Letters from Rifka by Karen HesseThis book is written about the author's great-great-aunt's flight from Russia to America. This book is written in the form of letters Rifka writes to her cousin in the black pages in a book of poetry. Rifka is a poor Jewish girl who is fleeing with her family because of discrimination for her faith. It is a long and complicated journey filled with sickness and heartbreaking choices. In her writings, Rifka is crushingly honest and open with how she is feeling and speaks with both the innocence of youth, and the worldliness forced on a girl who had to grow up faster than she ought to have.
Although this small book is simply written and the suggested age range is eight to twelve, I still go back to this book of my youth and reread it. Each chapter or "letter" is started with a small sample of poetry by Alexander Pushkin. The poetry adds a touch of subtle foreshadowing and sets the mood for each letter.
Following the journey Rifka goes through you will find yourself forming an understanding of Rifka and will feel a bond grow between yourself and this figure pouring her soul out in a book.
