Prairie Lotus, written by Linda Sue Park, reviewed by Amanda Davies

 

Summary:  Hanna and her father have been on the road for years, looking for a place to settle down in the 1880s. Since her mother died, they haven't been able to stay in one place. They continually face anger and discrimination because Hanna is half Chinese. When they settle in LaForge in the Dakota territory, the situation is no different but the two are determined to stick it out to see if they can overcome the threats and racism. Hanna's drive to go to school causes additional tensions in the community, which eventually come to a head amidst stories of survival on the prairie.

Straight Talk for Librarians:  This beautiful and stinging book belongs in every school library, K-12. Hanna's story evokes many school librarian's favorite childhood books, Little House on the Prairie. Except here, the realities of what it means to be different extend far beyond the differences between Laura and Nelly. And unlike the blind eye (or worse) that Ingalls Wilder turned to the experiences of Native Americans and immigrants of color, Park embraces these stories and fleshes them out in fully formed historical detail.