Gina From Siberia

A unique way to tell of a family emigrating from the Soviet Union to the United state, in 1978. It is told from the dog, Gina's point of view. It is based on a true story, and a true dog.

One of the events, where they had to hide the dog so that they could ride the train, actually happened as well

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And when they arrived in New York, Gina get's homesick, even though her family is with her.
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A cute, quick read, with a cute dog, and lively illustrations.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

This is such a cute story about belonging to a different place. The story is told from the perspective of Gina, the dog, as the family faces the journey to move from Siberia to America. It is based on a true story, which makes it even more compelling. The illustrations are so cute, and I can imagine kids trying to locate specific images on each page. I'm glad I had the opportunity to read an advanced e-galley of this lovely and cute book.

Cute story. Too many lists of names and things though (foodwise) though, it felt as if the writer wanted to see how many names they could squeeze in...

A gorgeously illustrated short story about a family's love for their dog. Although quite predictable, I was still swept away by the loving pacing.

A cute, interesting story of a dog emigrating to the USA with her family from Siberia. The hook of why this tale sticks out is due to the manner in which the family had to sneak the dog along with them until the coast was clear (I'll leave the explicit details to discovery by the reader).

The illustrations are beautiful, full-stop. The colorful content within is intricate; I found different things in the pictures each time I flipped through the book (major bonus points for including a Jaws 2 reference). The artist's style is unique (to me, at least)---I'd be able to pick Gina out of a dog-drawing line-up with zero trouble. Her design is eye-catching to me, and such a thing is so very important when trying to ensure that a book stays at the front of the mind (especially when so much of a book's success hinges upon word-of-mouth recommendation).

My wife and I are expecting a child in the fall, and so I'm on the lookout for books that I can read to my kid in the future; ones that span many different subjects, ones that would best serve as a teaching aid as he/she goes along in life, hopefully helping to foster charity and empathy.

This is such a book.

Gina From Siberia is a great way to introduce or reinforce the concept of different cultures/countries and to familiarize them with the tribulations and journeys of those who aren't Americans from the word "go". It'll be a great tool to segue into a base-level conversation about immigration or about how we as a global populace are all more similar than we realize sometimes; I mean, I'd totally be trying to smuggle my dog out of the country.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Animal Media Group for the advance read.

“Gina from Siberia” is great for animal lovers and children adjusting to a move. I liked it, even though it was a little long and the text was sometime difficult to read because of color choices.

A fun children's book with heartwarming sentiment! Really loved that this was a true story in the end. Illustrations are realistic yet entertaining. Overall a great pick for any child!

Gina from Siberia is a charming story from a dog's point of view. Gina learns her human family is moving away from Siberia where she has familiar routines and good friends and has no desire whatsoever to leave. Gina loves her family and they love her, though, so they are prepared to undergo this big change together. When at one point during the journey they are told dogs aren't allowed on the train, they creatively work out a disguise so Gina can remain with them.

The story is well written, with engaging descriptions of subways, traffic jams, new foods, and even distance ("America was 5.681 miles away. Or maybe 5.682"). With the framework of leaving a beloved place to relocate to another home, it is timely and would be well suited to help children process their own moves or to understand friends who have arrived from a far-off place and might be feeling unsettled. While this book doesn't give background as to why they are needing to move beyond a better life, it could easily translate to a variety of situations, from understanding more about the experiences and feelings of someone moving across the state or those who have arrived as refugees.

A special mention must be made about the illustrator -- the details draw you in and perfectly complement the story.

It is made all the more delightful when you learn at the close that this is a true story of a family that relocated to the United States and did indeed disguise their miniature terrier as a baby so they wouldn't have to leave her behind.

This is a charming little story about a dog named Gina who moves with her human family from Siberia to New York. It's a simple little story about the normal fears of moving to a very new place, but the story is accompanied by vibrant illustrations that are a feast for the eyes. The book is based on a real family who actually did dress their dog as a baby to keep her safe in the move.

I requested this book to read to my six year old granddaughter, who will be going through a move of her own soon - although nothing like a move from Siberia. Once I have a chance to read it to her I'll update my review with her opinions.

