The Girl in the Torch
Author(s): Robert Sharenow
The Invention of Hugo Cabret meets True Grit in this heartfelt novel of resilience, hope, and discovering a family where you least expect it, from award-winning author Robert Sharenow.
At the dawn of the twentieth century, thousands of immigrants are arriving in the promised land of New York City. Twelve-year-old Sarah has always dreamed of America, a land of freedom and possibility. In her small village she stares at a postcard of the Statue of Liberty and imagines the Lady beckoning to her. When Sarah and her mother finally journey across the Atlantic, though, tragedy strikes—and Sarah finds herself being sent back before she even sets foot in the country.
Yet just as Sarah is ushered onto the boat that will send her away from the land of her dreams, she makes a life-or-death decision. She daringly jumps off the back of the boat and swims as hard as she can toward the Lady's island and a new life.
Her leap of faith leads her to an unbelievable hiding place: the Statue of Liberty itself. Now Sarah must find a way to Manhattan while avoiding the night watchman and scavenging enough food to survive. When a surprising ally helps bring her to the city, Sarah finds herself facing new dangers and a life on her own. Will she ever find a true home in America?
Review(s):
“The Girl in the Torch is a beautiful tale of discovery and adventure, a testament to the power of hope, and a reminder of the courage it takes to follow your dreams.”
“Like Mrs. Lee’s chop suey, Sarah’s story is a delicious mixture of old world ways and new world hope. I will not soon forget this charming cast of characters and the way they care for one another.”
“Sharenow presents a mixed picture of the experiences of immigrants and other outsiders in turn-of-the-20th-century New York, vividly describing what Sarah sees and hears, tastes and smells.”
“Fans of Sharenow…will not be disappointed”
“Dynamic commentary on multiculturalism and the immigrant experience in America.”
“Rich with historical detail…moving”
Praise for THE BERLIN BOXING CLUB: “Sharenow delivers a masterful historical novel.”
Praise for THE BERLIN BOXING CLUB: “A story with well-drawn, complex characters, gripping history, and intense emotion.”
Praise for THE BERLIN BOXING CLUB: “A fine one-two punch with the author’s previous powerful work, My Mother the Cheerleader.”
Praise for THE BERLIN BOXING CLUB: “Readers will be drawn [in] by the sports detail and by the close-up narrative of the daily oppression.”
ISBN: 9780062227959