For most of her life,sixteen-year-old Hattie brooks has been shuttled from one distant relative to another.tired of being hattie here and there ,she summons the courage to leave low a and move all by her self to vida ,Montana to prove up on her late uncle's homestead claim ." at least now my letters will be more interesting," she writes to her good friend charlie, who is fighting the kaiser in france

Under the big sky , Hattie Braves and hard weather,hard times a cantanerous cow , and her own hepeless hand at the cookstove her quest to make a home is championed by new neighbors Perilee Mueller , Her german husband ,and their chilrden .for the first time in her life ,hattie feels part of a family,finding the strength to stand up against traft MARTIN'S schemes to buy her out and against increasing pressure to be a "loyal" American at the time when anything-or anyone- german is supect.Despite daily trials, hattie continues to work her uncle's claim until an unforessen tragedy causes her to search her soul for the real meaning of home

lovingly stitched together from kirby larson's own family history and. the sights,sounds,adn scents of homesteading life this young pioneer's story celebrates the true spirit the true spirit of independece.