Author Interview - Kirby Larson
Kirby Larson’s Hattie Big Sky , set in 1918, tells the story of 16-year old homesteader Hattie Brooks. From starred reviews in Booklist and School Library Journal to a 2007 Newberry Honor, it is clear this book is worth the read, but the true test is with the readers themselves, and Hattie delivers. As evidenced by the weeks on the NY Times Bestseller list and the numerous reader reviews on book sites, readers can relate to Larson's Hattie! I'm not sure if we choose our stories or if they choose us. What was the case with Hattie Big Sky? I laughed when I read this question -- oh, Hattie definitely chose me! I would never have dreamed of attempting to write an historical novel. What were the challenges in bringing this personal story to life? Just to clarify, there is very little of my great-grandmother's story that I know. I do know that she homesteaded in eastern Montana, arriving in 1914 and leaving in 1919, I know that she "proved up," and I know where her cla...