Later...
I finally got to read it to my granddaughter and her face just LIT UP when the book was done. "I really liked this book, I REALLY REALLY liked it!!!" she said. She loved Gina and could relate to her fears and liked that she made friends in her new home. She loved the pictures. And she was able to tell her mom all about how Gina moved from Siberia, all the way to "ummm... where is it... the place with the Statue of Liberty... NEW YORK!!!" and repeated over and over that it was "5,682 or 5,681 miles" (This is a big point in the book). She also thought New York must be a great place to live since it has so many different things to smell, and all that great street food!
Honestly she loved the book so much, and was talking about it so much after, that I have to up my rating to 5 stars. The book is meant for children, not for me, and Holly definitely loves it.

Moving to a different country from the viewpoint of the dog. She isn't happy about the move until she makes a friend. The family that this is based on...dressed the dog as a baby. I enjoyed this. There is some filler with the dog describing the people she saw through travels. It could have been better but works for what it needs to do...move the story along.



Recommend? Yes, it'd be a great historical read, conversation with immigration or moving somewhere new.

Gina From Siberia by Jane Bernstein and Charlotte Glynn

An adorable children’s picture book documenting the traumatic move from Siberia to New York City for Gina — who happens to be a beloved pet. Gina is so upset by the move that she “decides to stay unhappy forever.” Of course, that isn’t what happens …

Based on the experiences of the Backer family in 1978, it boasts charming pictures and funny travel stories, such as the time Gina was wrapped up like “the ugliest Russian baby ever” in order to sneak onto the train. Once they have arrived at their new home — a place that is as different from their old home as it is possible to be — Gina learns how to make new friends after making us laugh at her “Martian landing on Earth” style impressions of the NYC landscape.

This is from an advance review copy for which I thank the publisher.

A really short review for a really short book that's based on the author's own experience! It tells the story of a migration, but from the perspective of a wire-haired terrier. Gina is the unlikely name of the Russian dog who has to leave all of her friends behind and move to the USA, 5,681 miles away from her old home. Or maybe 5,682. They travel by bus, train, car, and plane. Gina isn't happy. She doesn't want to participate her new environment at all, but slowly, she decides it's not so bad.

This was a cute story for kids that may help them cope if they're moving themselves - even if it's just to the next town, or across the city. The text was nice reading and the illustrations are fun and colorful. I recommend it.

A true story told in a dog perspected. It is fun and at the same time you would sympathize the emotions that the family encounters as they leave their home and travel to a new country. And it’s beautiful that they would learn to appreciate things even if it is different from their customs. A fast and easy read with illustrations that would make the reading experience more exciting. Definitely worth the read.

It is absolutely sweet reading and it just gets better when we learn it is based on a real story with the picture of Gina, the dog, and her family on their car.

The book is about moving to a whole different country from a perspective of a terrier. Gina just loves where she lives in (Siberia) and doesn't like the new place (USA) until she makes a friend there. Then she begins to get used to there with her new friend Victor.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story of this dog's long, long journey from Siberia to the United States. It is quite heartfelt. Gina From Siberia is a perfect family read.

First let me thank Netgalley for this advanced digital copy. I just loved this book. The story line is very heart touching and the illustrations are creatively brilliant. The story follows a little dog named Gina that lives in Siberia with her family and doggie friends. One day, Gina finds out that her family is going to be moving. I don't want to go into the story more as to not spoil it but I have to say that I just loved this book especially the About The Author at the end of the book. I highly recommend this book to everyone of all ages especially ones who love amazing illustrations.

Gina From Siberia is a short and funny tale about Gina who gets to experience what it means to uproot your family and try your luck in a completely different country. Now, this may sound like something you have heard about in the news, read about in books or seen in movies - but have you ever gotten the story through the perspective of a dog?

That's right, Gina is a dog and she lives a happy and comfortable life in Siberia where she loves the food, the snow and her friends. When her family decides to move, she is determined to be unhappy. However, when she sees what her family is capable of and willing to risk just so they can bring her with them, she might have to re-evaluate her decision.

