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All the Way to America: The Story of a Big Italian Family and a Little Shovel
“This immigration story is universal.” — School Library Journal , Starred
Dan Yaccarino’s great-grandfather arrived at Ellis Island with a small shovel and his parents’ good “Work hard, but remember to enjoy life, and never forget your family.” With simple text and warm, colorful illustrations, Yaccarino recounts how the little shovel was passed down through four generations of this Italian-American family—along with the good advice.
It’s a story that will have kids asking their parents and Where did we come from? How did our family make the journey all the way to America?
“A shovel is just a shovel, but in Dan Yaccarino’s hands it becomes a way to dig deep into the past and honor all those who helped make us who we are.” —Eric Rohmann, winner of the Caldecott Medal for My Friend Rabbit
“ All the Way to America is a charmer. Yaccarino’s heartwarming story rings clearly with truth, good cheer, and love.” —Tomie dePaola, winner of a Caldecott Honor Award for Strega Nona
From the Hardcover edition.
Dan Yaccarino’s great-grandfather arrived at Ellis Island with a small shovel and his parents’ good “Work hard, but remember to enjoy life, and never forget your family.” With simple text and warm, colorful illustrations, Yaccarino recounts how the little shovel was passed down through four generations of this Italian-American family—along with the good advice.
It’s a story that will have kids asking their parents and Where did we come from? How did our family make the journey all the way to America?
“A shovel is just a shovel, but in Dan Yaccarino’s hands it becomes a way to dig deep into the past and honor all those who helped make us who we are.” —Eric Rohmann, winner of the Caldecott Medal for My Friend Rabbit
“ All the Way to America is a charmer. Yaccarino’s heartwarming story rings clearly with truth, good cheer, and love.” —Tomie dePaola, winner of a Caldecott Honor Award for Strega Nona
From the Hardcover edition.
40 pages, Library Binding
First published March 8, 2011
About the author
Dan Yaccarino
99 books130 followersExhibitions of his work have been held throughout the world. He is also the creator of the animated TV Series Willa's Wild Life and Oswald.
Mr. Yaccarino lives in New York City with his wife and two children.
Mr. Yaccarino lives in New York City with his wife and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
May 22, 2017
Work hard.
But remember to enjoy life.
And never forget your family.
Beloved illustrator and children's book writer Dan Yaccarino tells the heartwarming tale of his great-grandfather's journey to America. In the land of opportunity, he finds work in a bakery, but soon has his own business as a pushcart peddler. His story, and his family, grows from there, and continues until we meet the author himself . . . and he still follows those words of advice given to his ancestor so very long ago.
. . .and, since this is Yaccarino we're talking about, you know there's gonna be some pretty nifty artwork . . .
Don't miss this one!
But remember to enjoy life.
And never forget your family.
Beloved illustrator and children's book writer Dan Yaccarino tells the heartwarming tale of his great-grandfather's journey to America. In the land of opportunity, he finds work in a bakery, but soon has his own business as a pushcart peddler. His story, and his family, grows from there, and continues until we meet the author himself . . . and he still follows those words of advice given to his ancestor so very long ago.
. . .and, since this is Yaccarino we're talking about, you know there's gonna be some pretty nifty artwork . . .
Don't miss this one!
November 5, 2011
24 March 2011 ALL THE WAY TO AMERICA: THE STORY OF A BIG ITALIAN FAMILY AND A LITTLE SHOVEL by Dan Yaccarino, Knopf, March 2011, 40p., ISBN: 978-0-375-86642-5
"And cases filled with hats and clothes,And the belongings of those who journeyed so far,They're strange reminders I suppose,Of where we're from and who we are."-- Marc Cohn, "Ellis Island"
My Sicilian grandfather arrived in America 102 years ago this week, on the ship "Indiana." He would marry my grandmother Rosa who, eight years earlier, had completed a similar journey, from Palermo to Ellis Island, aboard the "Tartar Prince."
