discovers that he is very smart. She helps him understand that his uncle is not cruel and wants him to come to America because he loves Ilya, and Ilya reads from Rifka's Pushkin poetry book. He passes the "Test" and makes it to America. Rifka gets over her ringworm, and gets to America to be with her family. Reception Kirkus Reviews called it "an unforgettable picture of immigrant courage, ingenuity, and perseverance." while Publishers Weekly wrote "Hesse's vivacious tale colorfully and convincingly refreshes the immigrant experience." References External links Formats and editions of Letters from Rifka at WorldCat Karen Hesse at Macmillan US 1992 American novels American young adult novels Children's historical novels Epistolary novels Jewish American novels Fiction set in 1919 Henry Holt and Company books 1992 children's books Novels about immigration to the United States Fictional Russian Jews