God Bless America: The Story of an Immigrant Named Irving Berlin

Gr 2–4-This cheerful biography on Irving Berlin is sure to interest music lovers and U.S. history enthusiasts. It tells a brief version of Berlin's life story starting with his immigration from Russia to the United States when he was a small boy. His family fled Europe because of the persecution of Jewish people, and even though they were poor and opportunities were few, his mother would always give her blessings to the U.S. When Berlin was 13, his father died; the young teen started working odd jobs full time, including one as a singing waiter. Eventually, he ended up writing songs for musicals on Broadway, shows in the Army, and movies, including famous tunes like "God Bless America." Nuchi uses phrases like "thump-two-three, ting-a-ling" and "zim-a-lay quiver, weep, call, waver" to evoke the musicality of Berlin's everyday life. This title would pair well will a study on composers and early 20th-century life.