Hattie Ever After (Hattie Series)

After finishing Hattie Big Sky I could not wait to get my hands on Hattie Ever After. It must have been my lucky day to find out that after I finished the first book the sequel was due out two days later so I did not have to wait long.As a reader of many historical novels over the years and a big fan of stories regarding the pioneers on the prairie I immediately fell in love with Hattie in the first story and knew I would grow to appreciate her more as she moved to the big city in the sequel.At the beginning of the story the reader finds Hattie with many choices to make. This theme runs throughout the story as Hattie calls on prayer, friends, and at times her inner voice to help her find her place in life. When Hattie left her Montana homestead she also left dreams and a sense of purpose.Throughout this novel we find Hattie not taking no for an answer and working hard to meet her goals. We are introduced to new characters, some we will cheer for and others we will jeer. The characters are well developed, while still giving the reader the opportunity to make them It is great to find old friends from Hattie Big Sky in this novel as well. There is less of a focus on the war in the sequel, but it does give readers in insight to life after the way as the "boys" returned from fighting over seas.The readers are lead through an adventure in perseverance and will as Hattie works to become a female reporter in a world where they are few and far between. We learn about Hattie's unwillingness to accept no for an answer and that she is not afraid of hard work.Hattie is a tremendous role model for all girls. She is strong and determined. She does not let being a girl stand in her way of things or use it as an excuse either. She thinks for herself and does not allow her judgement to be clouded by suitors.I loved how this book ended and thought that it brought together all the loose ends and gives a sense of closure more than the previous novel. I think it shows that hard work pays off and that if something is important to someone they will find a way to make it all work out.Hattie is a character that will stay with many for many years. I will enthusiastically recommend this book to my middle school students! I have suggested it to quite a few adults already as well!

Life was hard on the plains, and Hattie struggled mightily. As we re-enter the story, Hattie is now 17 and working as a cleaning woman in a boarding house in Great Falls. But Hattie still yearns to carve out a place for herself. She's got big plans for herself: throwing "a lasso around a dream even bigger than a Montana farm," she has decided to become a reporter.Hattie leaps at the opportunity to go to San Francisco with a traveling acting troupe. The city draws her even more so, as she's sure she can learn more about her Uncle Chester - was he really the scoundrel he said he was? Nothing in Montana seemed to suggest that he really was. And though her childhood friend Charlie wants to marry her, Hattie worries that "saying yes to him was saying no to myself." With her head full of questions, Hattie sets off for San Francisco in the summer of 1919.Larson hits her stride when Hattie reaches San Francisco. The city comes alive with the many details she weaves into the story. From her first glimpse of Newspaper Row, with the Call, the Examiner and the Chronicle Buildings all next to each other, to an exhilarating airplane ride over the bay, Hattie is like a little child soaking in every sight.Readers will cheer Hattie on as she steps into the Chronicle Building to apply for a job. Hattie has pluck and determination, realizing that she might need to start on the cleaning staff of the newspaper, but with a little luck and hard work she might be able to get a break. Larson builds suspense as Hattie makes new friends, investigates news stories, and gets a lucky break at the Chronicle. Throughout, she is passionate and earnest, following her dream. Many young readers who are drawn to Hattie's story will empathize with her dream of becoming a writer and making her mark on the world.

Hattie Brooks has more adventures ahead of her following her homestead adventure. Now she’s in San Francisco, making friends left and right like she always does, and coming closer to her dream job of being a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. A delightful story!

I love that Hattie wanted to make something of herself before settling down and without finding silly pleasures in the fashions and expectations of her day. But she was still wise enough to see what was good and what was bad in the options before her. I would have liked more details on what happened to the characters from the previous book.

I enjoyed reading Hattie Ever After. The target audience may be middle & high school students, but the adventure, history and hardships are told in a fine tale, and are good reading for any age. I discover Hattie on tape in the story, Hattie Big Sky. I was delighted to learn (thank you Amazon & my iPhone) about a second book and while sitting at a restaurant with my mother (95 years!), ordered Hattie Big Sky & Hattie Ever After. The less than 2 day delivery to my mother pleased her and both books have been enjoyed by her many friends in their delightful, independent living home. Thank you, Amazon

This book was beautifully written. A great book to read aloud with the children. My children loved it and I enjoyed it too! We cried and laughed and loved it so much we read the book before it and absolutely loved that as well, Hattie Big Sky.

My kids enjoyed Hattie Big Sky, and this book did not disappoint. I love the visual images that can be imagined while reading, and find opportunities to dig into deeper context, as we read these agin in a few years. Well done!

A page turner. Though it was no surprise to me that Hattie was being swindled by Ruby. Also, no surprise that she ends up with Charlie. This was an intriguing story dripping with history.