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I first encountered Laurie Wallmark’s work with Ada Byron Lovelace & the Thinking Machine and was so impressed by her ability to bring a fascinating woman of history to life that I have been seeking every title she has written. From Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code—which introduced me to a pioneer I’d never heard of—to Rivka’s Presents, Wallmark has yet to disappoint. Though this latest book is not a biography, it is every bit as captivating, weaving together the everyday courage of immigrant life on New York’s Lower East Side during the 1918 flu pandemic.
Jewish immigrant, Rivka, is eager to go to school. Papa, however, has the flu and is in bed for weeks leaving the family without income. Mama goes to work in the shirtwaist factory and takes in mending at night. Rivka must take care of her little sister and help around the house. Devastated but not willing to give up on her dream of going to school, Rivka takes her little sister with her while she trades work for lessons from her neighbors. Rivka washes windows, dusts, and cleans the grocer’s shop, freeing Mr. Solomon to teach her to read and write. She runs errands for the tailor, Mr. Cohen, who teaches her numbers. And she cleans the apartment of Mrs. Langholtz who teaches her American history while she studies for her own citizenship exam.
Adelina Lirius’s lovely illustrations use period‑correct hues to evoke a sense of time and place in the old-fashioned and cramped tenement halls, as well as the immigrant-owned shops. Using a combination of watercolor and pen drawings the art invites a young reader in with warmth and beauty but also hints at struggle and challenge.
I would recommend Rivka’s Presents to every reader—young and old—who cherishes stories of resilience, community, and education. This lovely, hopeful tale reminds us that sometimes the greatest gifts don’t come wrapped in ribbon, but in the generosity and shared dreams of those around us. I would especially recommend this book to families who might be reading All of A Kind Family, as this would give readers a look inside that world.