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Anna's Blizzard
Having never excelled at schoolwork, 12-year-old Anna discovers she may know a few things about survival when the 1888 "Children's Blizzard" traps her and her classmates in their Nebraska schoolhouse.
Hardcover
First published October 1, 2005
About the author
Alison Hart
72 books76 followersAlison Hart is a pseudonym for writer Alice Leonhardt
A Virginia author of over twenty mysteries and historical fiction novels for children and teens, loves “writing books that keep young readers glued to the pages.” At the age of seven she wrote, illustrated and self-published The Wild Dog, a book which she shows to readers to make the point that it is never too early to be an author.
A Virginia author of over twenty mysteries and historical fiction novels for children and teens, loves “writing books that keep young readers glued to the pages.” At the age of seven she wrote, illustrated and self-published The Wild Dog, a book which she shows to readers to make the point that it is never too early to be an author.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 12, 2020
Twelve-year-old Anna Vail relishes the life she leads with her parents in the Nebraska Territory in 1888. She loves being outdoors and riding her pony, Top Hat. School, however, is another matter entirely. There, Anna struggles with writing and reading and even sitting still. She often considers that the things she is learning have little relevance for her. But when a blizzard moves in while Anna and her classmates are at school, it turns out that Anna has plenty of useful skills. At first, the falling snow just makes the youngsters excited, but as the day goes on and the snow piles up, things get scary. The students try to focus on their learning and staying safe and warm, but eventually, they must abandon the classroom once the roof caves in. With the help of Top Hat, Anna leads her classmates and their teacher, Miss Simmons, toward a nearby farm where they hope to find sanctuary. The author does a good job of building tension in the story as well as providing details that take readers back in time to that period to January 12, 1888 during the storm that came to be known as the Children's Blizzard. Small moments such as Anna's annoyance over a classmate's crush on their teacher or the care she takes with her pony vs. the cavalier attitude of another classmate toward her horse make the story even more relatable. Back matter includes archival photographs and additional information about this moment in history. I loved that the book was called Anna's Blizzard since it was during this time that Anna realized that she had something to offer that others didn't and that her knowledge and skills had value.
May 1, 2018
Gives the feeling of actually being there for a prairie blizzard during the 1880s. Anna and her classmates are trapped in their soddy school house when a storm comes up suddenly. They face every manner of complication from snakes in the roof to a total collapse of that roof. Anna and the other children demonstrate an amazing amount of courage and demonstrate how each person has her own strengths.
February 4, 2024
Read this with the 4th grade school kids. They learned a lot of old fashioned terms, and learned about the tragedy of the blizzard of 1888. Told from the perspective of a young girl trapped in the walls of the school house rather than out with her horses and animals. And surviving the sudden blizzard. Book smarts vs survival skills, there’s a place for both 😏
June 25, 2019
Good story about the blizzard of 1888.
February 1, 2023
This book had a chokehold on me in 4th grade and was the reason my team lost battle of the books
December 17, 2012
Children of all ages would enjoy this book, but it is especially suitable for upper elementary readers.
This historical fiction takes place during the blizzard of January, 1888 on the American Great Plains. Anna Vail and her pony Top Hat head to school as usual with no indication of how the weather was about to turn. Anna is a hard working young girl who helps with herding the family sheep, but school is another matter. Anna struggles with her schoolwork and has a difficult time making friends with those students who are smarter and have more of this world’s treasures.
But, Anna is very brave, and her bravery is never more evident than when the blizzard hits during the school day. While the school appears to be the safest place to ride out the storm, it becomes obvious as the blizzard bears down on the little sod school building that the children must depart if they are to survive. But where will they go and how? Read and find out how Anna’s bravery and the instincts of her faithful pony see the children to safety. (rev. J.La Tour)
About the book: A young Nebraska girl discovers the courage to save others during a life-threatening snowstorm. It is 1888. Twelve-year-old Anna loves life on the Nebraska prairie where she lives with her parents and four-year-old brother in a simple sod house. When a fierce blizzard suddenly kicks up on a mild winter day, Anna, her schoolmates, and young teacher, Miss Simmons, become trapped in the one-room schoolhouse.
