Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson is one of those books that I had no clue what it was about, only that it was a 2007 Newbery Honor Book. I simply put it on hold at the library, picked it up, and then went home and read it. I’m glad I did..
I’ll simply copy the synopsis from the inside jacket cover:
Vida, Montana, 1918
For most of her life, sixteen-year-old Hattie Brooks has been shuttled from one distant relative to another. Tired of being Hattie Here-and-There, shu summons the courage to leave Iowa and move all by herself to Vida, Montana, to prove up on her late uncle’s homestead claim. “At least now my letters will be more interesting,” she writes to her good friend, Charlie, who is fighting the Kaiser in France.Under the big sky, Hattie braves hard weather, hard times, a cantankerous cow, and her own hopeless hand at the cookstove. Her quest to make a home is championed by new neighbors Perille Mueller, her German husband, and their children. For the first time in her life, Hattie feels part of a family, finding the srength to stand up against Traft Martin’s schemes to buy her out and against increasing pressure to be a “loyal American at a time when anything - or anyone - German is suspect. Despite daily trials, Hattie continues to work her unc le’s claim until an unforeseen tragedy causes her to search her soul for the real meaning of home.
Lovingly stitched together from KirbyLarson’s own family history and the sights, sounds, and scents of homesteading life, this young pioneer’s story celebrates the true spirit of independence.
Throughout the entire story, I kept thinking to myself, I can’t believe Hattie is only sixteen. Sixteen! Such a wise and hardworking sixteen. She lives by herself on 320 acres of farmland, in a tiny run down shack and everyday she cooks (though not very well), cleans, milks the cows, collects the eggs, chases off wolves, worries about her finances, all the while putting in acres and acres of fence line and planting her fields with flax and wheat. I’d like to see a sixteen year old today do all that! This is a very strong woman (see, I called her woman), I mean, girl character for a book.
This was a enlightening read and I would recommend it. On a side note, before I became a stay-at-home mom I used to work as a conference coordinator for Utah Valley State College. In the past, I have attended the annual Forum on Children’s Literature hosted by the Utah SCBWI and UVSC’s School of Education, Bookstore, and Conferences and Workshops. They have been amazing, with top talent as the main speakers, Jean Craighead George, Richard Peck, Debra Fraiser, just off the top of my head. The 
conference this year is on March 20-21st. I’ve never paid to attend as I’ve always worked behind the scenes for this event, but this year I may just have to pay. Kirby Larson is one of the keynotes, David Small is the other. I’d be there in a heartbeat but am at a loss as what to do with my two kids for two days (babysitter, anyone?). I’ll have to find a way to get there. If you’re here in Utah, you can check out the conference website, and maybe I’ll see you there. I can tell you from past experience that this one is great!
Category: Author Events, Book Reviews, Fiction, Young Adult
Tags: E-H Title, Forum on Children's Literature, historical fiction, I-L Author, Newbery
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[...] reviews Hattie Big Sky by Kirby larson, Penny from Heavan by Jennifer Holm, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the [...]
on February 8th, 2008 at 7:52 pmWelcome to the book blogging world, Natasha. I see from your archives that you started in Nov. I’ve been at it for a 2 years this month.
I also see you live in Utah - as do I. Thanks for mentioning the Forum. I haven’t heard of it before, but I always attend the Book Fair held in SLC in Sep or Oct. I’m going to do some research on the Forum.
on February 8th, 2008 at 8:17 pmThanks booklogged! If I knew how much fun blogging would be, I would have started doing this a long time ago. I’m thinking back to all the wonderful books I’ve read in the last few years and how much fun blogging about them could have been. But we all start somewhere right?
You can find out all about me on the About Maw
on February 8th, 2008 at 9:44 pmBooks page. Glad to see a fellow Utahn out there. The Forum on Children’s Literature has always been enjoyable. I haven’t been the last couple years, but went the two years prior to that. You’ll have to let me know if you decide to go!
I just read another book review on this one by Chain Reader and it sounds great. I’ve really come to appreciate the Newbery Awards for finding great books.
on April 18th, 2008 at 11:09 amI really enjoyed this book!
on April 27th, 2008 at 11:43 amI’ve been reading reviews on your site for a while now, and this one caught my eye. My family is all in Utah! So I went to read your “about me” - I went to college in Utah, met and married my hubby, and then he got a job in the Chicago area (where he’s actually from). After a year or so in Chicago, he lost his job, and we moved to West Jordan. But then after about 5 years, he got a job offer back here in Chicagoland, so we’re back in the midwest. Anyway, long post to simply say I love your reviews and we’ve lived in some of the same places.
on May 22nd, 2008 at 6:57 amKirby Larson will be participating in a blog tour September 21-27, 2008. She is available for interview and would love to be part of your blog!
Please contact me to schedule an interview. I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks!
on August 21st, 2008 at 12:06 pm[...] an awesome author interview. If you’d like to prepare yourself check out my book reviews of Hattie Big Sky, The Magic Kerchief and Second-Grade Pig [...]
on September 22nd, 2008 at 2:53 am[...] Kirby Larson for a very special author interview! Kirby Larson is the 2007 Newbery Honor author of Hattie Big Sky. Her most recent book is a picture book titled Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, [...]
on September 23rd, 2008 at 4:00 amOMG! I LUVD HATIIE BIG SKY SO MCH THAT I CRIED. OMG
on May 28th, 2009 at 5:26 pm