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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Hattie do at the Mueller's while waiting for Leafie?

2. Why is Elmer Ren arrested?

3. What does Rooster Jim use as a trellis for his string beans?

4. What does Traft ask Hattie?

5. What is Richey going to pick up for Karl?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are Hattie and Perilee working on as Perilee waits to deliver her baby, and what does Perilee promise?

2. What do they have to do with the new baby since she is premature?

3. How does Rooster Jim end up on top of a hay bale?

4. What does Hattie think about after witnessing events at the Ren homestead?

5. How does Elmer Junior intervene for his father and what is the result?

6. What does Hattie's next installment describe?

7. What does Charlie write to Hattie in a somber letter?

8. How does Hattie acquire chickens and what does she have to do to keep them safe?

9. What troubling news does Rooster Jim bring to Hattie, and what is the outcome?

10. Why does Karl come to Hattie's late one night, and what does Hattie do?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Titles often play a vital role in making a person decide to read a particular book. Discuss the following:

1. Fully explain why you think "Hattie Big Sky" is titled as such. Do you think it is the best title for the book? Why or why not? Can you think of a better title? Why would you choose it?

2. How important is a title in influencing you to consider reading a book? Explain your answer.

3. Do you think a title needs to have direct relevance to a book's content? Explain your answer.

4. Have you ever read a book that when you finished, you do not understand the relevance of the title? Does it discourage you from "trusting" that particular author again?

Essay Topic 2

"Hattie Big Sky" belongs to the teen historical fiction genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give several examples of three other genres in addition to the fictional memoir genre.

2. Discuss two reasons why it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons it might be disadvantageous to label a text by genre.

3. What do you think is the difference between a teen historical fiction and teen fiction?

Essay Topic 3

Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Kirby Larson.

2. What in Kirby Larson's background may have helped her in writing "Hattie Big Sky"? What may have influenced the way she depicts various characters and scenes?

3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.

(see the answer keys)

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