Linda Sue Park is a personal favorite author of mine and this book solidified why I would purchase all of her books for my collection. Another and very important read about life on the prairies that brings a different view to what it was like and a book that will do very well with my students!.

The American frontier of the late 1800s is the setting for this story of a young woman's strength and resilience..
When will we learn from our history? Our similarities are stronger than our differences.

This beautiful book will be a wonderful alternative or companion to another classic prairie book frequently shared in so many classrooms and homes.

Set in the time of Laura Ingalls Wilder's books, Linda Sue Park explores what it is like to grow up on the new frontier as an outsider. This book takes a look a history from a point a view that is not normally captured during this time period.

This is a great novel for students who like historical fiction and/or Little House on the Prairie. Great, quick read for students who are reluctant readers as well.

Amazing. Recommended to all little girls who rely on the Little House books as their only source of pioneer history.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoy Ms. Park's stories! This one is no exception. it reminds me of the Little House books from my childhood, but written from a very different perspective. Racism has existed in this country since it's founding and I think many of our ancestor's encountered it at one time or another due to fallacies on the part of natives. Still, I liked that this was written for kids 4th grade up to young teen. Anyone interested in historical fiction would enjoy this story.

A historical fiction novel that is from a different perspective centered around whiteness during the 1800s such as Little House on the Prairie. Hanna is half Chinese, half white. Her Chinese mother herself was half Chinese and Half Korean and has passed away. Hanna travels with her father to the Dakota Territory and faces racism and discomfort. She dreams of living in her mother's hope and become a dressmaker at her father's new shop. It's important for readers to read this story through this perspective. The racism faced by Asian going "east" was real, and very dehumanizing.

Because Hanna's mom was Chinese, and her dad was white, they had to have the marriage performed in Arizona, since their marriage was illegal in California. Before she died, Hanna's mother passed on her talent of designing and sewing beautiful dresses to her daughter, a skill Hanna hopes to use when she and her Dad relocate to the Dakota territory in 1880 to start a new life. Hanna also hopes to find friendship and go to school, which she does, but discrimination is still a problem. The author wanted to write her young girl self into a book like Little House on the Prairie,and she did. Excellent theme driven historical fiction.

UPDATE: May 18/20

Although I initially really enjoyed this story, I've heard criticism of its representation of Indigenous people from sources that I trust. I am not qualified to comment on it, therefore I will refrain from reviewing it and encourage you to research it. A great place to start is Debbie Reese at American Indians in Children's Literature




Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

I was intrigued by the description of this book when I first saw it, but reading that the author wrote it to acknowledge her childhood love for the Laura Ingalls Wilder books pulled me in even more. She wanted to tell a story set at that time that wasn't racist, and that also showed what life may have been like for an Asian-American character.

The first aspect I loved is that Hanna has encounters with Native Americans that were respectful, and mutually beneficial. Without being able to communicate with words, they share their food, and show a true desire to help each other.

Hanna desperately wants to go to school and graduate before she attempts to follow her dream to make dresses for their new dress shop. Though many of the townspeople are against Hanna attending and refuse to send their children to school while she's there, her teacher is a huge supporter and helps Hanna find a way to reach this goal.

I enjoyed watching the politics of a small town, and how the influence of understanding women became such an important part of Hanna and her father's success at their store's opening.

There's a lot to love about this story, and I would offer it to anyone asking for the Little House books, and historical fiction lovers.

My Thoughts
I loved, loved, loved Prairie Lotus. Narrated by Hanna, a strong, intelligent, and determined 14 year old Chinese-American girl who moves east with her father to Dakota territory from California in the 1880s, this novel is one that captured my attention(and my heart) from the very first.

Hanna’s character is totally likable, believable and relate-able, and one I would want on my side, and one I would root for too! She is full of spunk and determined to rise above all the challenges she faces to achieve her goals.

Hanna deals with racism, and I loved that she faces it with dignity. At the same time, she notices the similarities between how she and the Native Americans she encounters are treated, and always treats them with respect herself.

She also deals with missing her mother. I truly was touched by the many memories she has of her mother, and smiled at all the time she recalls her mom’s many sayings. Her interactions with her schoolmates and townspeople is both heartwarming and heartbreaking at different times.

Linda Sue Park’s descriptions help the reader visualize life exactly as it was in that time and place. And while the story is historical, sadly, the issues are not. In the light of what is happening, reading books like this will help bring issues like racism to the forefront, and help us towards becoming a more inclusive and welcoming society.

Side-notes
I now want to read more by Linda Sue Park. And this book reminded me of so many other books I loved, including The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, Notes of an Undocumented “Citizen,” and a couple others.

And a few of her “mama’s says:”
- Good work is no good if you don’t finish.
- To save time, take time.
- For the person who is sour, do something sweet.

In Summary
Of course, a much needed book which is a must-read. A book that belongs in our hearts and minds.

<a href="https://www.ladyinreadwrites.com/">Check my blog - LadyInReadWrites - for more reviews</a>

Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the digital ARC of the book; these are my honest opinions after reading the book.

