Kirby Larson
291 pages
Kindle Edition
From the Publisher:
Alone in the world, teen-aged Hattie is driven to prove up on her uncle’s homesteading claim.
For years, sixteen-year-old Hattie’s been shuttled between relatives. Tired of being Hattie Here-and-There, she courageously leaves Iowa to prove up on her late uncle’s homestead claim near Vida, Montana. With a stubborn stick-to-itiveness, Hattie faces frost, drought and blizzards. Despite many hardships, Hattie forges ahead, sharing her adventures with her friends–especially Charlie, fighting in France–through letters and articles for her hometown paper.
Her backbreaking quest for a home is lightened by her neighbors, the Muellers. But she feels threatened by pressure to be a “Loyal” American, forbidding friendships with folks of German descent. Despite everything, Hattie’s determined to stay until a tragedy causes her to discover the true meaning of home.
Review:
I read this book the first time back in 2008. I remember loving it, but not really loving the end. I was left really wanting a sequel to the book. But even with the ending, I really loved the book! A couple weeks ago, I was browsing the middle reader section of the library with my oldest son when I found a jackpot…the sequel to this book! I had no idea that there was such a thing! I quickly checked it out and then came home and downloaded Hattie Big Sky on my kindle so I could read them back to back.
I still love this book. I love Hattie. I love the characters and the development. I love the struggles and challenges she faces and how she faces them. This book makes me so thankful for modern day conveniences. It’s a great historical fiction and perfect for middle readers or adults. It gives you a lot to think about. The plot twist at the end is something I didn’t expect the first time, and leaves me eager to start the second book!