Grandpa died long before I was born, but the shoe store he'd founded in Roosevelt, Long Island, below the apartment where he and Rosa raised four children, was still there when I was little. I remember riding in the back of my mother's '52 Buick Roadmaster as we all pulled into the rutted alley behind the shoe store, which had become my Uncle's business after he'd returned from WWII.
By time I was growing up, my grandmother Rosa had a house on a tree-lined street near the shoe store where she grew tomatoes and eggplants and peppers in the backyard. I remember all of us young cousins feasting endlessly under the trees in that yard on sunny Sunday afternoons half a century ago.
Thinking about how my extended family has long since scattered to the four winds, how the aunts and uncles I can still see so clearly -- in my memories of being a child in the Sixties -- are now all passed away, it aches a bit to read Dan Yaccarino's glorious picturebook ALL THE WAY TO AMERICA, a story about family.
"Every year my parents would take my brother, my sister, and me to the Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy. We watched the parade, listened to Italian folk songs, and ate hot zeppoli. I loved New York City!"
ALL THE WAY TO AMERICA is the true story of Dan's family through the generations. The story begins with his great-grandfather Michele Iaccarino, who "grew up on a farm in Sorrento, Italy" and traveled to America with his parent's few family photographs; his mother's recipe for tomato sauce; and a little shovel his father had given him as a child to help tend the family crops: zucchini, tomatoes, and strawberries. As the story progresses, we meet each of the succeeding generations who worked hard, enjoyed life, and prospered. That little shovel that journeyed to America would be passed down from father to son, becoming a thread to connect the six generations of Dan's family whom we meet. The story concludes with Dan's children, Michael and Lucy, using the little shovel to tend the zucchini, tomatoes, and strawberries on the family's terrace in New York City.
I cannot imagine any child not longing to hear about his own family history after getting to know Dan's family.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
author, I Second That Emotion: Sharing Children's and Young Adult Poetry
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
Moderator, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_...
"And cases filled with hats and clothes,And the belongings of those who journeyed so far,They're strange reminders I suppose,Of where we're from and who we are."-- Marc Cohn, "Ellis Island"
My Sicilian grandfather arrived in America 102 years ago this week, on the ship "Indiana." He would marry my grandmother Rosa who, eight years earlier, had completed a similar journey, from Palermo to Ellis Island, aboard the "Tartar Prince."
Grandpa died long before I was born, but the shoe store he'd founded in Roosevelt, Long Island, below the apartment where he and Rosa raised four children, was still there when I was little. I remember riding in the back of my mother's '52 Buick Roadmaster as we all pulled into the rutted alley behind the shoe store, which had become my Uncle's business after he'd returned from WWII.
By time I was growing up, my grandmother Rosa had a house on a tree-lined street near the shoe store where she grew tomatoes and eggplants and peppers in the backyard. I remember all of us young cousins feasting endlessly under the trees in that yard on sunny Sunday afternoons half a century ago.
Thinking about how my extended family has long since scattered to the four winds, how the aunts and uncles I can still see so clearly -- in my memories of being a child in the Sixties -- are now all passed away, it aches a bit to read Dan Yaccarino's glorious picturebook ALL THE WAY TO AMERICA, a story about family.
"Every year my parents would take my brother, my sister, and me to the Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy. We watched the parade, listened to Italian folk songs, and ate hot zeppoli. I loved New York City!"
ALL THE WAY TO AMERICA is the true story of Dan's family through the generations. The story begins with his great-grandfather Michele Iaccarino, who "grew up on a farm in Sorrento, Italy" and traveled to America with his parent's few family photographs; his mother's recipe for tomato sauce; and a little shovel his father had given him as a child to help tend the family crops: zucchini, tomatoes, and strawberries. As the story progresses, we meet each of the succeeding generations who worked hard, enjoyed life, and prospered. That little shovel that journeyed to America would be passed down from father to son, becoming a thread to connect the six generations of Dan's family whom we meet. The story concludes with Dan's children, Michael and Lucy, using the little shovel to tend the zucchini, tomatoes, and strawberries on the family's terrace in New York City.
