Book Review: Molly’s Pilgrim

| By: Committee for Children

By Barbara Cohen
Illustrated by Michael J. Deraney

Teasing others for their differences is not a 21st century phenomenon. Children have always found reasons to make fun of others. Fortunately, there have also always been compassionate people alongside the tormenters. The turn-of-the-20th-century protagonist of Molly’s Pilgrim is lucky enough to have a mother willing to defend her beliefs and a supportive, understanding teacher.

When Molly enters third grade in a new school in America, having emigrated with her family from Russia, her classmates taunt her relentlessly for her looks, her ignorance of American customs, and her imperfect English. Elizabeth, Molly’s chief antagonist, relishes a new opportunity to tease the girl when Molly stumbles over the word Thanksgiving in a story she’s reading aloud. “You don’t even know about Thanksgiving? I guess you people don’t celebrate American holidays.” And when Molly shows up with her homework assignment the next day, a model of a Pilgrim woman that looks more like a Russian immigrant, most of the class laughs mockingly.

Here is the turning point for Molly and her classmates, however. Their teacher quells the hilarity and informs her students that in fact Molly is right. Molly’s mother, whom the clothespin doll is modeled after, is a modern-day Pilgrim. She came to America to seek religious freedom, just as the Pilgrims did 300 years earlier. Not only that, as she tells them, but the first Thanksgiving came about after the Pilgrims learned about the Jewish harvest holiday of Tabernacles. Elizabeth and her followers are effectively silenced, and one girl even crosses over, sitting next to Molly and telling her how much she likes her Pilgrim.

Social-Emotional Lessons in Molly’s Pilgrim

Although the children in this story are not the ones who initiate the acceptance of Molly’s differences, the lessons for readers are solid. Molly’s classmates ultimately learn that there is more to a person than meets the eye, and that it’s worthwhile to learn someone’s story before judging her. The teacher is an excellent role model of compassion and empathy, demonstrating how to draw a shy student out of her shell, include her in the discussion, and invite her to share her unique perspective. The child who comes to sit with Molly at the end of the book offers a genuine compliment, clearly as a way to pave the road to a new friendship based on respect for what makes Molly different from others in the class.

Do a classroom activity based on Molly's Pilgrim. (PDF)