Hattie Big Sky

By: Kirby Larson

Narrated by: Kirsten Potter

This Newbery Honor winning, New York Times bestseller celebrates the true spirit of independence on the American frontier.

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, she summons the courage to leave Iowa and move all by herself to Vida, Montana, to prove up on her late uncle’s homestead claim.

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 Perilee Mueller, her German husband, and their children. For the first time in her life, Hattie feels part of a family, finding the strength 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 uncle’s claim until an unforeseen tragedy causes her to search her soul for the real meaning of home.

This young pioneer's story is lovingly stitched together from Kirby Larson’s own family history and the sights, sounds, and scents of homesteading life.

AN AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION BEST BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS

A SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOK

A BOOKLIST EDITORS' CHOICE

NAMED TO 13 STATE AWARD LISTS

"A marvelous story about courage, loyalty, perseverance, and the meaning of home."—Newbery Award-Winning Author Karen Cushman

©2007 Kirby Larson (P)2007 Random House, Inc. Listening Library, an imprint of the Random House Audio Publishing Group

Critic reviews

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

Beautifully Performed Tale

What made the experience of listening to Hattie Big Sky the most enjoyable?

I thought Ms. Potter's storytelling was superb. I felt Hattie's joy, sorrow, and wonderment.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Hattie Big Sky?

I appreciated how the author Kirby Larson took the time to help the listener understand the battle of WWI went far beyond the battlefield. Lots of parallels to our modern wars today

Which character – as performed by Kirsten Potter – was your favorite?

Hattie herself

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. It was a thought provoking story. It needs time to soak in.

Engaging story, character development, and vivid descriptions

I highly recommend this book! My children can have a enjoyed it greatly. So many great topics of discussion were brought up through listening to this story together.

wonderful

What a great book loved every minute of it. thank you for sharing it with us.

Amazing!!!

I love this book! Hattie is a true inspiration, and we should all try to work as hard as she did, love as well as she did, and show respect to those we don’t necessarily like.

A wonderful story of a piece of Americana.

I have read this book, so I was expecting a great performance, and I was not disappointed. I enjoyed listening to the story as well as reading it. I have enjoyed sharing this story with my daughters and their grandmother.

I couldn't put it down

This writer has an amazing gift for stitching words together to form the most vivid quilt. Especially, her use of simile and metaphor provided an ongoing, first-person narrative, which made me, the reader, feel as though I was there experiencing it all. From elation to heartbreak to hope, I couldn't help but believe in the protagonist throughout the entire, beautiful story. I'm going right from here to the next in the series.

Surprisingly excellent!

I am a librarian for a junior high school in Mesa, AZ. A colleague recommended this title to me and although historical fiction isn't my favorite genre, I trusted his opinion. I fell in love with Hattie and her determination and perseverance! The tale is full of lively characters and events. I could really feel what life was life for homesteaders in Montana. I like that it didn't have a predictable ending after I got over wanting one, Tim! I highly recommend this book to teens and adults alike.

Enjoyed it So Much!

Loved the story and didn’t have to listen to vulgarity or sex, in today’s world that is refreshing.

I was with Hattie all the way while listening.

What made the experience of listening to Hattie Big Sky the most enjoyable?

Hattie's sense of humor, frankness, kindness, loneliness and stubborness. She and other characters are so alive and real! I enjoyed the letters written by Hattie to her uncle and Charlie, Charlie's letters to Hattie also.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Hattie Big Sky?

I liked when Chase and Mattie happened to spend the night at Hattie's due to heavy snow. I was amazed with the cleverness of the horse. Mattie is such a lovely girl and reminded me how kids are open to love and favor of people. And Chase. What a wise and good-natured boy he is!

Have you listened to any of Kirsten Potter’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I have never listened Kirsten Potter's performances before but I think she is a wonderful performer. She made all characters so alive and real. Good job!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

You will find what you seek in life in this story. This is a story about home, family, friendship, neighbor and yourself.

Any additional comments?

The messages I received from this audiobook are that you are not alone even if your own parents are dead, you don't have a family of your own in usual sense, that you will always find friends, family, someone you love and what matters is that you love and live, not what other people think of you.

History in Homesteading

This is a beautiful story of working through hard times, growing up quick, with World War 1 as a backdrop as well as the life of homesteaders in the early 1920’s.