I cannot imagine any child not longing to hear about his own family history after getting to know Dan's family.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
author, I Second That Emotion: Sharing Children's and Young Adult Poetry
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
Moderator, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_...
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October 2, 2017The historical fiction book All the Way to America: The Story of a Big Italian Family and a Little Shovel by Dan Yaccarino was just fabulous! I feel that this book touched on so many different areas of the topic of immigration and would be a great classroom share. The story explains, through the journey of one person, how so many people came to American from other countries in the past. Students can learn about how names change, how people get their start in American, how small cultural villages form (Little Italy) and how generations pass. I love the incorporation of the shall shovel in the story and how it was used in so many different ways by different generations. Finally, I love that at the end of the story, the man moves to Italy and almost completes the cycle!
In the classroom, there are so many ways this book can be used. For example, students could look into their heritage and ask parents about where their ancestors were from. Also, students could talk about family "artifacts" like the shovel. They could bring items in if they had them and share their stories. This book also gives children the opportunity to learn about what it might be like to arrive in a new country, as well as how so many different cultures enrich our own country. Great read!
In the classroom, there are so many ways this book can be used. For example, students could look into their heritage and ask parents about where their ancestors were from. Also, students could talk about family "artifacts" like the shovel. They could bring items in if they had them and share their stories. This book also gives children the opportunity to learn about what it might be like to arrive in a new country, as well as how so many different cultures enrich our own country. Great read!
May 21, 2016
For diverse children's literature final project.
October 26, 2020
I didn't love the illustration style of this one, and I felt mixed about it overall. It was neat to see the time passing in the family but at the same time it was so clearly autobiographical that it just felt a bit...claustrophobic, for lack of a better word. I appreciated the theme of the shovel throughout and again, because of the very clear memoir nature of this I assume it had to be true that this shovel was well suited to both gardening and scooping, but I found the idea kind of distracting. My three year old seemed to enjoy the story and all the different environments it took place in, but wasn't really attached to it.
April 6, 2021
This book is a good window for children that are trying to understand where did their family come from. Why we have so many different family traditions or do things in certain ways depending on where we are from. The illustrations help to open a sliding door for you to travel and leave with each character. It also leave us a message to always work hard, but enjoy life.
June 4, 2021
A picture book story of several generations descended from an Italian immigrant who came to America with his little scoop shovel and his mother’s recipe for tomato sauce. Nice illustrations and easy for first and second graders to follow in my experience 😊
April 28, 2011
Yaccarino tells the story of several generations of his Italian family in this picture book. The book starts with his great-grandfather who grew up in a farm in Sorrento, Italy. He headed for America in search of new opportunities, leaving his parents behind. His father gave him a little shovel, reminding him to work hard, but remember to enjoy life. His mother told him to never forget his family. As time goes on, Michael and his descendants used the small shovel in a variety of ways. Michael used it at his first job in America to scoop flour and sugar. When he opened his own pushcart, he used it to measure dried fruits and nuts. His son Dan used the little shovel in his market. His son Mike used it to pour salt on the icy sidewalks in front of his barbershop. And now Dan, the author of the book, worked hard himself and uses the shovel to on their terrace to grow fruits and vegetables.
I love the use of the symbol of the shovel to tie the different generations together. Additionally, the ways that the shovel is used by different people add an interesting piece to everyone’s story. Yaccarino has created a vibrant picture book from his heritage that is warm, friendly and intriguing. His writing contains just enough detail to be interesting and to evoke a specific time, but not too much for the young audience.
Yaccarino’s illustrations have a wonderful graphic nature to them that is fresh, modern yet evokes the past clearly. Watching the features of the family change from one generation to the next is a treat. The illustrations are filled with color to the edges of the page, making for a bright, complete world.
A great pick to use with youngsters learning about their family tree, this book would also make a good place to start off family conversations. Appropriate for ages 5-8.
I love the use of the symbol of the shovel to tie the different generations together. Additionally, the ways that the shovel is used by different people add an interesting piece to everyone’s story. Yaccarino has created a vibrant picture book from his heritage that is warm, friendly and intriguing. His writing contains just enough detail to be interesting and to evoke a specific time, but not too much for the young audience.
