Fiona's Lace by Patricia Polacco

Fiona's Lace by Patricia Polacco.  Published (2014).  40 unnumbered pages.  740 L AD.  R.L.4.3 Level K-3.  Patricia Polacco once again tells us of a different time and kind of life in this beautifully written story of immigrating to America from Ireland and the Chicago Fire.

Booklist (September 1, 2014 (Vol. 111, No. 1))

Grades 1-3. The most compelling feature of this well-crafted immigrants’ story is how it might inspire adults to share their own family stories with their kids. Polacco, who is of Russian Ukrainian and Irish descent, uses the experiences of her Irish ancestors to tell this story of a poor lace-making family in Ireland who, after the closing of the local mill, decide they must journey to America. It is a familiar immigrant story of expecting riches but meeting hardship, told with admirable economy and effectiveness, especially at showing the Irish women as indentured servants of a wealthy family in Chicago. The climax is the Great Chicago Fire, which we see from the perspective of Fiona and her little sister, who are alone at home. Fiona grabs some precious lace, executing a nifty reunion of the scattered family, leading to a wonderful resolution. There is quite a lot happening here, and Polacco handles it with aplomb, offering up clear, detailed prose and hardscrabble watercolor illustrations that drive home both rural and urban struggles.

Fiona's Lace is a wonderful book opening many discussion possibilities.  When our 4th graders are discussing immigration I read this book and bring samples of all the different kinds of lace that I can find.  Passing them around the class, we talk about how it is made and how much time is required to produce it. Students have already heard The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco, and many students link the two books as important fabric art as well as the importance women have in handing down traditions.

~Posted by Margo Irving