Molly's Pilgrim

Molly #1

by Barbara Cohen, Daniel Mark Duffy (Illustrator)

A modern Thanksgiving classic about an immigrant girl who comes to identify with the story of the Pilgrims, as she seeks religious freedom and a home in a new land.

As Molly nears her first Thanksgiving in the New World, she doesn't find much to be thankful for. Her classmates giggle at her Yiddish accent and make fun of her unfamiliarity with American ways.

Molly's embarassed when her mother helps with a class Thanksgiving project by making a little doll that looks more like a Russian refugee than a New England Pilgrim. But the tiny modern-day pilgrim just might help Molly to find a place for herself in America.

The touching story tells how recent immigrant Molly leads her third-grade class to discover that it takes all kinds of pilgrims to make a Thanksgiving. Originally published in 1983, Molly's Pilgrim inspired the 1986 Academy Award-winning live-action short film.

Genres: Thanksgiving, Picture Books, Historical Fiction, Childrens, Jewish, Fiction, Holiday

30 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Barbara Cohen (1932-1992) was the author of several acclaimed picture books and novels for young readers, including The Carp in the Bathtub, Yussel's Prayer: A Yom Kippur Story, Thank You, Jackie Robinson, and King of the Seventh Grade.

Reviews

[Mariah Roze · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great black and white story (no color) about a modern day immigrant girl who comes to identify with the story of the Pilgrims, as she seeks religious freedom and a home in a new land.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young Russian-Jewish immigrant girl in the early years of the twentieth century must contend with bullying and the ridicule of her peers when her family moves away from New York City to a smaller town. Here, at the school in Winter Hill, Molly's differences really stand out, especially when the mean Elizabeth is always there to comment on them. When her teacher gives her class an assignment to make little doll-sized Pilgrims or Indians, to be included in the model they are building of the First Thanksgiving, Molly shares the task with her mother. Called upon to explain what Pilgrims are, she describes them as people who "came to this country from the other side," looking for "religious freedom...so they could worship God as they pleased." Molly's mother identifies strongly with this description, and makes a doll that looks just like her, when she was a little girl. For her part, Molly is dismayed, sure that her "Pilgrim" will not find favor with her class and teacher. Fortunately, her teacher, Miss Stickley, uses the incident to explore what it really means to be a Pilgrim, and draws a parallel between the American holiday of Thanksgiving, and the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkoth....

First published in 1983, Molly's Pilgrim is probably one of author Barbara Cohen's most well-known books, and has remained constantly in print since it was first released. I believe that a new edition, with new cover art, was just released earlier this year (2018). That said, although long aware of it, and although a fan of some of Cohen's other books - notably, her Seven Daughters and Seven Sons , which is a particular favorite of mine - I never happened to pick it up before now. A brief thirty pages, it is neither a picture-book (too much text, and too few illustrations), nor a beginning chapter-book (too short, no chapters), but something in between. It is really an illustrated short story, in book format. Its narrative addresses issues of bullying, immigration, social inclusion, cultural knowledge, and religious freedom, using the traditional Thanksgiving story to highlight the message that (as Miss Stickley says), Pilgrims are still coming to America. I found the story here quite moving, even tearing up at a few points, and think that it could be used as a starting point for classroom discussion of so many themes, from bullying and how to deal with it, to the ways in which "history" (even if highly mythologized history, like the "First Thanksgiving" story) has so many parallels in contemporary events. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories about Thanksgiving, and the meaning it may have for a diverse range of people, but most especially, for new immigrants to America.

[Sarah Prekopa · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Molly's Pilgrim" is a really heart-warming story about a young Jewish girl that is having a hard time in her new school. Moving from New York City to a smaller town, Molly doesn't fit in with her classmates, especially because of a bully named Elizabeth. Crying to her mother, Molly is determined to not let her mother know that anymore bullying is going on so that her mother does not talk to her teacher. In school the next day the class is learning about Thanksgiving, a holiday that Molly doesn't know about. When Elizabeth starts to make fun of her, their teacher reminds the class that Thanksgiving is a holiday that was based on a Jewish holiday. When the class gets an assignment to make pilgrims at home, Molly has to explain to her mother what a pilgrim is. To her mother, a pilgrim sounds like them! So she makes a doll for Molly that depicts a Jewish woman. The class laughs when Molly shows her doll to them but her teacher stands up for her and tells the class how Molly's family are modern pilgrims. Molly gains more confidence and even gains a friend at the end.

Simple illustrations throughout the text add to the book but in the edition that I had, were not really an asset to the text. The cover illustration is nice and bright and would draw young readers in.

A great book to talk about diversity and bullying, many topics could be brought up in the classroom with this text. Often times holiday books can be the same topic over and over. This is a different take on a commonly written about topic. Students will enjoy this different view and teachers will as well! Students in third grade an up will be able to use this book, maybe even some higher level 2nd graders!

