Hattie Big Sky

Hattie Brooks has always been "Hattie Here and There" -- an, orphan, passed from one set of relatives to another. When an uncle she has never met leaves her his homesteading claim in Montana, Hattie grabs the chance to have a place of her own . . . even though she doesn't really know much at all about farming. In Montana, she quickly learns a lot: how to milk a cantankerous cow, how to string a barbed wire fence, and the importance of tying an old mitten on the frozen pump handle instead of grasping it with one's bare skin! Hattie is helped along by her neighbors, Karl and Perilee Mueller. However, in those wartime years, anti-German sentiment runs high, and not all of the people in the area are as convinced of Karl's good nature as show more Hattie. Hattie has her own troubles to worry about, too -- Traft Martin, the sometimes-charming son of a well-to-do rancher, is intent upon expanding his father's holdings, and one parcel of land he's particularly interested in is the claim belonging to one Hattie Brooks. Can Hattie meet the requirements to prove up on her claim, or should she sell out while she can?

I first read Hattie Big Sky shortly after it received its Newbery honor, and I liked it best of that year's crop of honorees. This time through, I find it stands up well to rereading. It's interesting to note that homesteading, something I think of in conjunction with Laura Ingalls Wilder and Oregon Trail, was still going on less than a hundred years ago. Larson brings together an interesting mix of elements, between homesteading and World War I, and it works beautifully. show less

A children's chapter book that takes place during WWI. At sixteen Hattie is an orphan that has been shuttled here and there so much she calls herself Hattie-Here-and-There. When she inherits land from an uncle in Montana, off she goes to become a homesteader all by herself but strong resolve. The story follows her through the first year of the homesteading life. A Newberry winner, I loved this story about a strong and determined young woman.

Time and again, it seems that the books I fall in love with are the ones based on an author's own ancestral family history. Such is the case here, with Kirby Larson's story about sixteen-year-old Hattie 'here-and-there', as she calls herself, shuffled from relative to relative after she was orphaned. When she gets a letter from her uncle in Montana, willing her his homestead, she finally has a place of her own. This is the story of Hattie's hard work in securing her own place in the world, of her friendships, her successes and failures, of her lessons learned, and where it takes her as she becomes Hattie Big-Sky. This is a great young adult novel.

Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson was a very pleasurable read. This story of a young woman homesteader had me smiling, sighing and yes, even crying. Written as a series of letters and diary entries the book is set in 1918 as Hattie, a teenage orphan moves to Montana after inheriting her uncle’s homestead claim. World War I plays a very important role in this story as Hattie writes to a young man who is off soldiering in France and watches her neighbours of German descent face discrimination, and violence.

Hattie, herself is hardworking and good-hearted, and soon learns to stand up for what she believes in and for the people she cares about. The descriptions of frontier life are interesting and the author expresses the beauty that can be show more found on this open range land wonderfully. The hard work and discipline that Hattie must do in order to prove her claim, from backbreaking fencing to planting and harvesting forty acres, was exhausting just to read about. And I was both delighted and amazed to discover, at the end of the book, that this story was based on the author’s great-grandmother’s life as a single woman homesteader.

Hattie Big Sky is a book about a very likable character who finds friendship, a home and most importantly, herself, during the course of the year that she worked the land in order to prove her claim. A powerful and inspiring tale for both children and adults alike. show less

This book was an unabashedly incredible look at homesteading during WWI. Hattie was a realistic character that seems to embody the idealized view of the American spirit. I especially love how the book did not glorify America's history or offer up a trite "happily ever after."

Hattie was an orphan, who had always been bounced around from relative to relative. She longed to put down roots, but feared she would never be given the chance. A surprise letter changed everything. Hattie’s Uncle Chester died, leaving Hattie his claim–320 unproved acres in far-off Montana. Although only 16 years old, Hattie seized her chance for independence, and went at once to claim her unseen land.
I absolutely loved this book. Hattie is a strong, independent character. She is a true friend to those in need, and rises to meet any challenge head on. Larson spent three years researching and writing this book, and her efforts paid off. She weaves together the difficulties of homesteading, the challenges of WWI, and the bonds of show more friendship into a beautiful tale.

http://www.bookpikks.com/hattie-big-sky-by-kirby-larson/ show less

This book was an unabashedly incredible look at homesteading during WWI. Hattie was a realistic character that seems to embody the idealized view of the American spirit. I especially love how the book did not glorify America's history or offer up a trite "happily ever after."