A Place Called Galveston
A Place Called Galveston by Andrea Shapiro is a poetic non-fiction picture book published by Behrman House, Incorporated in 2025. This 32-page book serves as an introduction to an underrepresented aspect of American immigration history, focusing on the experiences of Jewish immigrants who arrived through the port of Galveston, Texas, in the early 20th century. It presents the collective stories of those who escaped antisemitic Russia, highlighting their long journeys and the communities they built upon arrival.
Readers will find a narrative that captures the essence of these immigrants’ experiences, detailing their challenges and the support they received in their new environment. The book emphasizes themes of geography and culture, as well as the significance of community in easing the transition to a new life. An end note provides additional context, sharing the author’s family story and further exploring the history of Jewish immigration and the role of Galveston as a welcoming port. This edition is designed to engage young readers aged 6-8, making it a valuable addition to collections focused on immigrant narratives.
Official synopsis Publisher
“A tender, accessible introduction to an underrepresented part of American immigration history. Recommended for collections where immigrant narratives are lacking.”–School Library Journal
Highlighting an underrepresented part of Jewish-American history, this poetic non-fiction picture book tells the collective stories of the immigrants who came through the port of Galveston, Texas in prose to captivate 6-8 year-olds.
In the early 20th century, thousands of Jews escaped antisemitic Russia to immigrate to the U.S. They faced long journeys across oceans, sometimes leaving family behind. But they didn’t arrive at Ellis Island, as many others had. They were welcomed instead through the port of Galveston, Texas, on the Gulf Coast.
Galveston had sweet air and wide-open space. The newcomers built temporary communities, havens of people offering help, food, and shelter, to ease the loneliness and fear of a new country with a new language. And when they could, they ventured into the vast Midwest searching for jobs and safer futures.
In an end note, the author shares her family’s story of coming to America from Russia and further details the history of Jewish immigration, the organizations that helped facilitate the journeys, and how Galveston became a popular port.
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