[Libby Ames · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t usually review picture books, but this is a classic Thanksgiving story perfect for many different ages. Molly and her family are immigrants in America in the early 1900s. Because of her accent and interesting clothes, Molly is teased by other students in school. For a Thanksgiving project, she is told to make a pilgrim clothespin doll. After hearing an explanation of Pilgrims, Molly’s mother makes the doll to look like her. This is a sweet story about all kinds of pilgrims in America.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this story! “It takes all kinds of pilgrims to make a Thanksgiving.” This story was one of the reads in my Language Arts textbook when I was in 3rd grade in the late 80’s and it has stuck with me ever since. I’m getting ready to design a lesson about friendship within communities and I thought this would be a great read for current elementary age students.

[Julie Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara Cohen has taken a true story about one of her tre family members and tells a wonderful story where children learn to true

[Meredith McCaskey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one I will want to purchase to read every Thanksgiving. My 3-year-old has wanted to read it multiple times, which is impressive given the length and the level of the subject matter.

The story is about 3rd-grader Molly, a Russian-Jewish immigrant, as she learns about Thanksgiving in her school. She is made fun of by some of her classmates, who tease her for her Jewish features and her difficulty with English.

Molly learns an important lesson about what being a pilgrim means, and just who Thanksgiving is for, through the wisdom of her mother and her teacher. I couldn’t help but draw parallels between this story, set in early 20th century, and today, with the state of immigration in America now. Sadly, immigrants are still being ostracized (by adults, not just schoolroom bullies) go seeking safety in America from persecution and for freedom to worship God in their own way. Many applications for a modern reader! Highly recommend.

[Susie · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a great reminder of how far children's literature has come since 1983. The basic story is so well done, but the stereotypical taunting seems trite. Why wouldn't the teacher have recognized what was going on and stepped in earlier? That part felt very dated, although it could be used as a great lesson for students today. However, it should also be noted that over 35 years ago, Cohen broached the notion that not all pilgrims come on Mayflowers.
The connection with the Feast of the Tabernacles is an interesting one that I had not actually heard of before. I'd seen many recommendations for this book, but had never read it before.

[✨Anna✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this in my moms classroom cuz I was bored 😂😂

[Neely · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice read aloud for Thanksgiving.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this twenty years ago as a third grade teacher and now I read it aloud as a librarian to them. It’s timeless and such a good message. Highly recommend!

[Erin Farrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

read this with my second graders. it is a gift to share books with them! i thought this story was wonderful and necessary. i pray it really forms their hearts!!! we are a pilgrim people

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart warming short story about the reason we have Pilgrims, including the modern day ones.

[MiizRexy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book I read was called "Molly's Pilgrim" by Barbara Cohen. It was about this girl named Molly near her fist Thanksgiving in the New World. Shen doesn't find much to be thankful for because a few girls were making fun of her, but she did not do anything about it. Her classmates giggle at her Yiddish accent and make fun of her unfamliarity with American ways. Molly was embarrassed when her mother helps with a class Thanksgiving project by making a little doll that looks more like Russian refugee than a New England Pilgrim.

I think this book was realistic because sometimes I feel same ways, like I come from a diffent country, so in U.S they do different things from our country. The character was real because some people who come from a different country feel the same as Molly.

I think the diologue was real because people today talk bad about your accent if you come from a different country or culture.I

I was not interested in a certain setting ot time period. The book did not bring up any question for me. The author did a good job of making me want to keep reading because it made think about whta might happen inthe future. I think I should recommed.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's so easy to think of immigration as only something that happened in the past, but Molly's Pilgrim reminds us in a sweet and simple way that America is still welcoming those looking for freedom. This was an enjoyable story that would make a good read-aloud to primary age children at Thanksgiving time.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading Rainbow: Watch the Stars Come Out.
We cringe at reading books that depict such mean language (the girls teasing/predjudice) but in this case I went for it. Bea was very inspired by the doll making and embarked on a new obsession for a while.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starting my preparation for Battle of the Books with this one! This is a nice story about a young Russian Jew struggling to fit into her new school in America. This was a short, easy read that would be a good introduction to chapter books for a young reader.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short and straightforward story about the true spirit of Thanksgiving and honoring modern Pilgrims and their trials. The writing style and drawings were rather dated, but hopefully we'll have a good discussion about the story itself.

[Marinda (rindasreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Thanksgiving classic. Wonderful illustrations and brings up some good talking points. My six-year-old loved it and we read it in one sitting!

UPDATE: Read it again, this time with another six-year-old daughter. I'm always amazed at how timeless this story is.

[Cana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mommy says: Great reminder of what pilgrims really are.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will keep this in mind to read with my second grade at thanksgiving. Mamma makes a special pilgrim doll because she has the pilgrim experience and wants it to look like her.

[Stefanie Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief story about a young Jewish girl from Russia whose family moved to the US. While in school, Molly, is teased mercilessly at school each day. One day they begin a new story about Thanksgiving which Molly has never heard of. She learns about the pilgrims and is to make a woman pilgrim for homework. When she discusses her assignment with her mom, her mom makes her the doll. Only the doll looks like her mother, not the pilgrims from the story she read that afternoon. Her mother explains that she too is a pilgrim - coming to the US to worship God as she pleases. In the end it is a great lesson for the class to learn that pilgrims are still arriving in the US today. (And still are!)