This story is based on real events and although the tone of the graphic novel is very light, you're left with a strong impression of what the family has to go through. Gina describe all the things she sees on her travels - different animals, food, people and how Mother and Father cried. The drawing style is really nice too, it's detailed and quirky and fits the story well.

Thank you NetGalley and Animal Media Group for this early copy of Gina From Siberia!

I really liked this cute children's book. The story is great & the drawing/artwork is wonderful! It might be geared towards children, but adults will really enjoy this too......I think especially the artwork.....has subtle things that adults will enjoy, very colorful & detailed. I also like the picture at the end of the book, showing the real people & dog that this story was based on. Very nicely done!
I received this e-ARC from NetGalley & the publisher Animal Media Group, LLC....simply in return for my own unbiased honest review.

Unlike the husky that shows up every once in a while, Gina doggie doesn’t look like a snow dog, but living in Siberia gives you no other choice. Somehow she loves it, and doesn’t want to go when the family moves.
There’s a whole page of things she saw on the trip, some of them funny.
Dogs aren’t allowed on the train, but rather than put her in the basket, mom dresses her up as an ugly baby. Not smart. (The bio says this actually happened, so I can nitpick.) And dogs are allowed on the plane. Huh.
Knowing this is a period piece does not make seeing the hammer and sickle on the flags any less strange.
Gina does not like heat sources, considering she thinks radiators and vents are monsters. But for everyone except me, pizza makes everything better. And just like that Gina isn’t homesick anymore.
Incredibly simplistic artwork, considering it’s such a big story.
3.5 pushed up to 4/5

This story is based on the true story of the Backer family who moved tho the US in 1978. This story is told from the viewpoint of their dog Gina. Moving to a new country is hard for everyone. Gina is sad until she finally makes a friend that shows her what is good about living in New York. Very detailed illustrations add to the story. Would be a good book when discussing immigration or moving somewhere new. There is some filler such as lists of food and names of relatives, but overall it is a cute read. I would recommend this book for ages 7 and up.

Sweet, short book about a family's escape from Russia/Siberia, told from the perspective of the family dog. I'm interested to see the finished version as some aspects of an illustrated book can be difficult to judge accurately from an e-galley.

A really cute story about a family emigrating to the USA from the Soviet Union, told from the perspective of a dog, It was so great to learn more about that story and their culture, although I missed a glossary of all the words at the end, as it is a children's book maybe it'll be better to have a picture glossary with all the foreign words / foods. Overall,

Fun illustrations and the immigration story told from a dog’s perspective is unique and relevant. I think this will be a great classroom read aloud that will generate some interesting discussions and be a good mentor text for writing from different perspectives.

GINA FROM SIBERIA is one of my new favorite books! It has such delightful illustrations and a sweet sweet story. I love how Gina, a darling wire haired terrier, makes her way with her family from Siberia to the Big Apple. And it isn’t easy, as any immigrant furry or otherwise can tell you. At one point, the family has to dress Gina up as a baby on a train, where dogs are a no-no. But make it she does, and at the end, a photograph of the real Gina with her family is shown. Highly recommended for children and adults alike!

Grateful to the author, Animal Media Group LLC
and NetGalley for the advance copy, in exchange for my true review.

#GinaFromSiberia #NetGalley

Wonderful read. The illustrations were adorable. I loved how the story follows the perspective of Gina, the dog. Even with the simplicity of the story, it reflects the hardships and struggles of moving to a new country and adapting to the new environment.

Gina From Siberia is a book (and a dog) that my young readers will love! They will love her spunk and will relate to her not wanting to move or to ever be happy about it. I love the celebration of difference, family (including our pets!), and chance to show that change can be a wonderful thing. I am glad I got the opportunity to read the ARC of this picture book!

I absolutely loved the detail and style of the illustrations! They told more of the story! This book is told from the perspective of a small dog, Gina, who is traveling from Siberia to NYC with her family. At times the story bordered into the fantasy realms with Gina writing her dog friends back home in Siberia, but it was cute. There was a lot of inferencing and referencing pictures that needed to be done to interpret from the dog's perspective to the human's perspective. This would be a great discussion book.

