Cline-Ransome, Lesa. One Big Open Sky. Holiday House, 03/2024. 296pp. Fiction. Trade $18.99. 978-0-8234-5016-9. GRADES 5–10. OUTSTANDING.
In 1879, a Black family journeys from Mississippi to Nebraska to obtain their own land through the homestead process. Told in free verse by three women—mother Sylvia, her daughter Lettie, and young teacher Philomena—this fills a gap in tween historical pioneer fiction due to its Black female perspective. Unlike some other novels of the westward movement, the experience is not glamorized and tragedies occur. The prose is thoughtful and emotionally resonant. The detailed author’s note describes previous prairie-themed youth novels and explains the position and role of Indigenous people in relation to the homesteaders’ land. A Newbery Honor recipient.
Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool