Kids

Excellent introduction to immigrant life for kids at the turn of the century

Coming to America: The Story of Immigration

Accessible overview of different waves of migration through America’s history

The Dream of America: Immigration 1870-1920

Thorough overview of turn-of-the-century immigration for middle and upper-grade readers

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