Between 1892 and 1954, over 12 million people entered the United States through the Ellis Island immigration center.

Penelope is leaving Samos: her island feels too small, her family is poor, and she dreams of a better life. She wants to join her uncle in New York. The journey is tough—illness, paperwork—but she perseveres. At Ellis Island, a new life begins. In America, she can finally study medicine and follow her dreams. For curious young readers, a six-page appendix fleshes out the historical context. About the series: picture books that bring history to life through personal stories, rooted in major events of the 20th century.