Yaccarino’s illustrations have a wonderful graphic nature to them that is fresh, modern yet evokes the past clearly. Watching the features of the family change from one generation to the next is a treat. The illustrations are filled with color to the edges of the page, making for a bright, complete world.
A great pick to use with youngsters learning about their family tree, this book would also make a good place to start off family conversations. Appropriate for ages 5-8.
June 13, 2019
Dan Yaccarino is the author-illustrator of this picturebook. He describes the life of his ancestors who came from Italy. This autobiography described the life of immigrants who came from Sorrento in Italy. This Italian family’s heritage and values--working hard, enjoying life, and remembering your family--pass down to the younger generations with a little shovel. The little shovel symbolizes the family's heritage and history. I appreciated that the family still keeps the shovel as shown in a photograph of the author holding it on the front flap of the dust jacket of the book. The author also describes how businesses shifted throughout the generations. For instance, it was natural for the first and second generations to run businesses related to Italian cultures because they were familiar with their heritage culture and food. As time goes by, the recent generations are less engaged in authentic heritage cultures even though family values remain.
The other day, I heard that some Americans complained that immigrants did not blend themselves to American cultures and kept their heritage cultures which are not American things. I was sad that they did not much care about cultural diversity. I wish I could recommend this book to them.
The other day, I heard that some Americans complained that immigrants did not blend themselves to American cultures and kept their heritage cultures which are not American things. I was sad that they did not much care about cultural diversity. I wish I could recommend this book to them.
January 23, 2012
I liked how the small silver shovel was one of the connecting threads through the family.
March 8, 2023
This good-feeling book is essentially about a small shovel that traveled through centuries by being passed down within a family. It started its life-long journey in Italy where Michele used it to tend to their family garden. As Michele grew up, he knew he wanted to try his hardest to have a better life in The United States; and he did. He took the long journey to the new land where he landed in New York City and resided in a town called Little Italy. He went on to marry a woman and have children, the narrator's grandfather and passed along this special little shovel. "Work hard," he told his eldest son and so he did. Eventually, the shovel ends up with Michele's great-grandchild. The family grew so large and loved celebrating where they had originated from; Italy.
This story shows children what great assets immigrants can be for America; starting businesses and adding a diverse culture to the land. I believe it gives children a glimpse of understanding that immigrants come to America to build their life for the better; and their families.
The illustrations, by Yaccarino, in this book are very detailed, graphic in nature, and pleasing to one's eye. The have vivid and bright colors, but still, do an excellent job of depicting life in the past.
This story shows children what great assets immigrants can be for America; starting businesses and adding a diverse culture to the land. I believe it gives children a glimpse of understanding that immigrants come to America to build their life for the better; and their families.
The illustrations, by Yaccarino, in this book are very detailed, graphic in nature, and pleasing to one's eye. The have vivid and bright colors, but still, do an excellent job of depicting life in the past.
September 23, 2018
All the Way to America: The Story of a Big Italian Family and a Little Shovel by Dan Yaccarino is a realistic fiction. It tells a story of Yaccarino's family started with his great-grandfather. Yaccarino's great-grandfather left his family farm in a small town in Italia to Ellis Island, New York with a small shovel. He worked really hard - like other immigrants at that time, and the shovel passed through the generations and being used in different ways.
This story is interesting to children because they always curious about where their ancestors came from. It explains to children how immigrant came to the New World for opportunities and their lives at that time. This warm story lets children think about the multicultural that immigrants brought to this country and that makes this country diverse. The illustrations are very clear and nice with full color to the edges. Pictures correspond to the text and hold the children's interest while the text is read. Overall, this book is a great book for children to learn about immigration and multicultural.
