Prairie Lotus
By Linda Sue Park
I think this book is wonderful! It is a compelling, interesting story, and also tackles some big issues that were relevant in 1880 and are still very relevant today.
Hanna and her father move across the West from Los Angeles, landing in a tiny town called LaForge, in Dakota Territory. Hanna's mother, who died a few years prior, was half Chinese and half Korean, while her dad is white. In LaForge in 1880 there are no other Asians, and Hanna faces racism from the white townspeople. She notices American Indians facing similar injustices.
But Hanna is determined and strong, standing up for herself and committed to helping her dad establish a successful dress-making shop in town.
This story counters Laura Ingalls Wilder's popular "Little House" books, contributing a rich new perspective in historical fiction.
