The Memory Coat follows a Jewish family's journey from Poland to America in the early 1900s. Young Nora Kalesky and her father travel to New York seeking refuge and opportunity, but when her father falls ill aboard ship, Nora must navigate Ellis Island and a new country alone. A worn, patchwork coat becomes her most precious possession—a tangible link to her mother and homeland. Through Nora's eyes, Woodruff explores themes of loss, resilience, and the immigrant experience, capturing both the hardship and hope of those who arrived at America's shores seeking a better life. A poignant and accessible story about family bonds that transcend geography and the objects that carry our memories across time.