This story is interesting to children because they always curious about where their ancestors came from. It explains to children how immigrant came to the New World for opportunities and their lives at that time. This warm story lets children think about the multicultural that immigrants brought to this country and that makes this country diverse. The illustrations are very clear and nice with full color to the edges. Pictures correspond to the text and hold the children's interest while the text is read. Overall, this book is a great book for children to learn about immigration and multicultural.
November 28, 2023
"All the Way to America" by Dan Yaccarino dives deep into the roots of a big Italian family's journey linked to a cherished little shovel passed through generations. In this historical fiction children's book, they start at Sorrento, Italy, to New York, the narrative beautifully captures the immigrant experience, emphasizing hard work and perseverance. Yaccarino's literary craft and storytelling was beautifully complimented with illustrations, that make the book accessible and relatable for readers of all ages, celebrating the immigrant identity of American history. This historical fiction book pays a great tribute to family heritage, offering a resource for teaching children about their roots and the diverse backgrounds that contribute to the American story. As a WOW book, it stands out for its cultural richness and universal themes that can be related to different backgrounds. The author takes an anti-bias approach, presenting a diverse immigrant experience without involving stereotypes providing an authentic representation of family heritage.
October 30, 2018
"All the Way to America: The Story of a Big Italian Family and a Little Shovel" is a historical fiction book. It tells a wonderful story that involves first, second, and third generation immigrants. The story begins with the third generation immigrant protagonist who tells the story of his Italian great-grandfather. His great-grandfather had been given a shovel from his own father to help in a village. His great-grandfather had to leave his home because his family was poor. So, he immigrated to America for new possibilities. His great-grandfather passed the Ellis Island like many other people did. It talks about the whole new life in the U.S. of the protagonist's great-grandfather. That special shovel which symbolizes "work hard" goes through many generations till it gets to the protagonist's hands. This book connects to my text set of immigration because the first generation immigrant great-grandfather started family history. The story is engaging for children because of its easy language. It provides a strong plot with characters who seem to be realistic because of their experiences. The illustrations are bright, very colorful, and full of detail. They capture attention while reading because it connects to the text. This story is impressive because the story is for the most part based of the author's own experiences. Therefore, the author is a part of the immigration experience. Overall, this book is wonderful because it has a story that you don't read much about. This allows the readers to understand and appreciate the story in this book.
February 5, 2024
This book is about a family line of immigrants that started when the great grandfather boldly moved to America to pursue new opportunities. He is given a small shovel by his father as a gift. This shovel comes in handy many times over the years and it is passed down through generations all the way to the author of this book.
I like the sentimental aspect behind this book. I think that it is sweet that the author tells a personal story and uses it to elaborate on a time in history - a time of migration to America. The shovel is a symbol and love and unity. It is a touching story to read.
This book can be used in the classroom to develop the idea of generational events. That is the overall theme of this book and the message of the shovel can tie into the idea of remaining united despite the circumstances.
I like the sentimental aspect behind this book. I think that it is sweet that the author tells a personal story and uses it to elaborate on a time in history - a time of migration to America. The shovel is a symbol and love and unity. It is a touching story to read.
This book can be used in the classroom to develop the idea of generational events. That is the overall theme of this book and the message of the shovel can tie into the idea of remaining united despite the circumstances.
January 21, 2018
Absolutely fantastic book that I have read alongside a few other books in understanding the poignant issues of immigration. Part of the work I have been doing over the past month is looking at the different ways in which children can understand such important issues such as the refugee crisis and also immigration - further to that the reasons as to why many do leave their home country. I chose a few books to look at different authors interpretations of portraying this to children and I think Dan Yaccarino has done this extremely well. Story follows the author's Great Grandfather arriving, as many did, to Ellis Island in New York. Text is simple to understand and the illustrations are just great. Great book for getting children to talk about life stories, heritage and finding out where they came from.
Plus the advice from his parents 'Work hard, but remember to enjoy life, and never forget your family' - this is a quote that I have saved and will have it on my wall! Just fantastic!
Plus the advice from his parents 'Work hard, but remember to enjoy life, and never forget your family' - this is a quote that I have saved and will have it on my wall! Just fantastic!
