Altman, L. (1993). Amelia’s Road. Lee & Low.
The author, Linda J. Altman, has a special interest in the migrant worker way of life, and as a result, created this picture book to tell the perspective of a little girl who is the daughter of a mother and father who are migrant workers. More than anything, Amelia would like to not be on the move constantly and daydreams of being able to have a place to call home, with a picturesque white home with blue shutters. During her stay on a farm where the whole family is helping to pick apples, Amelia goes to yet another new school, but this time, her teacher makes the point to learn her name and make her feel valued. That simple act meant so much to Amelia, whose self-worth was somewhat damaged from not having a steady home and school experience. She comes across a path, or what she refers to as an accidental road, on the way home from school one day. Amelia wanders down the path, and to her “It was old beyond knowing, and quite the sturdiest, most permanent thing Amelia had ever seen.” She began to spend her afternoons there, and “she wanted to belong to this place and know that it belonged to her.” It gave her a sense of history and steadfastness, even though she knew it wouldn’t last. When it came time to move again, she came across a discarded old metal money box, and in it, she begins to keep memories. Those things, such as her drawing of her fantasy home, a ribbon once given to her by her mother, a family picture taken at her prior birthday, and the name tag her teacher had made her. Each one of those things gave her history, and she could carry them with her, and build upon those memories throughout her life. This story is important in the way it explains the lifestyle and hardships of migrant workers, and exposes children to other cultures and ways of life. This book could be used to compare and contrast to stories involving immigrant from the 1800s, to see similarities and differences between not only life back then versus life now, but the common and uncommon challenges newcomers have coming to a new culture and trying to make a living. The illustrations are by Enrique O. Sanchez, and are rich in acrylic colors on canvas, and the texture of the canvas comes through the paints to add an additional dimension to the well done paintings.
The author, Linda J. Altman, has a special interest in the migrant worker way of life, and as a result, created this picture book to tell the perspective of a little girl who is the daughter of a mother and father who are migrant workers. More than anything, Amelia would like to not be on the move constantly and daydreams of being able to have a place to call home, with a picturesque white home with blue shutters. During her stay on a farm where the whole family is helping to pick apples, Amelia goes to yet another new school, but this time, her teacher makes the point to learn her name and make her feel valued. That simple act meant so much to Amelia, whose self-worth was somewhat damaged from not having a steady home and school experience. She comes across a path, or what she refers to as an accidental road, on the way home from school one day. Amelia wanders down the path, and to her “It was old beyond knowing, and quite the sturdiest, most permanent thing Amelia had ever seen.” She began to spend her afternoons there, and “she wanted to belong to this place and know that it belonged to her.” It gave her a sense of history and steadfastness, even though she knew it wouldn’t last. When it came time to move again, she came across a discarded old metal money box, and in it, she begins to keep memories. Those things, such as her drawing of her fantasy home, a ribbon once given to her by her mother, a family picture taken at her prior birthday, and the name tag her teacher had made her. Each one of those things gave her history, and she could carry them with her, and build upon those memories throughout her life. This story is important in the way it explains the lifestyle and hardships of migrant workers, and exposes children to other cultures and ways of life. This book could be used to compare and contrast to stories involving immigrant from the 1800s, to see similarities and differences between not only life back then versus life now, but the common and uncommon challenges newcomers have coming to a new culture and trying to make a living. The illustrations are by Enrique O. Sanchez, and are rich in acrylic colors on canvas, and the texture of the canvas comes through the paints to add an additional dimension to the well done paintings.
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