This book is very charming, and offers a different perspective on a history which is usually exclusively told through a white perspective. I appreciated reading the author's note that she loved Laura Ingalls Wilder--I did as well, and it contextualized a generalized feeling I had about this book. I highly recommend it!

First sentence: “Should be our last day,” Papa said when they stopped to make camp.

Premise/plot: Hanna and her father are newly moved to Dakota territory; the year is 1880. Her dad will be opening up a dress goods shop once the building is completed. Hanna, meanwhile, hopes to graduate with her diploma and fulfill her mom’s dream. But it won’t be easy because Hanna is half-Chinese. There is some question whether she’ll be allowed to attend school. She doesn’t need the diploma, but she wants it. Her dream is to be a dress maker, a seamstress.

My thoughts: I loved this one so much. As I was reading this one I kept asking myself, are these characters inspired by Little House?! In particular the social scenes with the other kids. I was so pleased to read the author’s note and learn that yes she was inspired to write her own twist to Wilder’s books. Growing up, Park wanted to be Laura’s best friend. As she continued to grow and mature she realized that Laura probably would not have been allowed to be her friend. That Ma would have probably looked down upon her, that her prairie experience would have been completely different—even more challenging. What would it be like to be an Asian pioneer?! Plenty has been written about Chinese settlers in California, but this may be the first—probably is the first for young children—about settling further East.

I found the book to be well written, and the characters well drawn. I loved that Hanna was able to make friends with Bess!

Prairie Lotus is a book that belongs in every classroom in America. This book opened my eyes to a story we don't often hear about when learning about this period of American history. The story is about a Chinese-American girl named Hanna who moves with her father to the Dakota Territory in the 1880's. Hanna's voice helps readers to view the challenges she faced, including racism from her peers and town members. In the midst of everything that is happening currently in our world, it is important for us to share these kinds of books with our readers so that they may be more open to fighting the racism that is still prevalent in our society today.

Wow, I really, really enjoyed this book. Hanna's voice felt so authentic, and I think it was a very engaging look at life during this time. I think it will be a powerful book to share with young readers because so many American children, when asked about racism, will immediately jump to well known civil rights leaders like Dr. Marin Luther King and Rosa Parks. Many readers know that racism is not singular to one race, but reading books like this one really helps them to understand and take to heart what exactly racism means and who it can affect. I will definitely be ordering for my library.

I didn't want this book to end! It was such a beautiful story and the main character was hurt by the townsfolk's racism but didn't let it define her life. Loved the relationship between her and her dad, who was not the prototypically perfect single dad but who still listened to his daughter and respected her thoughts. It was a supremely satisfying read and I would recommend it to anyone.

Two words, Instant Classic. I know those words carry weight but what else do you call a book you can't stop talking about. No matter how you feel about Little House on the Prairie you have to fall in love with Hanna and her grit. As a half Chinese girl new to Dakota in the 1800s being raised by her white father, Hanna faces nothing but adversity. As an unlikely advocate for this genre I know many teachers out there that would gladly welcome this addition to not only their curriculum but also their classroom libraries. The power of books lies in the hands of teachers and this book is the best candidate for that spot. Instead of painting the faces of characters on the cover of classics we need this. This, the untold story of a person of color inside or even running parallel to the stories so many of us grew up on. I want this book to succeed based not only on representation but also because of its pure originality.

Love this book! It has sad themes (racism and discrimination) but is a truly important and accurate depiction of history. Wish I had this to read as a kid! We need more books like this in our school libraries and classrooms. Thank you, Linda Sue Park, for writing this educational and valuable book that is so needed, especially during these turbulent times. An essential read for all students.

I was unsure if I would like this book because historical fiction isn't really the type of book I enjoy. However, this was so well-written and engrossing that I could not put it down. The main character is 14, so this is perfect for upper middle grade readers. This is about a father and daughter, who is half Chinese, moving to the Dakota territory in the later 1800s. We see them settle in, try to become part of the community, and see the struggles they face. It deals with racism in school and the community. I would recommend this to those looking for a gentle but powerful read.

Life on the prairie gets an update with a plucky heroine; daughter of a Korean/Chinese mother and a white father. Her mother died in the California race riots, so Hanna and her father relocate to a town that is modeled after DeSmet in the Little House books and decide to open a dry goods store to sell fabrics. Included in the story are Hanna's experiences in a one-room schoolhouse. Twice in the narrative Hanna interacts with native Americans that she encounters on the prairie in a respectful way. Park notes that she has those characters interact with Hanna using language and gestures to give dignity and humanity they deserve. Hanna herself faces racial prejudice due to her "Chinaman" heritage and though it is tempting, she refuses to give up on her goal of finishing school and sewing dresses for their store. Throughout there are touching memories of her deceased mother as well as the struggles that Hanna and her dad have in relating to each other. Note: does include an incident in which Hanna is accosted by two drunk men in town and manages to escape, but bears physical scars from being grabbed and the knowledge that she could have been more seriously assaulted. Love, love, love the cover!

Thank you to Houghton Mifflin and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.