April 22, 2019
"All the Way to America: The Story of a Big Italian Family and a Little Shovel" was written and illustrated by Dan Yaccarino and published in 2011. This book tells the story of Mikel who immigrated from Sorrento Italy and the generations who came after him. There is a big emphasis on family, food, and hard work, they repeat “work hard, but remember to enjoy life, and never forget your family” the original advice given when Mikel immigrated at the start of the book. This book would be a good read-aloud for younger aged studs, preschool and kindergarten. I would use this book as one to talk about family, traditions/to have students learn more about their own family tree/line.
(assignment #5)
(assignment #5)
July 17, 2021
This would be a great mentor text for students who are doing some type of family tree project or family history project. This book clearly shows the connection from generation to generation and the pride in the values that are passed between them. One of the things I liked that I would recommend to young writers is to find some type of family treasure/object that has been passed down to children over the years like this author did with the little shovel. Having that object is a touchstone that can help to show the similarities and the differences between the generations. This can also, and was also done in this book, with a saying or quote from an ancestor that is still as important to the family today as it was then.
September 4, 2017
Immigration is a cornerstone of American literature; it is always relevant. Dan Yaccarino tells the "condensed but all true" story of his ancestors' journey from Italy to Ellis Island at the turn of the 19th century. From there, the Yaccarino family were entrepreneurs, incorporating a small silver shovel from their homeland into the endeavors. I love how the family tree evolved, sometimes mirroring the past and sometimes diverging. But the thread throughout is to work hard and enjoy family. A very enjoyable read with adorable illustrations.
This title could be paired with Coming to America: The Story of Immigration for lessons on the topic.
This title could be paired with Coming to America: The Story of Immigration for lessons on the topic.
December 10, 2018
Summary: Dan Yaccarino's great-grandfather arrived at Ellis Island with a small shovel and his parents' good advice: “Work hard, but remember to enjoy life, and never forget your family.”
Evaluation: This story is very cute and focuses on the story of immigration to America from Italy. The author does a great job of showing the journey and that it can sometimes be difficult. The main character never gives up and shows courage.
Teaching Point: This book can be taught alongside a social studies lesson about time lines and family connections. As it goes through the story, the generations of Yaccarino men are shown so this can start a conversation about heritage.
Evaluation: This story is very cute and focuses on the story of immigration to America from Italy. The author does a great job of showing the journey and that it can sometimes be difficult. The main character never gives up and shows courage.
Teaching Point: This book can be taught alongside a social studies lesson about time lines and family connections. As it goes through the story, the generations of Yaccarino men are shown so this can start a conversation about heritage.
March 30, 2019
This book would be appropriate for primary grades. It is about generations of Italian immigrants. This book focuses on family connectedness, it illustrates how families can stay close without physically being together through family heirlooms and sayings. In the classroom, I could use this book as a read-aloud to inform my students of the importance of valuing culture and family. This book runs the risk of portraying the stereotype that Italians are farmers and that Italian families are big. Although these risks exist there are still many benefits of this book. First, is that it demonstrates the power of families sticking together. Additionally, it shows that hard work pays off.
February 13, 2020
All the Way to America: The Story of a Big Italian Family and a Little Shovel by Dan Yaccarino Published in 2011
Read aloud to preschool/elementary aged students. This book is about an Dan Yaccarino's grandfather who was an Italian-American immigrant and arrived at Ellis Island with pretty much only a shovel and some advice. The book shows how the family heritage had been kept year after year as immigrant families never want to forget where they came from. This book was really intriguing to read as it showed that these families have a rich family background just like Americans do! Definitely recommend!
Read aloud to preschool/elementary aged students. This book is about an Dan Yaccarino's grandfather who was an Italian-American immigrant and arrived at Ellis Island with pretty much only a shovel and some advice. The book shows how the family heritage had been kept year after year as immigrant families never want to forget where they came from. This book was really intriguing to read as it showed that these families have a rich family background just like Americans do! Definitely recommend!
