Shadows on the Hudson cover

Reading Metrics

Grade Level Upper Grades (UG 9-12)
Book Level 6.1
Points 36.0
Fiction/Nonfiction Fiction
Word Count 220660
Points per Word 0.000163
Page Count 548
Points per Page 0.065693

Description

This story follows a group of prosperous Jewish refugees in New York City in the late 1940s.

Quick Summary

It's 1947 New York, and the novel follows a circle of Jewish refugees who've left Europe behind but can't quite shake the past, making the city feel both bustling and haunted at once. If you're a teen who likes character-driven stories with a dash of humor and a lot of heart, you'll find yourself pulled into their dinner-table debates, love affairs, and the everyday struggle to belong. The book touches on the trauma of the Holocaust, questions of identity and loyalty, and some adult relationships, but Singer keeps the tone warm and often wry, so it never feels heavy for the right reader. The characters juggle new jobs, family expectations, and the challenge of fitting into American life while secrets from the old world keep resurfacing in unexpected ways. If you've ever read and loved *The Plot Against America* for its look at how ordinary lives shift under political pressure, you'll spot a similar pulse here, especially for anyone interested in the immigrant experience in postwar America.