Book Club Kits: Prairie Lotus

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Prairie Lotus is a powerful, touching, multilayered novel about a girl determined to fit in and realize her dreams: getting an education, becoming a dressmaker in her father's shop, and making at least one friend.

Acclaimed, award-winning author Linda Sue Park has placed a young half-Asian girl, Hanna, in a small town in America's heartland, in 1880. Hanna's adjustment to her new surroundings, which primarily means negotiating the townspeople's almost unanimous prejudice against Asians, is at the heart of the story.

Narrated by Hanna, the novel has poignant moments yet sparkles with humor, introducing a captivating heroine whose wry, observant voice will resonate with readers. Includes an afterword from the author.

This moving historical novel is from Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park, whose beloved middle grade books include A Single Shard and A Long Walk to Water.

1. Prairie Lotus is a work of historical fiction. Did you enjoy reading it? Have you read other historical novels? Which ones? Do you think that plot, character and theme can make a historical novel interesting to readers who don’t enjoy studying history? Did you like the main character, Hanna, even though she isn’t a contemporary of yours? What are some of Hanna’s characteristics, good or bad?

2. The history of westward expansion is most often presented in a positive light, without the full truth of the injustices done to the Native nations of North America by the United States. Hanna and her father are themselves settlers in LaForge, and thus are part of that terrible legacy. Think about the language usually used to describe westward expansion. Does seeing Hanna’s perspectives on Native Americans and her Chinese heritage help show another side to the story? Discuss why it is important to view history from more than one perspective.

3. Because Prairie Lotus takes place in 1880, there may be terms in the story that you are unfamiliar with. Can you think of some examples? For example, what is a dry-goods store? A railroad town? Did you have any problems following the story because of these terms? Are these terms no longer in use because the things they describe have disappeared, or have we found new terms for them?

4. In the author’s note, Linda Sue Park shares her childhood affection for the stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the Little House books—but also her painful adult awareness of their shortcomings, especially the racism that they portrayed. If you have read the Little House books, do you understand what she means about their shortcomings? How do you feel when you read a book that contains racism or other hateful content? Do you feel that Park has done a good job of depicting an Asian character in a white community?

5. In the first chapter, one of the book’s main themes is introduced when Hanna thinks, “But she already knew from living in California that most white people didn’t like having neighbors . . . who weren’t white themselves” (11). Share some scenes from the book where this statement plays out. Have you known this to be true in your life? Your school? Your community? How? Why do think you think people still feel this way?

6. Hanna is determined to “sew her way into the hearts of the women of LaForge” (127). Why does she believe that her talent will earn her respect? How have you seen this happen in contemporary life? Do you believe that appreciating someone’s talent will help people put their prejudices aside? What happens when people concentrate on the ways they are alike rather than the ways they are different? How do the townspeople of LaForge begin overcoming their prejudice of Hanna?

7. Talk about what some of the other themes of the book are (courage, respecting differences, family relationships). How does Park weave some of those themes into Hanna’s story?

8. Talk about some of the book’s scenes that show Hanna’s courage—like when she walks into school alone on the first day. Have you ever had to do something like that? How did it make you feel? Yes, Hanna is brave, but what are the circumstances that require her to keep summoning her courage? What are some of the things that motivate her to keep being brave? Would it be hard for you to swallow your anger and stay calm, as Hanna often does?

9. On Hanna’s second day of school, what does the teacher do that helps her feel included in the class? Try doing this with your class—share where you are from or about a place you’ve visited. What other things could you share that might highlight your commonality?

10. Park writes that the stories she invented as a child about the Little House world were “a pre-internet version of fan fiction” (249). She loved the setting and the characters, and with her imagination she made a place for herself in that world. What do you imagine your place could have been in Hanna’s world? Is there a place or time in history or literature that you strongly identify with? When or where? What could be your place in that world?

11. Talk about some of the ways Hanna stays connected to Mama. Do you think Mama did a good job of preparing Hanna for some of the prejudice she has faces? What about the knowledge that “there were times when it was useful—crucial—to hide her thoughts” (87)? Do you agree with this advice? Is it helpful or harmful?

12. Do you agree with Hanna when she thinks, “The world was so often unfair, and she couldn’t do a single thing about most of that unfairness” (81)? If you disagree, what things do you suggest can be done when you believe that something is unfair?

13. In addition to school, Hanna always seems to have work to do—sewing, housework, and cooking. How different is that from what is expected of you? How are expectations for kids today different than what they were in the past? Hanna works hard in part because she is determined to be an independent adult. Is this a motivation for you or your friends?

14. Papa says to Hanna about the Native Americans, “The land ought to go to people who work to improve it” (11). Do you think he really believes this, or is this just another excuse for racism? Why would Papa be racist when he has personally faced the injustice of prejudice about his family? How is it that anyone who has personally faced racism can exhibit racist behaviors themselves?

Clarion Books • Houghton Mifflin Harcourt • www.hmhbooks.com

Linda Sue Park is the author of many books for young readers, including the 2002 Newbery Medal winner A Single Shard and the NYTimes bestseller A Long Walk to Water. Her most recent title is The One Thing You’d Save, a collection of linked poems.

Linda Sue is the founder and curator of Allida Books, an imprint of HarperCollins. She serves on the advisory boards of We Need Diverse Books and the Rabbit hOle museum project, and created the kiBooka website, www.kibooka.com, to highlight children’s books created by the Korean diaspora. Visit her website at www.lindasuepark.com; follow her on Twitter @LindaSuePark

Linda Sue Park (alternate)

Linda Sue Park is the author of many books for young readers, including the 2002 Newbery Medal winner A Single Shard and the NYTimes bestseller A Long Walk to Water. Her most recent title is The One Thing You’d Save, a collection of linked poems.

Linda Sue is the founder and curator of Allida Books, an imprint of HarperCollins. She serves on the advisory boards of We Need Diverse Books and the Rabbit hOle museum project, and created the kiBooka website, www.kibooka.com, to highlight children’s books created by the Korean diaspora.

In addition to writing essays for numerous publications, Linda Sue has served as a panelist for the National Book Award, the Kirkus Prize, the PEN Naylor grant, and the SCBWI Golden Kite Award. In her travels to promote reading and writing, she has visited more than 30 countries and 49 states. Linda Sue knows very well that she will never be able to read every great book ever written, but she keeps trying anyway.

Visit her website at www.lindasuepark.com; follow her on Twitter @LindaSuePark

FAST FACTS:

• Born: 1960, in Urbana Illinois, to parents who had immigrated from Korea.
• One brother, one sister.
• Grew up in Park Forest, Illinois. Attended Blackhawk Elementary, Indiana Elementary, O.W. Huth Junior High, Rich South High School
• College: Stanford University, B.A. in English
• Graduate degrees: Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland & Birkbeck College, Higher Diploma in Anglo-Irish Literature. University of London, M.A. in Modern British Literature.
• Married. Two children. Two grandchildren.
• Interests: Food & cooking, travel, movies, knitting, baseball, snorkeling.