Hattie Big Sky

Book review by Kate Pavao, Common Sense Media
Hattie Big Sky Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 10+

Teen girl homesteads alone in Newbery Honor book.

Kirby Larson Historical Fiction 2006
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Parents say

age 11+

Based on 2 reviews

Kids say

age 11+

Based on 13 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this book.

Stands out for and .

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Newbery Honor novel Hattie Big Sky is about a teenage orphan who moves to Montana after inheriting her uncle's homestead claim. The book gives readers a good sense of what life was like during World War I. In particular, Hattie watches neighbors of German descent face discrimination, including violence, though nothing worse than a barn-burning and a kick takes place here. Hattie is good-hearted and hardworking, and soon learns to stand up for what she believes in and the people she cares about, even when she puts herself in danger. Readers who enjoy this book may want to read the sequel, Hattie Ever After, published in 2013.

Community Reviews

janin
janin Adult
December 16, 2013
age 11+

A Great Read for Preteen Girls

Excellent book about homesteading from the early 1900's instead of Little House on the Prairie timeframe. Great inspirational role model for girls in particular.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
Kale80
Kale80 Adult
April 9, 2008
not rated for age

I could not put this book down!

This book was refreshingly exciting to me. There were moments of adventure, heartache, and great relationships portrayed. The main character is a girl you could look up to. She is strong and determined. Loyal to her friends. There is no profane language, or sexual content in this book. There is a scene of childbirth that may be uncomfortable for younger children to read. There are a few characters who smoke cigarettes or a pipe. There is a death of a child, which may be very sad for children. I cried! My only complaint it that is was too short! :o) A great book!
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Set during World War I, HATTIE BIG SKY is about a teenager named Hattie, who has been passed from relative to relative since being orphaned as a small child. When she receives word that an uncle has left her a homesteading claim in Montana, she heads West alone. There she finds her new home is a shack, a Montana winter is setting in, and she has less than a year to fence the land, plant crops, and pay the fees, or else lose the claim. Hattie is warmly welcomed by her immediate neighbors, with whom she becomes fast friends. But she has a lot to battle: brutal weather, her own inexperience and loneliness, and bigoted locals who seek to punish those of German descent, their friends, and anyone they think is insufficiently patriotic.

Is It Any Good?

Readers will root for Hattie as she works until her hands blister -- she even passes out at one point -- and also exercises her heart to take care of those she loves. There are great details about life just after the turn of the 20th century, and readers will find out about quilting patterns, planting and harvesting, war rationing -- and even discover a couple of recipes. The author doesn't shy away from describing the hardships of homesteading life where so much depends on weather, neighbors, and the price of wheat -- or when a flu outbreak can kill people you love. But these details, like the anti-German harassment, are told at a level that young readers be able to understand and handle. Readers may surprised at the unpredictable ending, but that will only lead them excitedly to the sequel, Hattie Ever After, where Hattie's adventure continues.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how life has changed between 1918 and now. How does Hattie's life compare with your own? What is compelling about reading historical fiction like this book?

  • Parents may want to delve more deeply into the bigotry expressed by some of the characters in Hattie Big Sky. Why do they act this way? Are the characters' feelings reasonable given that the country is at war? Can you draw any parallels to to how people behave today?

  • What other books have you read with strong female main characters?

Book Details

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