3.5 stars

"Gina From Siberia" is an interesting tale of a dog and her family, who emigrate from Siberia to New York City. The illustrations complement the text well, and this should be a book that sparks both enjoyment for young readers and conversation about moving and changes in one's life.

This is an enjoyable book with a great detailed tale of immigration. It is told from the perspective af a dog, which children will be excited to read.

This book is about Gina who is a dog and has to move and doesn't want to move. The book does a great job of highlighting the feelings that come up with a move and how difficult the transition will be. This would be a great book to read to a child before moving especially since the story needs with Gina making a new friend and seeing how she could enjoy her new life and that it will be different than her previous home.

Very cute little childrens book. A really good story that was easy to get into and a very sweet moral to it.

This is a cute story about a real dog who traveled with her family from Siberia to freedom in America. Told from the point of view of the dog, it shows several differences between the two places, as well as tells how the dog learned to be happy no matter where she was. My 3-year-old loved the story and wanted more stories about Gina.
I received a free ecopy of this book from NetGalley and chose to write a review.

Gina the dog loves her life in Siberia. Everything is perfect – the long, snowy winters, the cosy apartment, Mama’s food, the familiar people and her best friend Gaidar, the dog from downstairs. So when her family whisk her off on a long trip to a far away land called America, Gina doesn’t understand, and she decides to be unhappy forever. The book follows Gina and her human family in their journey across Europe and onto a plane bound for New York. Will Gina ever feel at home in this crazy big city?

The illustrations are packed with fascinating details showing life in Soviet Russia and contrasting it with the sights of New York City. The scene (apparently true) where the family disguises Gina as a baby in order to sneak her onto a train is highly entertaining.

I would recommend this book for animal lovers and anyone who is interested in exploring different cultures, or simply enjoys a good true story.

The book is heartwarming and endearing, it's a perfect book for reluctant readers who enjoy dogs. The only complaint I have with it is that on some pages, at least in the kind edition, the text was slightly off center. I know that's a minor thing to most people but it disrupted the flow of the read. If that's the only thing that I think is wrong with your book, trust me that's a good thing.

The art is lovely and the pages can be totally different to show Gina's feelings, that increases much in a story with few pages, there aren't spaeking ballons in general and sometimes it's only Gina in these pages.

This is a charming book about moving to a new home - in a new country. It's a lightly-told immigration story shared through the eyes of the family dog. The lovely artwork tells the story that the little dog doesn't - of the poverty being left behind, the sparsity of the new home, and the eventual settling of the family into their new city. This book will make a wonderful introduction story to start the conversation with more complex picture book titles on immigration and refugees such as Francesca Sanna's THE JOURNEY.

I didn't realize this was a children's book. This is a great and creative book to read to any young kids. The drawings and the colors are beautiful. I would most definitely read this to my grandkids if I ever have one! The ending was just perfect.

A lovely children's book, based on the true story of Gina, a wire-haired fox terrier, who moves with her family from Russian Siberia to New York City. It is told from the point of view from Gina herself, and though she's happy she's with her family, she misses her friend Gaidar. Gina has travelled a long way by train and plane, and she finds New York very different from where she was in Siberia. But Gina soon finds new friends and discovers street food!
A lovely quick read, Gina is beautifully illustrated, and the littlies will love it!
My thanks to NetGalley and Animal Media Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

'Gina From Siberia' by Jane Bernstein and Charlotte Glynn with illustrations by Anya Desnitskaya is a picture book based on a true story.

Gina is a wire-haired terrier living with her human family in Siberia. She is happy with the family and where they live, but one day the family decides to move to the United States. This makes Gina unhappy and she lets everyone around her know it. There are also problems with travelling with a small dog, and the family must think of a clever way to deal with it. Gina like her new home?

It's a very cute story, made moreso by the fact that it is true. The illustrations are colorful and lovely. I loved the cheeriness of the story and pictures.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Animal Media Group and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

The story of a Russian family’s immigration from Siberia, Russia to New York City in the USA told from the viewpoint of the family dog.

