Land of Dreams

Ellis Island #3

by Joan Lowery Nixon

As Kristin Swensen anxiously awaits her first glimpse of America, she is filled with a sense of the freedom that her new life promises. But she soon finds herself living on a farm in Minnesota where her parents and neighbors cling as closely as possible to the life they had known in Sweden.

Kristin can't accept coming all this way only to re-create what she left behind. She longs to speak English and help the cause of women's rights. Her parents, however, want her to settle down and get married. Must Kristin give up her dream of independence and accept her parents' Old World values?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Childrens

160 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Author of more than one hundred books, Joan Lowery Nixon is the only writer to have won four Edgar Allan Poe Awards for Juvenile Mysteries (and been nominated several other times) from the Mystery Writers of America. Creating contemporary teenage characters who have both a personal problem and a mystery to solve, Nixon captured the attention of legions of teenage readers since the publication of her first YA novel more than twenty years ago. In addition to mystery/suspense novels, she wrote nonfiction and fiction for children and middle graders, as well as several short stories. Nixon was the first person to write novels for teens about the orphan trains of the nineteenth century. She followed those with historical novels about Ellis Island and, more recently for younger readers, Colonial Williamsburg. Joan Lowery Nixon died on June 28, 2003—a great loss for all of us.

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

So we've got a Swedish girl named Kristin, who arrives in America and moves to a farm in Minnesota, to Swedish community of people who speak her language...sound familiar?

This Kristin had the least genuine character arc of any in Nixon's Ellis Island trilogy.

[Eden Silverfox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kristin along with her family move to America. Originally from Sweden, Kristin looks forward to starting a new life here. She is a bit homesick and misses her grandmother, but she's heard so much about America and the freedom that woman have here. Kristin wants that for herself.

But her parents don't really understand her. They want to sew well and be a good cook and get married to start a family. Kristin might want this too, eventually, but she wants it to be her choice, not her parents.

And it seems the community they moved into, which is a settlement of other Swedish people, doesn't understand her either.

Will Kristin be forced to live like her parents? Or will she be able to break away and make her own choices?

I have to say that I liked Kristin. She's a strong, independent girl. And I think many times over she proved she can do what any man can do.

I felt Kristin's frustration throughout the book. Because she was a girl she was expected to act in certain ways, do certain things and not do things like wearing men's clothing.

I like that even though her parents greatly disapproved of her thoughts, opinions and dreams, she didn't give up on them. She was very outspoken and I can tell you that wasn't really liked among her new community, except for a few people her age that liked it.

I know that things are completely equal for woman in America, but I know after reading this things have changed a lot. And I know it is because people fought for that change, which I am grateful. I can vote, I can wear pants and go after my dream thanks to women before me that fought for rights.

And I am happy to read a historical fiction that talks of this fight and shows a very strong female character. I really enjoyed the character of Kristin's and felt I could relate to her.

Overall, I think it is a great book and recommend it.

[Tanya Diehl]

This book was very nicely written and interesting. It tells the story of a Swedish immigrant who comes to America. She is very independant and is passionate about women's equality. Her parents attempt to arrange a marriage for her and while she does like the boy, she wants to have her own choice. This book didn't seems preachy and it was written so you were learning about the time period without even knowing it! This is a great book that belongs to a series. It should be recommended reading for young adults even mildly interested in history. For those not really interested in history, it is still a good story and an easy read.

[Miss Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

gr 4-9 150pgs

1902 Great Rock Lake Minnesota. 16 year old Kristin misses Sweden, but is determined to embrace her new life in America. She wants to speak English all the time and find out more about the struggle for women's rights. Her parents are not so eager for change and encourage Kristin to act like a lady. How can Kristin make her parents understand her dream to one day live in a city?

A coming of age story with a surprise ending. Continues Kristin's story that started in Land of Hope.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very simplistic writing at times and others sounds like (bland) history book text has been inserted, though it's done through dialogue it's not done naturally. I enjoyed Land of Hope and Land of Promise more, I could get into the emotion and trials of their characters.

[Carolyn Poppell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Land of Dreams was a great book and I could barely put it down. It appealed to me because it held new beginnings, a belief in freedom, and a little bit of romance. Kristin has just moved to America with her family and is trying to get settle in as well as express the freedom she hears America allows people to have. This book tells a story of how she comes to accept the way of life through trail and error and how to live with the results. It's an enjoyable read.

[Cws]

JAR5-Nix

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vancouver Library.

[Jacob Koplik · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a great book with a very interesting plot.