The year is 1905, and eleven-year-old Raizel and her Jewish family live in the Ukraine. But life under Czarist Russia is difficult for the Jews, who are discriminated against, persecuted and sometimes even killed in the Pograms. To escape this life, Raizel accompanies her father on a journey to America, where he hopes to get a job and earn enough money to bring over the rest of the family. The journey is long and fraught with danger: an adventure that spans three continents. And even once they reach America, nothing is assured. Will Raizel and her father be allowed to enter America? Or will their long journey be in vain?
Double Crossing is a deeply moving story that explores issues of identity and religion while portraying vividly the experience that many immigrants had in coming to America. Raizel is a spunky, likeable heroine with a talent for storytelling, and her first person narrative draws the reader in and creates a connection that bridges any differences in culture and religion.
Author Eve Tal based the story on her grandfather’s immigration experience. Double Crossing would be a wonderful addition to a classroom or homeschool unit on American immigration and Ellis Island, Czarist Russia, or Jewish history. This excellent book received a well-deserved starred review from both Kirkus and Booklist.
Double Crossing is published by Cinco Puntos Press, which publishes multicultural literature, focusing especially on Mexico and the American Southwest.
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