(5 bks)
Larson, K. (2006). Hattie Big Sky. New York. NY: Delacorte Books for Young Readers.
Book type: Chapter book (23 short chapters), 289 pages.
Grades: 8 and up. Although this book is recommended for young adults, I would recommend this book starting at fifth grade. There isn’t anything that is inappropriate that they will be exposed in this book. The language is very easy to read and understand.
Awards:
2007 Newbery Honor Book
Summary: This historical fiction book is about Hattie who had dreamed of a time when she could call a place her own instead of being trapped with Aunt Ivy. This narrative begins when Hattie was just two years old when her father died and five when her mother died. Hattie’s Aunt Seah took her in after her mother died but soon became too frail to take care of her. Hattie was shuffled from relative to relative until Aunt Ivy and Uncle Holt took her in. Hattie was thirteen at the time when she was shuffled to Aunt Ivy and Uncle Holt (they are a distant cousin) to live. Aunt Ivy felt that it was a chance to fulfill her Christian duty to take her in. Aunt Ivy was very mean and really didn’t like Hattie. Just before Hattie was about to graduate from school, now sixteen, Aunt Ivy found a job for her in a boardinghouse. For once, Aunt Ivy would finally get rid of Hattie. However, on the very day of this discussion a letter for Hattie arrived from her unknown late mother’s brother who had just died, in Montana. He had left her his 320 acres, a cow, and a horse. However, there was one thing that she must do to call this place her own; she had 10 months to meet the remaining requirements in order to keep it. Not knowing what she was up for, she headed west to stake her claim.
When she arrives at Wolf Point, Montana, she meets Perliee and Karl Mueller and their three children. They helped Hattie and taught her what to do for the winter. Even the children know more than she did about farming and living in the west. On the very first day, Chase Mueller, eight years old, had to rescue her from the frozen pump handle that she had accidentally got her hand stuck to because of the freezing weather. He shared many tricks that he had learned about surviving on the homestead.
Although life was hard farming and trying to meet the requirements, she was very determined to stick it out. While writing to her friend, Charlie who is in France fighting in the war, she finds that they are sharing a lot of the same experiences. Both Charlie and Hattie were chasing a dream that they thought would be completely different. The WWI war efforts seem to be too much for everyone in Vida, Montana and the hail storm that blew through didn’t help either. Hattie found herself broke but with more love and friendship that she could have ever asked for. She had learned about true friendship and who she was in her year on the prairie.
Credibility of the author: Through Kirby Larson interest about her great-grandmother, she stumbled onto the Montana Bureau of Land Management records. Larson found her great-grandmother’s mother with claim number. From there, she ordered diaries kept from other “honyocker”. Many of the incidents were based on actual events that she read in the diaries.
National Standards: Social Studies: Civic Life, Politics, and Government, Foundations of the American Political System, Roles of the Citizen, Scarcity, Role of Incentives, Markets -- Price and Quantity Determination, Role of Resources in Determining Income, Era 7: The Emergence of Modern America (1890-1930)
Illustrations/Illustrator: Jacket illustration is by Jonathan Barkat. The painting may have been done with acrylic paint. It is a full painting that stretches from the front to the back of the book.
Access Features: dedication page, acknowledgments page, each chapter starts with the date, two recipes at the end of the last chapter, author’s note, further reading page, and about the author page
My response to the book: I thought this book was great. It showed how the determination and perseverance of a young woman was very powerful. I wished that I could have learned more about the rest of Hattie’s life after she left Vida, Montana. I wonder if she met up with Charlie again. Also, I would have liked to learn more about her unknown uncle. This has been my favorite book so far.
How I would use this book in my classroom: This would be a great book to use when discussing WWI. Larson gave a page for further reading. I think it would be great to have the students to research Hattie to find out more information abut her. Additionally, I think students would be able to relate to this book more because of the war in Iraq and how people in America face prejudice because they come from the country that we are at war with.
Related text:Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins and Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata
Larson, K. (2006). Hattie Big Sky. New York. NY: Delacorte Books for Young Readers.
Book type: Chapter book (23 short chapters), 289 pages.
