As Romanian author Karin Gündisch read from her book "How I Became an American" on Monday night, some bursts of laughter came sooner than others.

Some members of the 40-person audience in the International Center got the joke as she read the German version, but the rest didn't follow until translator Angelika Kraemer read the English version a paragraph later.

Gündisch stopped at MSU two weeks into her American tour for the book. In addition to her reading Monday, she visited German classes to read excerpts. She is traveling to American colleges, universities and schools until Oct. 12.

Gündisch's book follows 10-year-old Johann and his family's journey to Youngstown, Ohio, from a small town in central Europe.

The book was recognized by the American Library Association as a notable book and it won the Mildred L. Batchelder Award in 2002. The award is given by the association to outstanding works in children's literature printed in a foreign language but translated to English.

"She has such a way with the language," Rosie Peters said. "I very much enjoyed listening to her. Her German was excellent."

Peters, a German teacher at Holt High School, said she's going to use Gündisch's book in her classes.

Kraemer, a doctoral student in German studies, wasn't planning on being a translator for the discussion after Gündisch's reading, but she said she enjoyed the experience.

"It was something new and exciting to do this and be active in a reading," she said. Kraemer said she's been to other German book readings before but never participated.

This is Gündisch's first visit to the United States. Unlike most books written about immigrants, "American" talks about finding American identity from an author who has lived exclusively in central Europe. She currently lives in Bad Krozingen, a small city in southern Germany.

Although he has studied German for seven years, international relations and German junior Justin Kuxhaus was worried Gundisch wouldn't understand his questions he asked during the discussion.

"I had read excerpts in my classes, and I formed some questions for her," Kuxhaus said. "She understood me and I understood her responses. I'm not fluent yet, but I'm getting there."