Ellis Island was the gateway to America and the promise of freedom for thousands. Its walls are rich with stories. Its walls are rich with stories. In this book we hear myriad of those voices. First we follow a young person today. Her great-great-grandmother entered America through Ellis Island. As this young girl walks the halls of the famous site, she wonders about the past, the people, and their hopes, dreams and challenges.

Here, too, is the voice of Sera, an Armenian girl from the early 1900s. Fleeing the unthinkable in her home country, she longs to join her father in America. As Sera enters the halls of Ellis Island, she lives those same hopes, dreams, and challenges.

The voices of real immigrants — their suffering in steerage, their first glimpse of the Statue of Liberty, and their journey through the Great Hall — complete this touching look into an important part of America’s history. A pivotal time and place is brought to life through a combination of many voices speaking in harmony.