May 10, 2017
"All the Way To America: the Story of a Big Italian Family and a Little Shovel", written by Dan Yaccarino in 2011, was peer reviewed by Publisher's Weekly. It is a great picture book of an Italian immigrant going through Ellis Island with nothing but a shovel. His parents advice is, "Work hard, but remember to enjoy your life and never forget your family". This book made me think of my heritage, as my great grandparents were also Italian immigrants. This is a great picture book for elementary school students.
September 29, 2021
The author tells of four generations of his Italian family. His great grandfather immigrated to America. He brought along a small shovel, and some advice: Work hard, enjoy life, and never forget your family.
Readers learn how each generation followed this advice, and how each generation used the little shovel.
Despite the inherent difficulty of explaining the past and passage of time, this brightly illustrated books makes history accessible for young children.
Tie-in with 1st grade social studies: How do we learn about the past?
Compare with Miss Bridie Chose a Shovel by Leslie Connor.
Readers learn how each generation followed this advice, and how each generation used the little shovel.
Despite the inherent difficulty of explaining the past and passage of time, this brightly illustrated books makes history accessible for young children.
Tie-in with 1st grade social studies: How do we learn about the past?
Compare with Miss Bridie Chose a Shovel by Leslie Connor.
March 12, 2022
Genre: Historical Fiction
Grade Level: 1st-3rd
I loved how sentimental this book was. it's crazy how a singular shovel can be used in many different professions to allow the success of the family. It's a sweet book, partly based on the author's ancestry. I loved how the illustrations included the shovel on every page, being used in so many different ways. I would highly recommend this book to anyone! It does a good job of showing how time has allowed families to progress their legacy in the United States.
Grade Level: 1st-3rd
I loved how sentimental this book was. it's crazy how a singular shovel can be used in many different professions to allow the success of the family. It's a sweet book, partly based on the author's ancestry. I loved how the illustrations included the shovel on every page, being used in so many different ways. I would highly recommend this book to anyone! It does a good job of showing how time has allowed families to progress their legacy in the United States.
October 15, 2017
I absolutely love what this story has to say "work hard and never forget your family". It is important that children understand how important their family and culture is. One interesting part of the book was the tiny shovel. This Shovel was passed along from father to son as a reminder to work hard, enjoy your life, and never forget your family. I believe this book is a good diversity book and touches on the Italian culture.
February 25, 2019
This book tells the story of a man and how he worked hard and decided to come to America. Throughout the generations the family continued to work hard. The man who came to American was the great-grandfather of the author of the book. Now the author has children and he wants to teach them the values of hard work and family.
This book would be good to use in a comparative assignment that requires the students to identify the details as they compare the jobs that the little shovel was used for.
This book would be good to use in a comparative assignment that requires the students to identify the details as they compare the jobs that the little shovel was used for.
February 25, 2019
In All the Way to America: The Story of a Big Italian Family and a Little Shovel, race is explicitly defined as the author points out that the main character is immigrating from Sorrento, Italy to America. The author then describes many things that make up Italian culture and how the main character was able to adjust once getting to the United States. I loved this story and would love to have it in my future classroom.
October 16, 2019
This is a great book to incorporate a child's family background. Many students have family or a relative who has immigrated to the U.S, therefore, when reading this story, they can try to go home and ask their parents where their family is from. Furthermore, this book addresses people that immigrated to Ellis Island New York seeking new better economic opportunities for their family/future families, which also serves as a history lesson.
October 11, 2020
Copyright: 2011
Genre: Biography
Themes: Italy, Immigration, America, Generations, Family
My favorite part of the book was at the end when Dan got to share his part of the story, living in New York with his wife and two kids.
One way I can use this book in my classroom is teaching students the importance of learning where we came and how we got here (what people or things helped us be where we are today).
Genre: Biography
Themes: Italy, Immigration, America, Generations, Family
My favorite part of the book was at the end when Dan got to share his part of the story, living in New York with his wife and two kids.
One way I can use this book in my classroom is teaching students the importance of learning where we came and how we got here (what people or things helped us be where we are today).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews