Hattie Big Sky

Bibliography:

Larson, Kirby. 2006. Hattie Big Sky. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN: 0385733135.

Summary:

Hattie has been an orphan nearly as long as she can remember, shuffled around from relative to relative. Her life with Aunt Ivy isn’t easy, so when she gets a mysterious letter from a long-lost uncle, she jumps at the chance to escape. Her uncle died and left Hattie his claim in Montana. The year is 1917, and she has 10 months to “prove up” on the claim, meaning build a fence, plant crops, and pay the fees. Life is hard on the Montana prairie, especially for a girl of 16 living by herself. But Hattie is strong and determined, and she takes everything life throws at her. She writes of her adventures to her school chum, Charlie, who is fighting in the war. She also makes friends with her good-hearted neighbors, who need support against the anti-German sentiment around them. Though tragedy occurs and Hattie is unable to keep the claim, in those 10 months she discovers the family she always wanted and she finds herself as well.

Analysis:

The first-person narrative is lively and well-written. Hattie’s spunk and her many adventures will keep both girls and boys interested. The author’s description of life on the claim is realistic and at times humorous. Hattie deals with extreme cold, fights off a wolf and wild horses, milks a bad-tempered cow, and even delivers a neighbor’s baby. In a note, the author explains that Hattie is based on a real-life relative of hers, but though her relative did keep the Montana claim, she felt it was unrealistic to allow Hattie to do so. The ending is at the same time sad and hopeful. The book deals with many themes, including friendship, courage, integrity, and working hard.

Reviews/Awards:

Newbery Honor Book
Montana Book Award

“Larson creates a masterful picture of the homesteading experience and the people who persevered.”
School Library Journal, starred review

“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.”
Booklist, starred review

Connections:
* Discuss the recipes printed in the back of the book and what it would have been like to live on a homestead.
* Look at the pictures in Photographing Montana 1894-1928: The Life and Work of Evelyn Cameron.