Rereading Hattie Big Sky

Hattie Big Sky. Kirby Larson. 2006. Random House. 290 pages.

December 19, 1917
Arlington, Iowa

Dear Charlie,
Miss Simpson starts every day with a reminder to pray for you--and all the other boys who enlisted. Well, I say we should pray for the Kaiser--he's going to need those prayers once he meets you!

Oh, how I LOVE Hattie Big Sky. I just love and adore this historical YA novel set, for the most part, in 1918. The heroine, Hattie, has inherited her uncle's claim in Montana. If the claim is to become truly hers, she'll need to prove the claim. She'll need to plant/harvest a certain number of acres, and lay a certain number of fence/fence-posts. Intimidating work to be sure--physically and emotionally demanding work. True, she'll have almost all winter to prepare herself mentally and emotionally for the challenge--time well spent reading up on farming and such--but once spring comes, the work is neverending. Unfortunately, some people do have more time on their hands. Time to spend being too patriotic. Time to spend bullying your German neighbors. And believe me, it gets cruel and ugly and brutal. But Hattie is different from the rest--not that every single person is a hater. She knows that she wouldn't stand a chance of making it on her own without the friendship--deep friendship--with her closest neighbors. Yes, her neighbors are German. But never for a second has she felt they were her enemies, that they should be her enemies.

Read Hattie Big Sky

• If you like or love historical fiction; this one is a must in my opinion!
• If you love pioneer-type stories; yes, this one is set in 1918, but proving a claim and homesteading hadn't changed all that much
• If you like or love coming of age novels; Hattie is a great heroine, and she learns so much about herself during these tough months!
• If you like novels set during World War I

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews