The Woodcarver's Daughter by Yona Zeldis McDonough

Author:Yona Zeldis McDonough [McDonough, Yona Zeldis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Chapter Book, Chapter Books, Jewish, Judaism, Kar-Ben Publishing, Kar-Ben, Older Readers, historical fiction, immigration
Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group
Published: 2021-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

Jewels

I take the train toward a place called Brooklyn, which is at the very tip of the city, bordered by the same ocean we crossed to get here. Now that I’ve seen the ocean, I have an urge to see it again.

I study the subway map posted in the station. The last stop on the train is Coney Island. Coney Island will be my destination.

It’s a long ride, but I don’t mind. I have my bag of candy and a newspaper someone left behind on my seat. Slowly, I turn the pages of the paper as I munch on a marshmallow twist. I can read all the words easily now. The train emerges from its underground tunnel onto an elevated track. I put aside the newspaper so that I can look out the window, gazing at the sky, which today is a bleached, wintry blue. I’ve come to like some things about New York City, but I still miss the open spaces of the country I left behind.

At last, the train reaches the Coney Island station, and I get off. Only one other person is left in the car, a girl with a kerchief tied at her chin. She looks as if she could be from our village, but she walks quickly away before I can be sure. After I’ve watched her go, I start walking too.

The houses are lower here, and the streets not as crowded. The smell of the sea is tangy and sharp. The wind is sharp too, but I don’t mind. In fact, it feels good, whipping through my hair.

Soon I begin to see signs advertising the most astounding things: Ramos the Amazing Sword Swallower, The Bearded Lady, Aaron’s Acrobatic Troupe, Jerry’s Jugglers. I’ve stumbled upon an amusement park. It’s kind of like the fair, back in Russia, but bigger. I pass a roller coaster and a Ferris wheel. The great machines are silent and still now, but I can almost imagine what it would be like to be here on a summer day.

I come to a round structure that looks like a giant cake. It’s all boarded up, but one of the boards is loose. There’s a sign near it:

Mittendorf & Grau

Latest, Improved

CAROUSEL

In Operation from April through October

Mermaid Avenue, Brooklyn, New York

No one is around, so I step closer and jiggle the loose piece. It moves easily, letting me peek inside. There, behind the wooden covering, is a ring of the most beautiful carved horses I have ever seen. Horses leaping, horses prancing, horses with their front hooves held high in the air as if they’re about to begin a dance. Their wooden tails stream out behind them; their wooden manes rise in wild peaks. They’re painted in a rainbow of colors: scarlet, apple green, royal blue, violet, pumpkin, ebony, and dazzling white. Some have real plumes attached to their heads; others have bridles covered with glittering jewels. Some are decorated with carved wooden flowers. There are other animals too: a spotted frog with a waistcoat, a kangaroo, and a zebra.

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