Grades: 8 and up. Although this book is recommended for young adults, I would recommend this book starting at fifth grade. There isn’t anything that is inappropriate that they will be exposed in this book. The language is very easy to read and understand.
Awards:
2007 Newbery Honor Book
Summary: This historical fiction book is about Hattie who had dreamed of a time when she could call a place her own instead of being trapped with Aunt Ivy. This narrative begins when Hattie was just two years old when her father died and five when her mother died. Hattie’s Aunt Seah took her in after her mother died but soon became too frail to take care of her. Hattie was shuffled from relative to relative until Aunt Ivy and Uncle Holt took her in. Hattie was thirteen at the time when she was shuffled to Aunt Ivy and Uncle Holt (they are a distant cousin) to live. Aunt Ivy felt that it was a chance to fulfill her Christian duty to take her in. Aunt Ivy was very mean and really didn’t like Hattie. Just before Hattie was about to graduate from school, now sixteen, Aunt Ivy found a job for her in a boardinghouse. For once, Aunt Ivy would finally get rid of Hattie. However, on the very day of this discussion a letter for Hattie arrived from her unknown late mother’s brother who had just died, in Montana. He had left her his 320 acres, a cow, and a horse. However, there was one thing that she must do to call this place her own; she had 10 months to meet the remaining requirements in order to keep it. Not knowing what she was up for, she headed west to stake her claim.
When she arrives at Wolf Point, Montana, she meets Perliee and Karl Mueller and their three children. They helped Hattie and taught her what to do for the winter. Even the children know more than she did about farming and living in the west. On the very first day, Chase Mueller, eight years old, had to rescue her from the frozen pump handle that she had accidentally got her hand stuck to because of the freezing weather. He shared many tricks that he had learned about surviving on the homestead.
Although life was hard farming and trying to meet the requirements, she was very determined to stick it out. While writing to her friend, Charlie who is in France fighting in the war, she finds that they are sharing a lot of the same experiences. Both Charlie and Hattie were chasing a dream that they thought would be completely different. The WWI war efforts seem to be too much for everyone in Vida, Montana and the hail storm that blew through didn’t help either. Hattie found herself broke but with more love and friendship that she could have ever asked for. She had learned about true friendship and who she was in her year on the prairie.
Credibility of the author: Through Kirby Larson interest about her great-grandmother, she stumbled onto the Montana Bureau of Land Management records. Larson found her great-grandmother’s mother with claim number. From there, she ordered diaries kept from other “honyocker”. Many of the incidents were based on actual events that she read in the diaries.
National Standards: Social Studies: Civic Life, Politics, and Government, Foundations of the American Political System, Roles of the Citizen, Scarcity, Role of Incentives, Markets -- Price and Quantity Determination, Role of Resources in Determining Income, Era 7: The Emergence of Modern America (1890-1930)
Illustrations/Illustrator: Jacket illustration is by Jonathan Barkat. The painting may have been done with acrylic paint. It is a full painting that stretches from the front to the back of the book.
Access Features: dedication page, acknowledgments page, each chapter starts with the date, two recipes at the end of the last chapter, author’s note, further reading page, and about the author page
My response to the book: I thought this book was great. It showed how the determination and perseverance of a young woman was very powerful. I wished that I could have learned more about the rest of Hattie’s life after she left Vida, Montana. I wonder if she met up with Charlie again. Also, I would have liked to learn more about her unknown uncle. This has been my favorite book so far.
How I would use this book in my classroom: This would be a great book to use when discussing WWI. Larson gave a page for further reading. I think it would be great to have the students to research Hattie to find out more information abut her. Additionally, I think students would be able to relate to this book more because of the war in Iraq and how people in America face prejudice because they come from the country that we are at war with.
Related text:Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins and Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata
3 comments:
I will have to read this book! I love to read books that show determination and courage in the face of so many obstacles.
Well, another book I need to read before the fall semester begins! I'm glad you read a 2007 Newbery Honor Book--I don't think I've read much related to WWI or anything about Montana!
I noticed on the cover of the book that it is a New York Times Best Seller too. I wonder if it's on the Outstanding Social Studies Trade Books list too. Who has that list?
Your summary kind of reminded me of a cross of the Laura Ingalls Wilder series and the Sarah, Plain and Tall series (just for older kids).
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