This book was not good at all! I read it for school, and i want to slap the author and protagonist in the face. First of all. Dina is a whiny little girl who doesn't want to sew anymore. She somehow is labeled as a french spy so she has to be sent to America. There she has …more to sew more. (The horror!) After awhile, i got tired of listening to Dina's incessant whining. Then she meets Johann (UGGGGGHHH) and now all she does is Johann this and Johann that. Personally, i don't see the reasons she has to whine, until the fire at the end. I was doing a unit on immigrants, and she seems to have it easy compared to most of them. I also didn't like it when Johann was introduced solely as a love interest, as soon as she meets him they are practically kissing. (uck!) The beggining and ending were rushed, and the middle seemed like filler. I think it would have worked better as a picture book (less)