Anna's Prayer: The True Story of an Immigrant Girl

By Karl Beckstrand

Book Overview

(Nondenominational) Discover the 1880's tale of Anna Anderson, a child living in Sweden with her mother and her sister, Ida. The happy family doesn't have much. Unable to afford passage herself, Anna's mother puts the girls on a boat to the United States, hoping they will have a better life without her.

Because Ida has contracted work in Idaho, the sisters separate in America and young Anna continues by train to another state where an aunt is supposed to meet her. Little Anna arrives alone in an unfamiliar near-empty train station late at night-but her aunt is not there-she never got the letter telling of Anna's arrival.

Unable to ask for help in English, Anna prays that her Heavenly Father will send someone to help her-someone who speaks Swedish. The answer to Anna's prayer goes beyond what she would have imagined.

"Tapping into the most powerful interest on the planet-the hunger to know who we are and where we come from.... Greatest story...for young and old." - Jeff Gallup, TV producer

This children's biography touches on a universal hunger-the yearning for family and a place to call home. #3 in the Young American Immigrants series (nonfiction standalones). Get all four inspirational kids' books in a bundle (for ages 5 and up, kindergarten - fifth grade):

Agnes's Rescue: The True Story of an immigrant Girl (Scotland)
Ida's Witness (Sweden)
Samuel Sailing: The True Story of an Immigrant Boy (South Africa)

Each has online SECRETS, free ebooks, and family history/geography lesson plans (make a family tree): KidsWorldBooks.

Don't miss this beautiful book on courageous resilient kids, Christmas, faith, and gratitude. Stories of real refugee children transport readers and transcend culture and time. 1,000 read-aloud words by award-winning author and college media instructor Karl Beckstrand (explore his 60 multicultural books today), illustrated by Shari Griffiths.

LOOK inside 30 full-color pages, 8.5"x8.5" soft/hard/ebook; Premio Publishing (worldwide rights (c) 2017), libraries, and major distributors. School/homeschool ESL/ELL/ESOL/ESE. JNF007120, JNF053240, JNF025200, JNF038060, JNF007080, JNF057050, JNF019060; QRA, YFK, 5HPD; LCCN: 2013913404; Hard ISBN: 978-0985398866, soft ISBN: 978-0615856179 (eISBN: 978-1370706174)

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0615856179
• ISBN13: 9780615856179
• Release Date: December 2016
• Publisher: Premio Publishing & Gozo Books, LLC
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.24 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 8.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A True and Very Heartwarming Story!!!

Anna's Prayer by Karl Beckstrand, illustrated by Shari Griffiths When I received this book a couple of weeks ago to review, I had planned on reading it to my live-in 9 year old granddaughter Violet, but I didn't get the job done until yesterday when I also read Nubs to her. She loved both, as did I. Anna Anderson and her older sister Ida, along with their mother, live in a small Swedish village. They are poor, but happy. When they join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they are persecuted and their mother is fired from her job. Soon, she sends both Ida and Anna to America for a beter life and Ida gets a job in Idaho and lives with a member family and Anna travels alone to Salt Lake to stay with an aunt. When Anna arrives all alone late at night at the train station, she finds her aunt not there waiting for her. Anna says a prayer that her aunt comes for her and her prayer gets answered in a way that is remarkable. On coming to a strange country where she doesn't speak English makes things a whole lot harder for Anna. This is a true story and the illustrations are exquisitely done by Shari. I highly recommend this book for everyone who enjoys stories about their ancestors. Forever Friends Rating 5 Stars by Teri Until Next Time, See You Around The Book Nook. Leatherwood Press Published: October 2008 ISBN: 978-1-59992-113-6 30pp

a gorgeous, touching book

What a beautiful book! The story is wonderful and the illustrations are stunning. All American families had their start elsewhere, and this story made me want to learn more about my first ancestors who immigrated to America. Anna's Prayer would make a great gift for any child--or adult, for that matter.

Anna's Prayer

I was intrigued by the title and art work on this book so I bought it and took it home to read to my grandchildren. Within the first few pages we were drawn into Anna's life. Tears came as we felt her plight and then the miracle that followed! This book is a timeless, invaluable gift of faith. Thanks Karl. - Patricia Potts, author of My Journey from Darkness to Light