Nonfiction -- Shutting Out The Sky

Title: Shutting Out the Sky

Author: Deborah Hopkinson

Date: 2003


Publisher: Orchard Books, an Imprint of Scholastic Inc.

ISBN: 0-439-37590-8

Format: Print hardback

Summary: In the late 19th and early 20th century, New York was flooded with people coming to America looking for a better life and trying escape the hardships they were facing in their home countries.

Audience: Children ages 8 to 12 are the recommended audience for this book. This is appropriate as the stories featured in the book focus on people who immigrated to America when they were this age. Situations and conditions that eventually led to Child Labor Laws are also discussed.

Strengths: This book is a well-researched and documented historical account of an important time in American history. One of its strengths comes from its ability to draw readers in and keep them engaged. Hopkinson presents the information in the form of personal stories from people who immigrated to America during this time. Instead of a dry, chronological story about the facts, the book is organized into different aspects of immigrant life with a specific focus on young people. Readers get a personal account of what life was like during this time, while also learning about public policy, government regulations and the people and events who worked to change these things. Another strength is the numerous photographs that accompany the text. The sepia toned images are prominent throughout the story and fit in well with the overall theme and aesthetic of the book. Readers are provided a glimpse into life in the late 19th and early 20th century in a captivating way that vividly paints a picture of what life was like for these people. The book also provides several additional features that allow the reader to further engage in the story. These include a "Voices in the Book" that introduces the readers to the children in the book, an afterword, a timeline and recommendations for further reading.

Weaknesses: There are two aspects of this book that could lessen its effectiveness. First, the narrative jumps from person to person as different areas of life are discussed. This can get confusing. A person is introduced in one chapter and then returns again later in the book after the reader meets several other people. This can make it difficult to keep up with who's who and could cause some readers to lose interest in the story. Second, the photographs in the book are not of the actual people who are featured. While the photographs are authentic and do capture situations similar to those being discussed, had the author been able to provide real photos of the actual families it would have offered a deeper connection to the story. However, given the time that has passed from when these stories took place, this is probably be a difficult task to do.

Uses: This book could be used for a variety of learning opportunities. First, it is an entertaining way to teach children about the history of immigration and the way of life for people during this time. It also provides an introduction and opportunity for further learning of government policy, child labor reform and the methods used to try to enact changes in these areas. Terms such as regulations, enforcement, boycott, strike and work stoppage can be used to teach students about bringing about change and introduce them to how government works in America. Also, the book details the extreme measures that immigrants had to go through to get an education, which can help reenforce the importance of education and the value of being able to freely go to school.

Read-alikes: Tenement: Immigrant Life on the Lower East Side by Raymond Bial

Black Potatoes: The Story of the Great Irish Famine by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

God Bless the Child by Arthur Herzog

Immigrant Kids by Russell Freedman

Awards: Honor book for the NCTE Orbis Pictus Award, A Jane Addams Award honor book, an IRA Teacher's Choice, James Madison Award Honor Book