HATTIE BIG SKY by Kirby Larson

HATTIE BIG SKY by Kirby Larson

Bibliography: Larson, Kirby. 2007.  HATTIE BIG SKY. New York, NY: Random House. ISBN: 978-0739350515.

Plot Summary: The story follows a 16-year-old girl named Hattie.  Hattie’s parents passed away when she was very young and since then she has been handed off from relative to relative. One day her uncle sends her a letter saying he has left all of his belongings in Montana, including his home, to her.  The only catch is she has till November to “prove up” or she will lose the land.  So Hattie tries her hand at farming and learns from her neighbors as best she can.  She meets wonderful people and comes to love them dearly.  However, many events threaten to take all of that away. A conceited cowboy who wants to expand his land, a hailstorm, blistering heat, little rain, and the Spanish Influenza to name a few.  These events push Hattie to the edge and she worries if she has her, “mother’s backbone” enough to make it work. 

Critical Analysis: This book was a wonderful portrait of the 1900’s Montana.  Kirby Larson created a very loving, strong protagonist that the reader can’t help but admire.  The way the author writes Hattie, the reader really identifies with every obstacle she had to overcome.  My favorite part of the story is when Hattie is first trying to learn to live in Montana.  The writer makes all of her issues with the house and her cow extremely comical.  When Hattie has to run off a heard of wild horses with her petticoat I sat in my room alone and laughed.  My only negative comment I have about this book lies in the last chapter of the book.  SPOILER ALERT: The author has spent the entire book building up Hattie’s life on the prairie only to take everything she wanted away.  Her friends leave, she loses her homestead and she has to start over new.  I loved this book but I felt very let down by the ending.

Review Excerpts:

·      Booklist: “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.”

·      School Library Journal: “Larson creates a masterful picture of the homesteading experience and the people who persevered.”

Connections:

·      This book is a great way to introduce a different aspect of the World War I.

·       A great picture of what life in the 1900’s on the prairie.  This would be a great way to allow students to compare and contrast then and now. 

·      Other books by this author:

o   Larson, Kirby. 2011. THE FRIENDSHIP DOLL. New York, NY: Delacorte Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 978-0385737456.

o   Larson, Kirby.  2010. THE FENCES BETWEEN US. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc. ISBN: 978-0545224185.