THE LONG WAY WESTWARD

In a sequel to The Long Way to a New Land (1981), Carl Erik and his family--having arrived in New York from Sweden, in about 1868--make their way, mostly by rail, to join relatives in Minnesota. Both the straightforwardly told story and the careful illustrations convey many details of this journey: the contrast between the luxurious parlor car and the ""emigrant car"" (sometimes there weren't even seats, but there was a stove for cooking); getting along without knowing English; the help given by the Svea Society, organized by Swedes in Chicago. An interesting, well-researched slice of social history.