Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Great novel about a girl, her chickens, and her best friend.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
What's the Story?
Ten-year-old Prairie Evers is having a tough year. Her family's moved from the mountains of North Carolina, where she was homeschooled by her wise grandmother, to the farm in New Paltz, New York, where her mom grew up. Worse, her grandmother's going back to North Carolina, and it soon turns out that the smart, independent Prairie has to go to regular school for the first time in her life. But there are upsides, starting with the chickens she decides to raise, who become a never-ending source of entertainment, especially when she brings one of them to Show and Tell. Also, for the first time in her life, she has a best friend, which brings both new happiness and new problems to solve.
Is It Any Good?
Not only is author Ellen Airgood an excellent writer, she brings to life characters and situations that kids and adults will immediately relate to. Homeschooled Prairie is mature for her age, an excellent problem-solver, and has no trouble keeping up in school, but doesn't always understand her best friend Ivy. As the story unfolds, she, Ivy, and the various adults all learn about dealing with the past, living in the present, and looking toward a brighter future.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how both kids and adults in Prairie Evers discover that other people have qualities they may not have seen before.
What makes Prairie a strong character? Can you think of other books with strong girl characters?
Do you think Prairie handles the rude ladies in the coffee shop well? If you heard a conversation of strangers insulting your family, how would you have handled the situation differently?
Book Details
- Author: Ellen Airgood
- Genre: Friendship
- Topics: Friendship , Great Girl Role Models , History , Horses and Farm Animals
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
- Publication date: May 24, 2012
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 17
- Number of pages: 215
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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