This book is based on the author’s own story of immigrating to the US and their real family dog named Gina who came with them. Obviously, Gina’s feelings about all of it are imagined. Most of the book is focused on what Gina likes about Siberia, their long journey to the US by many trains and a plane. And then about how Gina feels about her new home and how it takes a little while to get used to it. It feels a little bit like a typical moving story or travel story with some foreign vocabulary thrown in. Recent years have seen a lot of more emotionally wrought immigration stories. This one is more subtle and humorous, which is fine. It is good for kids to realize there are all kinds of immigrant stories. Probably the biggest fans of this book are going to be dog lovers who won’t be able to get enough of the cute illustrations of Gina and her adventures.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Gina From Siberia" is about a family who immigrates from Siberia to the United States. Only, instead of being told from an adult or a child, the story is told from the perspective of the family dog, a miniature wire-haired fox terrier named Gina. Readers learn of Gina's life and routine in Siberia, the family's long and arduous journey from Siberia to New York City, and Gina learning to settle into her new home and lifestyle.

This book is a well-done illustrated story in which, young children can enjoy. Readers will be able to relate to moving from one place to another. Animal lovers will be able to project their love to Gina, and her family for refusing to leave their beloved dog behind.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Delightful Dog Travels from Siberia to the United States - based on a true story.
Children will love the cute dog and her adventures as she travels. Pictures showing the foods and such from Siberia and then the new foods and such that she experiences in the United States will give children an idea of what people ate in both places in this time period.
Nice humor, I laughed out loud at least twice at various antics.
Clever dog "parents" coming up with a way to smuggle their beloved pet onto a train.
The only thing missing is a glossary of definitions and how to say the Russian terms. Children can guess what some of them are, but it would be helpful to know how to say them as well.
A great book to read to your child as s/he sits on your lap. A teacher could place this on the overhead so that students could see the details on the pages. I see a lot of possible lessons in both vocabulary and history for students and teachers.

A very sweet book about the sadness of leaving home. And the joy of finding a new one. Told in the voice of a sweet terrier, Gina. Based on a family's true story! I

Gina from Siberia is a sweet, quick read about a dog named Gina that immigrates with her family to the United States in the 70's. Gina decides that she will be sad forever about having to leave but once she realizes the love of her family, and the extent to which they will keep her safe as they take ever mode of transport over the course of their journey, she changes her mind. There is so much that she loves from her home in Siberia, though, and so much to miss when she comes to the U.S. Soon she discovers a friend, a friend that helps her see the good things to learn to love in her new home.

The artwork was nicely done--the details that the images included (down to the slight references to the things that were happening in pop culture during the time) are delightful. There are times when the author lists names of foods and things that were seen and it feels overwhelming (especially when you don't really know what those things are, maybe an index could have been added at the end?) but that might add to the fast paced thoughts of Gina, as well as, her feelings of overwhelmed-ness at the great number of things to be found in NYC.

This book does a great job of introducing the concept of moving from a place that you love to a new, unknown and yet to be loved home.

As always, I received a electronic copy of this book from Netgalley and Animal Media Group.

I loved the illustrations so much I could frame them and put them on my wall. The quality was that high. The illustrator has an extremely good sense of space and lighting, and we can feel that they love playing with it. Good news: I also loved the narration. It is the story of a dog, Gina, who lives in Siberia and who will have to adapt to a major change in their life, as their family moves to New York City.

From there, unfolds a story of feeling sad, feeling scared, feeling angry, feeling homesick, but little by little, making some friends, adapting to the city, and enjoying the new life as it is. This book was a great story for kids, and I loved that it was told through the eyes of a dog and based on a true story .

This story follows the move of a family and their dog from Siberia to New York. It is told from the dog's perspective. It is based on an actual move that happened in 1978.

I liked the pictures and the mood of the book. The story progressed naturally and kept the reader's interest. I found the abundant use of Russian words to be a bit much for a children's book. Obviously, the character names needed to be Russian, but the mention of some of the foods (especially with no explanation of what these foods are) made for difficult reading with little payoff for the trouble.

