Molly, the only immigrant and the only Jew in her third-grade class, is miserable.

Author: Barbara Cohen   
Illustrator: Daniel Duffy
Format: Paperback
Published: HarperCollins Publishers, 1983

Molly's parents left their native Russia to escape oppression and brutality against Jews. But Molly, the only immigrant and the only Jew in her third-grade class, is miserable. Class leader Elizabeth hurls insults at Molly, criticizing her appearance and ridiculing her accent. Molly is further ostracized when her classmates discover that she has never even heard of the Pilgrims or Thanksgiving - proof that she is not really an American! Indeed, Molly's mother is initially perplexed by Molly's homework: make a Pilgrim doll out of a clothespin. However, once Molly recounts what she learned, "Pilgrims came to this country from the other side. They came for religious freedom," her mother is delighted. The Pilgrims were just like her! Molly's mother makes a  beautiful Pilgrim doll, complete with a long red skirt, black boots, and a yellow kerchief. Although Molly is afraid her Russian Pilgrim is unacceptable, her understanding teacher recognizes that Pilgrims continue to arrive in America every day and a classmate quickly pronounces Molly?s doll "the most beautiful one of all." Profound in its simplicity, this book captures the essence of messages about accepting, understanding, and embracing different cultures.