About the author: Alison Hart is the author of more than forty books for young readers, including Emma's River, Anna's Blizzard, and the Racing to Freedom trilogy. Hart is a teacher at Blue Ridge Community College and lives in Virginia. You can visit Alison Hart’s website here.
DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy of Anna's Blizzard was provided by Peachtree Publishers on behalf of the author for the purpose of facilitating our honest review without obligation to render a positive review.
This historical fiction takes place during the blizzard of January, 1888 on the American Great Plains. Anna Vail and her pony Top Hat head to school as usual with no indication of how the weather was about to turn. Anna is a hard working young girl who helps with herding the family sheep, but school is another matter. Anna struggles with her schoolwork and has a difficult time making friends with those students who are smarter and have more of this world’s treasures.
But, Anna is very brave, and her bravery is never more evident than when the blizzard hits during the school day. While the school appears to be the safest place to ride out the storm, it becomes obvious as the blizzard bears down on the little sod school building that the children must depart if they are to survive. But where will they go and how? Read and find out how Anna’s bravery and the instincts of her faithful pony see the children to safety. (rev. J.La Tour)
About the book: A young Nebraska girl discovers the courage to save others during a life-threatening snowstorm. It is 1888. Twelve-year-old Anna loves life on the Nebraska prairie where she lives with her parents and four-year-old brother in a simple sod house. When a fierce blizzard suddenly kicks up on a mild winter day, Anna, her schoolmates, and young teacher, Miss Simmons, become trapped in the one-room schoolhouse.
About the author: Alison Hart is the author of more than forty books for young readers, including Emma's River, Anna's Blizzard, and the Racing to Freedom trilogy. Hart is a teacher at Blue Ridge Community College and lives in Virginia. You can visit Alison Hart’s website here.
DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy of Anna's Blizzard was provided by Peachtree Publishers on behalf of the author for the purpose of facilitating our honest review without obligation to render a positive review.
July 24, 2010
This is going to be a quick review.
Anna's Blizzard is definitely a children's book. It reminded me of the American Girl books that I used to read when I was in elementary school. This book is pretty short at only 141 pages, but I had a hard time getting through it because it was just too young and simple for me. If I read this book at the age when I still enjoyed those American Girl books, then I am pretty sure I would have loved this book. It is the kind of book that sneaks a history lesson into the story since it is based on the winter storm of 1888 in Nebraska. If you have young children, I have no doubt that they will enjoy this book.
Anna's Blizzard is definitely a children's book. It reminded me of the American Girl books that I used to read when I was in elementary school. This book is pretty short at only 141 pages, but I had a hard time getting through it because it was just too young and simple for me. If I read this book at the age when I still enjoyed those American Girl books, then I am pretty sure I would have loved this book. It is the kind of book that sneaks a history lesson into the story since it is based on the winter storm of 1888 in Nebraska. If you have young children, I have no doubt that they will enjoy this book.
April 4, 2016
This is a great read for middle school students or anyone interested in the history of the prairie. This one deals with the infamous 1888 blizzard, also known as "the school children's blizzard" due to the timing of it. It is a fictionalized story based on events that actually happened. This one took place in a remote school house while the children were getting ready to leave. Needless to say, they didn't and students and teacher had to become very resourceful in finding ways to survive. It is also a wonderful lesson in working as a team and realizing that every student is vital. Good lesson to be learned here for all!
January 29, 2016
A wonderful kids story. It has beautiful charecters although a little cliche. I wished the author had done more to show how the protagonists left handedness was perfectly acceptable. Could that have saved the day?
September 5, 2010
This book provides a wonderful depiction of the social environment inside a one-room schoolhouse during pioneer days. Excellent historical fiction.
May 12, 2011
it was awesome
January 9, 2014
good book
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews