Children's Books and Family History: Across So Many Seas
There are some books that tell a story, and there are other books that invite readers to see themselves as part of a much larger story. Across So Many Seas by Ruth Behar is one of those books. As parents, we often want our children to understand where they came from and to feel connected to the generations who came before them. Yet it can be difficult for children to grasp that their story did not begin with them. It is part of a chain of people, places, sacrifices, and experiences stretching back through time. This is one of the reasons I chose to spotlight Across So Many Seas . Spanning more than five hundred years, the novel follows four girls from the same family as they navigate life in different countries, cultures, and time periods. Beginning in Spain during the expulsion of the Jews in 1492 and continuing through Turkey, Cuba, and the United States, each generation carries forward pieces of the family's story while adding a chapter of her own. What I love most about this b...