Overall, it was a sweet story with good pictures. Personally, I would check it out from the library to read once or twice rather than purchasing it for longer perusal.

Very charming short story about a dog - sweet little terriet Gina.. And more. Love. Sadness of leaving home. The joy caused by finding new home. Nice, sometimes funny illustrations.

A heart-warming story of a dog's journey together with its family from Siberia to New York City in search of greener pastures. Gina, our main character who is a dog, gets to see a lot of wonderful and strange things along the way. Living in a new city, far from her best friend, Gina gets lonely but eventually she gets the hang of the place and come to like his new home and new friends.

I especially like the part where Gina writes a letter to her best friend who is also a dog; and also the part where she finally decided to introduce herself to her neighbors and made friends with them.

I'm living in a foreign country now, away from my friends and I can relate to Gina's story and I'm very happy that things have turned out great for her.

It can be lonely moving to a new city, but taking that tiny step to say hello and be nice to people, great friendships await. In this book, Gina shows that you have the power to make things happen if you believe in yourself.

This is an interesting story about a family and their dog, Gina, who travel from Siberia to the United States in 1978. The story is told from the dog’s perspective and is based on a true story. I think this is a wonderful story about cultural differences and opens up a great topic for discussion with children on how our country was formed. I was also touched by how hard the family worked to keep their family dog from being discovered during the trip from Austria to Rome.
Thank you to Animal Media Group and NetGalley for the chance to read this picture book in exchange for my honest review, my opinions are my own.

A lovely story based on true events. Gina is a small dog, living a happy life in Serbia, where she has 6 beds to choose from, a comfy laundry pile and friends in nearby apartments. One day, it's announced that they are to leave Serbia, seeking a better life in the USA. Along the way they travel by plane and train, and discover that animals are not allowed on the journey. Mama disguises Gina in an effort to get her safely to their home. Will Gina make it to America undiscovered? And if she does, will she ever be happy again?

I liked how the illustrations started brightly, when Gina was happy, but became darker and more muted as she travelled and left her happy life behind. I also liked how the story focussed on an animal's point of view, rather than that of a human as this gives a fresh look at an event from history.
I think my favourite part was the description of what Gina saw along her journey, along with the illustrations which are ideal for children to look along with Gina as they read with an adult.

Thank you to the publishers for allowing me to access an advanced e-copy of this book for review via NetGalley.

This is an adorable picture book with a heartwarming story. Based on a true story, Gina from Siberia tells the tale of how Gina, a dog and her family emigrated from Siberia to the United States in 1978. Told from Gina's perspective, we follow her and her family through their travels, settling into their new home in New York, and the friendship that developed between Gina and her new friend, Victor. The illustrations accompanying this story are detailed and colorful. Overall, a cute and enjoyable read.

Thank you to the authors (Jane Bernstein and Charlotte Glynn), Animal Media Group LLC and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Moving to a different country and coming up against a different culture through the eyes of a dog named Gina; a story that is based on the true tale of the Backer family who moved from the Soviet Union to the US in 1978. Visually stunning, with lively illustrations, fast-paced, nostalgic and quirky, Bernstein's graphic novel is one I will certainly be coming back to.

Really cute story told from the dog’s perspective about her journey from Siberia to what I’m assuming is NYC. She didn’t at first love her new city and was very homesick until she met a friend who showed her all of the things a dog should love about NYC. The illustrations were hands down my favorite part of this book!

A sweet children's book (based on a true story) about a dog's journey from Siberia to New York City. The illustrations are excellent and they really brought the story to life. Highly recommend this book for children and dog lovers.

I was first drawn to the illustration on the cover. For me, the first thing I look for in a picture books are the illustrations so I was excited to find that the illustrations were excellent.

The story itself flows nicely and keeps the readers attention. Some help understanding the Russian words would have been helpful. My kids were asking questions I had to look up to answer. Perhaps a glossary at the back would be helpful?

This would be an excellent picture book to give to someone facing a big move or change.

I was hoping this would be a bit longer but it was a delightful, quick read, following the true story of one family's journey to the US for a better life. The part that makes it so much fun is that its told from the perspective of the dog, Gina.
Accompanied by lovely little illustrations it makes for a sweet read that could help show children that change can be scary but it's also good to embrace and learn about new things, such as cultures.

