Prairie Lotus

Newbery Medalist Park explores prejudice on the American frontier in this sensitively told story about a multiracial girl and her white father in Dakota Territory. Hanna, 14, and her father have been traveling for nearly three years, since her half-Chinese, half-Korean mother's death. When they settle in railroad town LaForge in April 1880, Pa plans to open a dry goods store, and talented seamstress Hanna, taught by her mother, fervently hopes to attend school before designing dresses for the shop. Though the town reacts strongly to their arrival, mocking Hanna and keeping children home from classes, the girl perseveres by emulating her mother's gentle strength. Strongly reminiscent of Laura Ingalls Wilder's novels in its evocative, detailed depictions of daily frontier life, the book includes an author's note acknowledging Park's efforts "to reconcile my childhood love of the Little House books with my adult knowledge of their painful shortcomings." Though Hanna's portrayal at times hews closely to the "exceptional minority" mentality, her painful experiences, including microaggressions, exclusion, and assault, feel true to the time and place, and Park respectfully renders Hanna's interactions with Ihanktonwan women. An absorbing, accessible introduction to a troubled chapter of American history. Ages 10-12. Agent: Ginger Knowlton, Curtis Brown Ltd. (Mar.)

Gr 5-8--Fourteen-year-old Hanna and her father move to the frontier town of LaForge, where Hanna hopes they can finally put down permanent roots. Since her mother's death three years earlier, Hanna and her father have traveled from town to town, trying to find a place they will be accepted. Will LaForge be the place where Hanna can finally go to school and make friends? Or will they have to leave just like every other place because the townspeople are afraid of a girl who is half Chinese? At moments stingingly painful and ultimately triumphant, this story will cause readers to look at frontier life with a new set of eyes. Racism, immigration, Native American reservations, invisible histories, and parental loss are just a few of the heavy topics Park plumbs with grace while making them accessible for young readers. Hanna is a relatable heroine struggling to overcome ignorance and racism both firmly and kindly, all while seeking what she most desperately wants--acceptance for who she is. VERDICT A sometimes uncomfortable yet triumphant story from the world of "Little House on the Prairie" told through a marginalized perspective; this is a must-read for middle grades and beyond.--Emily Beasley, Omaha Public Schools