Light hearted with a great lesson this book is excellent for 2nd graders during November. The black and white illustrations are very detailed and realistic. Nice story.

[Destiny Leskovac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Molly’s Pilgrim is a story about a young immigrant girl from Russia. Throughout the book, Molly is teased relentlessly by a group of girls in her class. They make fun of her for the way she looks and her lack of knowledge on the American holiday, Thanksgiving. When her teacher asks the class to make pilgrim dolls, Molly goes home and tells her mother about the project and what exactly a pilgrim is. Her mother makes the connection that she is a pilgrim, as she came to America for religious freedom. When Molly brings the beautiful, Russian inspired pilgrim to class, the class laughs at her. The teacher, however, stands up for Molly and explains that there is not just one stereotype for a pilgrim and that Molly is correct and that her mother is a modern pilgrim. This book will certainly inspire children to celebrate their differences and cultures!

[Meredith L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book, another classic I revisit this time of year.

Molly has moved with her family and must contend with cruel bullying from classmates because her different looks and way of speaking. When Molly's class is assigned to do a Thanksgiving project, the girls are assigned to make Pilgrim dolls. Molly's mother helps make a doll, but its appearance is different from all the other dolls. Thus, Molly comes to learn the true meaning of the word "pilgrim", and readers learn about the origin of Thanksgiving and the reality that there are pilgrims from every time period and nation, those seeking freedom from oppression.

This book is told in an engaging and fun way. Molly's Pilgrim was also made into an Academy Award-winning short film, (which can be found on youtube). This book is beautiful and profound, one that everyone should read.

God bless you all.

[Alicia Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very quick read, about 20 minutes. We all enjoyed it.

We homeschool so the idea of being taunted day after day in public school is rather foreign to my kids. This gave them a bit of a scare regarding what we call "building school." This book presents a verbally cruel classmate, Elizabeth, berating another girl, Molly, who is a Russian Jewish immigrant escaping the Cossack persecution.

The saddest part for me was how Molly was embarrassed by her mother, who spoke little English and didn't align with the culture of their American small town. Yet it was through her mother's ingenuity that Molly was able to gain confidence in her classroom. She learned to value her mother's story of personal courage in the process.

[Jana Henderson (Reviews from the Stacks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great, short, children's book about a girl whose family recently immigrated learning about the Pilgrims and dealing with school bullies. It's a great introduction to cultural and religious differences, and could start good conversations about the history of our Thanksgiving holiday.

I would love to hear what someone who has experienced this kind of situation has to say about the book, especially the portrayal of the mean girls. They eventually get a bit of a lecture, but we don't see if it has any actual effect on their behavior, which is a little disappointing to me. Still, I enjoyed this book and would encourage it for young readers, especially in a discussion setting but also for independent reading.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was going to weed this book since it looked old and like it had never been read, but then my friend told me it was a beautiful story. I read it and it was awesome. It is a very sweet book about pilgrims and the real meaning behind the word, not just the traditional pilgrims in the Thanksgiving stories. It is done in a very beautiful way. I love the way the mom helps the little girl out. My doll looks like my mom because,"Mama came to America for religious freedom, too. Mama says she's a pilgrim." Her teacher then relates how the idea of Thanksgiving came to be from a Jewish harvest holiday of Tabernacles/Sukkos.

[Sue.the.very.busy.reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Molly’s Pilgrim by Barbara Cohen is an excellent story. I read this with several of my reading groups this week and they really enjoyed it. First of all they really liked how short the book was. Leave it to kids to make that a criteria for how good a book is. Secondly, all of my students were surprise that “Pilgrims” could mean more than just the people who came from England and found their way to Massachusetts.

This was just a great story dealing with bullying, understanding people who are different from you, don’t judge someone until you get to know them and be open to new ideas or interpreting things in a new way. I give this book 5 stars.

[Hope Irvin Marston · Rating 4 out of 5]

This delightful oversized picture book is illustrated with b/w drawings, almost completely without backgrounds. That allows the reader to focus on the facial expressions which are very telling. I'd estimate the reading level to be fourth grade since some of the sentences are quite long. Molly is fortunate to have a compassionate teacher who listens to her students and knows how to make each one feel accepted. She also is capable of dealing with the bratty ones.

Hope Irvin Marston, author of MY LITTLE BOOK OF BALD EAGLES. www.HopeIrvinMarston.com

[Lisa Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of a Jewish girl whose family has immigrated to the United States. Molly is having trouble fitting in at her new school, which isn’t helped by a pack of mean girls headed by the dreaded Elizabeth (who made me frustratingly angry more than once in the course of reading). What follows is a sweet, heartfelt story about gaining awareness, appreciation, and perspective about the cultural differences that make America such a special place to live.

I read this with my fourth grade daughter and found it to be a wonderful addition to our Thanksgiving weekend.