Simple introduction to life in Siberia from a dog's perspective. It would be a nice way to introduce the topic of culture/life differences to children. Would consider using if I taught kids in the US.

I loved the art, and the specificity of place was excellent. All the idiosyncratic touches of a Russian household of a certain era were present, and it effortlessly expands the world. The story is delightful.

I want to thank #netgalley for giving me a copy of this book to review. #GinaFromSiberia is a true story about a little dog that has to travel far from home. She loves her home in Siberia with her family and all the snow. When they say they have to leave Gina is worried that she won't like the new place and has some insecurities about if her family will leave her behind. I do think that the story dragged on a bit in places (which is hard to do in a picture book) All in all, a cute story that I would recommend to my students, but not one that I would return to a second time.

This is a really sweet book about moving to a new country and starting over. The illustrations really capture the feel of the story. Just because something is new and different, doesn't mean it can't end up good.

Gina from Siberia
By Jane Bernstein, and Charlotte Glynn
Illustrations by Anna Desnitskaya

If a book is published by Animal Media, I know it will be moving and I will be captured by the story. So it is with “Gina from Siberia.” Gina, a miniature wire-haired fox terrier, lives a comfortable life with her family and friends in Siberia. When she learns they are moving to America, she is very sad, but she learns her family truly loves her when she is wrapped up like a child on the long trip. (Although the train conductor mutters that she is an “ugly Russian baby.”) When Gina arrives in NYC, she learns about new foods and new human and dog friends.

We learn that Gina’s story is based on a true event from 1978, when the Backer family left Russia and moved to NYC. (The late 1970s was a different time from today. Russia was the Soviet Union and it was forced by different international forces to allow certain of its citizens, including long persecuted Jews, to leave and move to other countries.)

Transportation also had different security requirements then, and Gina really could have passed as a child. How do I know this? My mother passed her miniature schnauzer off as an “ugly child” on an airplane trip from upstate NY to NYC during the same time period.

“Gina From Siberia” is a very charming, very moving story, with wonderful, poignant illustrations that should be available as wall art. It is a book that will enchant both children and adults.

(In return for an honest review, I was provided a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.)

This is a darling book, especially designed for littles who are making and facing big changes in their lives. Having taught middle grades ESOL for many years, I can easily imagine reading this to my reticent students or to recent arrivals who felt lost. While I am no longer teaching that grade level, there is still much to learn from Gina's adventures, and the follow up at the end, the truth behind the fiction, that enriches the story enough that non-immigrant children can learn an equally-valuable lesson about life and choices that are sometimes beyond our control. Plus, the art ain't half bad either!

Gina from Siberia endures a journey from her beloved snowy homeland to overwhelming New York City where her family hopes to build a better life.

In the winter of 1978, the family of a miniature wire-haired fox terrier set out hoping to make a better life for themselves. Gina From Siberia is based on the true story of the Backer family’s emigration from Russia. With their two children and a dog in tow, Mila and Joseph Backer traveled over land and sea by car, minivan, and bus, by train and by plane.

Travels hit a snag at an Austrian train station where a sign proclaiming “HUNDE VERBOTEN!” hung next to the ticket window. The ticket seller made it clear that Gina was one such prohibited dog and unwelcome on the train to Rome. The family wouldn’t leave Gina, so Mila devised a plan. She wrapped Gina in baby Danny’s items and boarded the train. The train conductors walked the aisles punching tickets, and after a cursory glance at the bundle, muttered that Gina was an ugly Russian baby and moved on. New York greets Gina, the titular terrier, with an onslaught of foreign sensory stimuli: sights, smells, tastes, sounds, and rumbling streets under her paws.

