Anca’s Journey

A Reading A–Z Shared Reading Book

Word Count: 1019

Home Connection: Long vowel o

Your reader is learning different spelling patterns
for the long /o/ vowel sound: o_e, open vowel, ost,
old, ow, and oa. As you read together, identify
words with the long /o/ sound with these patterns.
Help your reader write the words in columns and
think of one or more other examples of words with
these spelling patterns and the long /o/ sound. Your
reader will share the words with the class.

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Written by Ruth Siburt I Illustrated by Gabhor Utomo

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Written by Ruth Siburt
Illustrated by Gabhor Utomo
Anca’s Journey
Shared Reading Book
Level 3
© Learning A–Z
Written by Ruth Siburt
Illustrated by Gabhor Utomo

All rights reserved.

www.readinga-z.com www.readinga-z.com
 A Thousand and One
“ Read Eugene’s letter, Anca,” Mama said.

Anca peered down at Mama from the

top bunk. “ You’ve already heard it a
thousand times, Mama.”

The steamship rose and fell on an ocean

wave. Anca held on to the rail to keep from
rolling out of bed.

“ We make it a thousand and one,”

Mama insisted.

Contents
A Thousand and One ...............................4

The Letter . ..............................................7

L is for Lame...........................................10

Ellis Island..............................................17

A New Life.............................................21

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Anca’s Journey I Shared Reading
 Mama turned to Mrs. Becker. “Only eight
years old, and my Anca reads like a professor!”
Mama bragged. “Now, Eugene—he’s only
twenty and a big New York City success.”

“ So we’ve heard . . . every day,” Mrs. Becker

muttered. “Lucky we arrive tomorrow.”

“ Grandmother,” Ilsa said to Mrs. Becker,

“I like it when Anca reads, and so
does Monkey.”

Mrs. Becker sighed. “Okay, make

it a thousand and one.”

“ Hooray!”
Ilsa shouted.

Anca slipped her brother’s letter from

beneath her pillow. Smoothing the paper
across her wool skirt, she began to read.

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Anca’s Journey I Shared Reading
 The Letter
October 12, 1907

Dearest Ones,

After four years of saving, at last I can

bring you to America! I am sending money
for two steamship tickets. You will have
bunks in the lowest part of the ship.

Mama, be sure to bargain with the ticket

Anca, you were a toddler
sellers. They will try to charge too much. If
when I left. I know from
there is extra money, buy fruit and bread to
your letters you are smart.
bring with you. The meals on the steamship
I hope you have grown
are poor—not like the food in Romania.
strong too. When the ship
How I longed for a taste of ciorba on my
arrives, you must pass
own journey!
through Ellis Island.
There, doctors check everyone
to see if they are healthy enough to enter
“ Ciorba!” Mama whispered.
America. Sometimes they don’t let people in.
Anca’s stomach rumbled So, stand tall and walk straight.
at the thought of the
delicious soup. Oh, how Anca didn’t like to think of people being
she missed it. sent away.

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Anca’s Journey I Shared Reading
“ Read the best part!” Ilsa demanded.

I wish Papa had lived to see his dream of

a new life in America come true. New York
is not made of gold, as some say, but it is
full of golden opportunities. Until we meet
at the harbor . . .

Eugene

“ I love gold!” Ilsa cried, and Monkey

did a double flip.
L is for LAME
The next morning, Mama nudged
Anca’s shoulder. “Wake up, sleepyhead.”

Anca opened her eyes.

“ We’re here!” Ilsa bounced on both feet.

“America!”

“ Hooray!” Anca cried and leapt from her bunk.

Just then, the ship rolled, and Anca landed

awkwardly on the deck. She crumpled to the
floor, clutching her ankle. “OW!” she cried.

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Anca’s Journey I Shared Reading
 Anca stood. She took a step and cried out
again.

“ This is very bad,” Mrs. Becker said.

“ W hy?” Mama asked.

“ Your Eugene said it,” Mrs. Becker replied.

“ America wants healthy people—even
children.”

Mama helped Anca sit on her bunk.

“Surely we can explain—”

“ The doctors might listen,” Mrs. Becker

interrupted, “but they could also chalk an L
on Anca’s coat for lame and send her back
to Romania.”
“ W hat is it?” Mama asked.
“ No!” Anca cried.
“ L et me see,” Mrs. Becker said.
She yanked down Anca’s woolen
stocking and prodded her ankle.

Anca groaned.

“The ankle is bad, but I don’t think it’s

broken,” Mrs. Becker said. “Can you walk?”

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Anca’s Journey I Shared Reading
“ W hat can we do?” Mama asked.

“ Lace her shoes up tight,” Mrs. Becker said.

“ Perhaps support will help.”

Mama helped Anca put on her shoes.

Her foot felt like an overblown balloon.

“ Stand,” Mrs. Becker commanded.

“Practice walking.”

“ I’ll help you,” Ilsa said, and she held Anca’s

hand.

Even with the laces tight, Anca’s ankle

turned a bit, and every step hurt. She couldn’t
keep from limping.

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Anca’s Journey I Shared Reading
 Anca’s heart sank. Mrs. Becker was right— “ Exactly!” Anca said. “Your toy will be ruined,
the Ellis Island doctors might send her back. though, if I take the sticks.”
What could she do?
Ilsa frowned. “Can I keep Monkey?”
“ If only I had some splints,” Anca said.
“ Absolutely,” Anca assured her.
“ W hat are they?” Ilsa asked.
Ilsa smiled. “Then, okay!”
“ Splints are like sticks, but hard and smooth.
I could tie them onto my ankle to keep it
straight.”

“ Like these?” Ilsa held up her monkey toy.

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Anca’s Journey I Shared Reading
 Ellis Island
It was afternoon when Anca, Mama, Ilsa,
and Mrs. Becker left the ship. They boarded
a barge for the crossing to Ellis Island. Anca
took each step slowly, being careful not to
limp. The sticks braced her ankle.

The wind blew crisp and cold across the

water. On the barge, Anca and hundreds of
other immigrants strained for their first
glimpse of land.

“ L ook!” Ilsa cried, “It’s the Statue of Liberty!”

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Anca’s Journey I Shared Reading
Soon the barge docked at Ellis Island. Anca
and Mama were led inside a huge brick
building. They stood in an endless line,
waiting to be admitted to America.
Anca saw the doctors examine the
immigrants. She saw how they watched
people walk. To her left, a man was taken out
of line. His coat had a chalked letter .
Anca’s Journey I Shared Reading
At last the doctor motioned her forward.
In his hand was a piece of chalk. Anca’s heart
pounded. She concentrated on each step.
The doctor watched, frowning, as she walked
toward him.
Would he notice a limp? Would he mark her
coat with an L? Would he send her back?
L
“ Hmm,” the doctor said.
He looked in her mouth, eyes, and ears.
He motioned her on.
Anca glanced at the front of her coat.
No L.
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 A New Life
The November sun was setting before Anca
and Mama boarded a ferry heading away
from Ellis Island. On shore, happy people
called to their loved ones.

Anca glanced around nervously. Everything

felt too big and too alone. Where was Eugene?

“ Anca!” a deep voice called. “Mama!”

“ Eugene!” Anca and Mama called together.

Eugene pushed through the crowd.

“You’re here!”

“ W hat an adventure!” Mama said.

“ I want to hear all about it,” Eugene said.

“At home. We can enjoy some ciorba while
we talk. I’ve made gallons.”

Ciorba, Anca thought. Welcome home!

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