BIBLIOGRAPHY
Larson, Kirby. 2006. HATTIE BIG SKY. New York : Delacorte Press. ISBN: 0-385-90332-4.
PLOT SUMMARY
Young Hattie Brooks inherits her uncle's homesteading claim in Montana in 1917. She is a sixteen-year-old girl that must face difficult situations and encounters some unexpected problems related to the war in Europe.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This historical fiction story introduces readers to Miss Hattie Inez Brooks. A letter to her friend fighting in World War I gives us insight into the setting of this story. Hattie's childhood is marked by ever changing households, living with various relatives. The reader learns that Hattie has received a letter from an uncle she hardly knows. The letter marks the beginning of an adventure that would forever impact Hattie's life. The challenges Hattie faces give readers a strong heroine challenged by the tough environment in which she grows. Her emotional journey introduces her to great friends, forces her to make difficult decisions, and eventually guides her to a sense of independence. The parallels of her challenges while trying to "prove up her claim" and the hardships faced by her friend fighting in Europe give the reader a deeper understanding of the affects of war for two people worlds away. Kirby Larson, through tireless and thorough research, promises readers an accurate depiction of life for those who braved the challenges of land ownership in this time and region of U.S. history. The reader will follow this journey with Hattie from her train ride filled with hope to a Montana farm that exposes harsh realities and the beauty of Montana country.
REVIEW EXCERPTS/AWARDS
CONNECTIONS
This book would be a great historical fiction introduction to a unit on World War I. It is also a great read aloud or independent reading that would allow for character analysis and problem-solution discussion. I think it would also be interesting to share the way the author researched to gain more insight into her family history.
PLOT SUMMARY
Young Hattie Brooks inherits her uncle's homesteading claim in Montana in 1917. She is a sixteen-year-old girl that must face difficult situations and encounters some unexpected problems related to the war in Europe.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This historical fiction story introduces readers to Miss Hattie Inez Brooks. A letter to her friend fighting in World War I gives us insight into the setting of this story. Hattie's childhood is marked by ever changing households, living with various relatives. The reader learns that Hattie has received a letter from an uncle she hardly knows. The letter marks the beginning of an adventure that would forever impact Hattie's life. The challenges Hattie faces give readers a strong heroine challenged by the tough environment in which she grows. Her emotional journey introduces her to great friends, forces her to make difficult decisions, and eventually guides her to a sense of independence. The parallels of her challenges while trying to "prove up her claim" and the hardships faced by her friend fighting in Europe give the reader a deeper understanding of the affects of war for two people worlds away. Kirby Larson, through tireless and thorough research, promises readers an accurate depiction of life for those who braved the challenges of land ownership in this time and region of U.S. history. The reader will follow this journey with Hattie from her train ride filled with hope to a Montana farm that exposes harsh realities and the beauty of Montana country.
REVIEW EXCERPTS/AWARDS
Starred Review, School Library Journal: “Larson creates a masterful picture of the homesteading experience and the people who persevered.”
Starred Review, Booklist: "In this engaging historical novel set in 1918, 16-year-old orphan Hattie Brooks leaves Iowa and travels to a Montana homestead inherited from her uncle. In the beautiful but harsh setting, she has less than a year to fence and cultivate the land in order to keep it. Neighbors who welcome Hattie help heal the hurt she has suffered from years of feeling unwanted. Chapters open with short articles that Hattie writes for an Iowa newspaper or her lively letters to a friend and possible beau who is in the military in France. The authentic first-person narrative, full of hope and anxiety, effectively portrays Hattie's struggles as a young woman with limited options, a homesteader facing terrible odds, and a loyal citizen confused about the war and the local anti-German bias that endangers her new friends. Larson, whose great-grandmother homesteaded alone in Montana, read dozens of homesteaders' journals and based scenes in the book on real events. Writing in figurative language that draws on nature and domestic detail to infuse her story with the sounds, smells, and sights of the prairie, she creates a richly textured novel full of memorable characters." Kathleen Odean
Starred Review, Booklist: "In this engaging historical novel set in 1918, 16-year-old orphan Hattie Brooks leaves Iowa and travels to a Montana homestead inherited from her uncle. In the beautiful but harsh setting, she has less than a year to fence and cultivate the land in order to keep it. Neighbors who welcome Hattie help heal the hurt she has suffered from years of feeling unwanted. Chapters open with short articles that Hattie writes for an Iowa newspaper or her lively letters to a friend and possible beau who is in the military in France. The authentic first-person narrative, full of hope and anxiety, effectively portrays Hattie's struggles as a young woman with limited options, a homesteader facing terrible odds, and a loyal citizen confused about the war and the local anti-German bias that endangers her new friends. Larson, whose great-grandmother homesteaded alone in Montana, read dozens of homesteaders' journals and based scenes in the book on real events. Writing in figurative language that draws on nature and domestic detail to infuse her story with the sounds, smells, and sights of the prairie, she creates a richly textured novel full of memorable characters." Kathleen Odean
This book would be a great historical fiction introduction to a unit on World War I. It is also a great read aloud or independent reading that would allow for character analysis and problem-solution discussion. I think it would also be interesting to share the way the author researched to gain more insight into her family history.
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