The Gold Coin

This colorful story of Manhattan's Lower East Side is told from the point of view of Dimitri, a young Russian Jew newly settled in the neighborhood. Readers learn about the city during the early twentieth century, about the Russian immigrants and how they adjusted to America, and about a boy's devotion to his brother. Each volume in this innovative historical-fiction series is designed to look like a scrapbook created by the story's main character. Each historical period comes vividly to life in events chosen for their curricular relevance. Elementary students will love the activity section, which encourages readers to write their own historical fiction, offers instructions for personal scrapbooking, and provides lessons in compiling oral histories from family and friends. Additional features to aid comprehension include a historical essay on the actual event, a table of contents, a glossary, informative sidebars, sources for further research, and an introduction to the author.