Anna Desnitskaya’s illustrations are visually stunning and deserving of strong praise in their own right. The book’s fifty-six pages, lengthy for the category, showcase Denitskaya’s attention to detail. The charm of her artwork is visible in her incredible attention to detail: shadowing, splendid background scenery, signage with location-accurate language, intricately patterned fabrics and textiles, period clothing, adverts for 1978-ish films, Coca-Cola banners above a bodega, a Wilson sports duffel on the basketball court. The simple comic style interactions that help tell the story between illustrations are endearing. Gina’s body language and the human expressions portray such character and emotion. The double spreads are beautiful, and for some reason, I was quite taken with matryoshka dolls.

The Backer family began their Cold War era journey as Russians, but ended it as residents of the United States and seven years later, became proud American citizens. A photograph of the Gina, Joseph, and Paul, some additional information, and a note that for that train ride, Gina truly was dressed as a baby to avoid being separated follow the story. While this fifty-six page picture book is notably longer than the typical thirty-two, Jane Bernstein and Charlotte Glynn succeeded in authoring a book I hoped wouldn’t end. (I’d have followed their journey for another 5,681 or 5,682 miles.) I found myself enamored with Gina, fervently wishing for her happiness and admired the dog-like loyalty demonstrated by the Backers in getting Gina to New York.

This book is worthy of a sixth star and is most deserving of the slot it occupies on my bookshelf. Every once in a while, I find myself drawn to a painting, a book leaves its imprint, or I hear a song that strikes a chord with me. Gina From Siberia is one such piece of work.

Thanks to Animal Media Group and NetGalley for the provided e-ARC and the opportunity to read this book. My review is honest, unbiased, and voluntary. #NetGalley #GinaFromSiberia

[First impressions/initial ideas for potential in classroom lesson or unit planning: climate, emotions, geopolitics and the Cold War, cultural diversity, compare/contrast, adjectives, math, units of measurement, and geography.]

This is an absolutely delightful picture book telling the true story of a little wire terrier named Gina who immigrated with her family to America from Russia in the 1970's. It does a wonderful job of showing what a child (or dog, in this case) might miss about home and how it feels to be new in a new land. There are funny details, like the true fact that the family wrapped the dog up like a baby to smuggle her on the train (no dogs were allowed and they wouldn't leave her).

I love the writing in this story, like the line about the apartment they lived in back home with "a laundry pile deep as a snow drift" and how the little dog "decided to stay unhappy forever" at the thought of leaving her beloved home and friends.

As a child who moved every year of my own childhood, I related quite well to Gina. The book does a wonderful job of showing how hard it is to leave but also how you come to make new friends and find new things to love in your new home. The illustrations are also just wonderful, and show a whimsical depiction of New York City in 1978. This is one of my favorite new picture books that I've read in a long time.

My rating system:

1 = hated it
2 = it was okay
3 = liked it
4 = really liked it
5 = love it, plan to purchase, and/or would buy it again if it was lost

I read a temporary digital ARC of the book for the purpose of review.

I really enjoyed this story it was a lovely book and even more special to find out that it was based on a true story!

I thought that the images were lovely and the author had a really nice writing style that gave the story a lovely flow. The book is about a dog named Gina who moves with her human family from Siberia to New York, it is a really nice story about the normal fears everyone has of moving to a very new place and the unknown, which can be very daunting. It would be perfect for a young child going through the same thing.

It is 4 stars from me for this one, I really enjoyed the story – highly recommended and a genuinely heart-warming story!

Based on true events, this is an interesting story, accompanied by lovely illustrations. At times though it felt that the author tried to pack too much into the story. Personally, I would have appreciated a stronger focus on the actual journey. Nevertheless, I have no doubt that the book will be appreciated not only by dog lovers but also young readers who are having mixed feelings about moving to a new place, settling down and making new friends.

This is a heartwarming story of Gina a wire hair terrier from Siberia. This is based on a true story of a family who came to the US from Siberia. Gina loved her family in Siberia and they loved her. She enjoyed her home and place to sleep. One day the family says they are moving to the US. Gina will go with them but she is scared of leaving her home in Siberia. Gina and the family have adventures coming from Siberia to the US New York City. Gina has a hard time fitting in because New York is so busy. It goes on from there but I found it to be a wonderful story of a dog and her family and the love for her so much to get her to the US. I recommend this book to any animal lover and children 4+.