History Comics: Ellis Island
Where do I come from? It’s almost a universally asked question, one that can pop up in many ways and at many different points in your life. History Comics: Ellis Island, written by Felipe Galindo Feggo and illustrated by Tait Howard, explores that question, with the I standing in for American citizens. How did this island, and its nearby neighbor the Statue of Liberty, come to be such an important part of American history? How do we see its legacy today and can we create a better future from our past? This graphic novel tells a vital history that can teach compassion and invite reflection in young readers.
History Comics: Ellis Island starts with a short essay filling readers in on basic background information of Ellis Island, including some deeper questions to keep in mind while reading. These straightforwardly written facts are helpful for readers learning about immigration. This story of Ellis Island kicks off in 2012 as Hurricane Sandy ravages New York City. Paul and his mom Amie’s apartment is on a lower level so they visit their third floor neighbors, the Gómez family, to keep safe from the rising waters outside. Paul suggests telling campfire stories to pass the time so Mrs.Gómez suggests Amie share the history of Ellis Island. As a park ranger, she knows everything about it! Her own family even passed through there.
One of the most impressive things about this title is how wide-reaching the history is. Amie’s story telling starts at the very beginning, when the island was cared for by the Lenape, and goes through to its post-Sandy restoration in 2013. But it’s more than just the story of the island and the building itself, it’s the story of immigration in America over those hundreds of years. That story stretches beyond the titular island and moves across the entire country.
This book can serve as a great starting off point to a larger lesson about the topic or as a supplement to one already ongoing. It could be helpful in putting patterns of immigration and anti-immigrant movements into context, especially today when many young people may want to learn the hows and the whys. The rise of nationalism and “Deportmania” in the late 1910s is particularly relevant, along with the history of the laws created in the subsequent years.
Howard’s art is very helpful and appropriate in telling the story. It’s not too graphic or realistic but not too cartoony or silly; it doesn’t demean the story being told. Eagle eyed readers will catch some of the easter eggs and visual jokes Howard placed throughout the panels. There are some more intensely drawn scenes, including gun usage and hanging, along with medical related illustrations, that match the particulars being told at that point. Nothing is done gratuitously. Overall, the art is appropriately matched to what story the graphic novel is telling.
History Comics: Ellis Island is recommended for older middle grade readers.These facts aren’t always easy to read and could lead to intense, emotional discussion in shared spaces. With that in mind, it certainly deserves a spot in history classrooms. Curious history lovers will especially enjoy it and many adults could stand to give it a read. History Comics: Ellis Island gives its readers a thorough, truthful look at an important American landmark and the vast history surrounding it.
History Comics: Ellis Island
By Felipe Galindo Feggo
Art by Tait Howard
Macmillan First Second, 2025
ISBN: 9781250768797
Company Age Rating: 9-13
NFNT Age Recommendation: Tween (10-13)
