What do you think?
Rate this book
Prairie Lotus
Prairie Lotus is a powerful, touching, multilayered novel about a girl determined to fit in and realize her 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.
272 pages, Unknown Binding
2 people are currently reading
4 people want to read
About the author
Linda Sue Park
73 books1,198 followersLinda Sue Park is a Korean American author of children's fiction. Park published her first novel, Seesaw Girl, in 1999. To date, she has written six children’s novels and five picture books for younger readers. Park’s work achieved prominence when she received the prestigious 2002 Newbery Medal for her novel A Single Shard.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 22, 2025
I discovered Prairie Lotus from a colleague during our work to diversify our social studies unit on pioneers and westward expansion. It was published in 2020 and was named a Children’s Literature Honor Book by the Asian Pacific American Award in 2021. It was also included on the Kirkus list of Best Middle Grade Historical Fiction in 2020, along with several honors from different libraries, organizations, and magazines.
Prairie Lotus takes place in 1880 in Dakota Territory. Hanna is half Chinese, and she and her Papa arrive in LaForge hoping for a fresh start after three years of traveling from place to place. They plan to open a dry goods shop that will sell dress goods. Hanna hopes to step into that role of the dress maker (as her mama was before she died), but Papa is protective and initially refuses. Life in town is difficult. Many of the townspeople stare at Hanna or treat her unkindly, and school brings its own challenges. Her teacher is supportive, but several students whisper about her or keep their distance. Hanna does have brief but meaningful moments of connection with Native women she encounters, and these interactions help her feel seen in a way she has not often felt. Shortly before the shop opens, Papa agrees to let Hanna make one dress to display in the window. If the store receives any orders, she will officially become the shop’s dressmaker. Hanna hires Bess, a girl from school, to help her sew. Their partnership grows into a friendship, although it also reveals the prejudice that Bess’s mother still holds. Just a few days before the shop opening, a drunk white man assaults Hanna. Instead of blaming him, many people in town blame Hanna and tell Papa they will not attend the opening. This moment feels deeply unfair and frightening. However, Hanna convinces Bess and their former teacher to work together to make sure the town’s women understand what actually happened. Once the truth spreads, the shop opening becomes a huge success. People arrive, admire the dress in the window, and place new orders. Hanna’s work is recognized and appreciated, but the harsh reality of prejudice does not disappear. Even as customers support the shop, some interactions still show the limits of their acceptance. The story ends with a sense of hope as Hanna begins to build the future she has always wanted while still acknowledging the challenges she will continue to face.
The book includes an important Author’s Note at the end, which explains Park’s very personal inspiration for the story and offers clear historical context. I actually think reading the Author’s Note first can help readers build background knowledge and understanding. It highlights something many young readers may not know. Pioneers were not only white people. Many groups lived in the West, and this story calls attention to the unfair and often painful treatment of anyone who was not white. Hanna expresses this clearly when she says, “I always cared about the unfairness. But I used to think only of how white people treated Chinese people. Now I know it is about how white people treat anybody who isn’t white.”
This text is also a strong example of high-quality historical fiction. Park weaves in small but meaningful details about clothing, food, school routines, travel, shopkeeping, and daily life in Dakota Territory. These elements create a vivid and accurate sense of place without overwhelming the story. The characters behave and think in ways that are true to the late 1800s, and the dialogue feels realistic while still being accessible to students. Park also adds perspectives that have often been left out of traditional pioneer narratives, giving readers a fuller and more honest understanding of the time period.
This book can serve as a mirror, window, and sliding glass door. Some students may connect with Hanna’s feelings of wanting to belong or being treated differently. Additionally, in reading Park's Author's Note, it is clear that she hopes the book will be a mirror for Asian children who wish to see themselves in long loved stories of pioneers. Other students will experience this story as a window into a part of American history they may not have encountered before. As a sliding glass door, the text invites readers to step inside Hanna’s world and imagine what life was like for families who were not white during this time.
This text works well for grades four through six, and it could also be read aloud in some third grade classrooms. Teachers would simply need to decide whether their students are ready for certain scenes, especially the physical assault. Reading the Author’s Note first can help build background and prepare students for what they will encounter in the story. The text offers many opportunities to explore point of view and whose stories are told. Students can look for scenes where Hanna is included or excluded and identify evidence to support their thinking. A simple window and mirror journal can help students reflect on their own experiences and how they connect with Hanna’s. The book also supports short research projects on topics such as westward expansion, immigration laws, or Native nations in Dakota Territory. Students might interview a family member about their own history of movement or belonging and write a short narrative about what they learned. Finally, the ending offers a natural place to discuss both hope and reality, since the shop opening is successful, but prejudice still exists in the way some people treat Hanna. These conversations can help students think more deeply about fairness, community, and the complexity of historical fiction.
Prairie Lotus takes place in 1880 in Dakota Territory. Hanna is half Chinese, and she and her Papa arrive in LaForge hoping for a fresh start after three years of traveling from place to place. They plan to open a dry goods shop that will sell dress goods. Hanna hopes to step into that role of the dress maker (as her mama was before she died), but Papa is protective and initially refuses. Life in town is difficult. Many of the townspeople stare at Hanna or treat her unkindly, and school brings its own challenges. Her teacher is supportive, but several students whisper about her or keep their distance. Hanna does have brief but meaningful moments of connection with Native women she encounters, and these interactions help her feel seen in a way she has not often felt. Shortly before the shop opens, Papa agrees to let Hanna make one dress to display in the window. If the store receives any orders, she will officially become the shop’s dressmaker. Hanna hires Bess, a girl from school, to help her sew. Their partnership grows into a friendship, although it also reveals the prejudice that Bess’s mother still holds. Just a few days before the shop opening, a drunk white man assaults Hanna. Instead of blaming him, many people in town blame Hanna and tell Papa they will not attend the opening. This moment feels deeply unfair and frightening. However, Hanna convinces Bess and their former teacher to work together to make sure the town’s women understand what actually happened. Once the truth spreads, the shop opening becomes a huge success. People arrive, admire the dress in the window, and place new orders. Hanna’s work is recognized and appreciated, but the harsh reality of prejudice does not disappear. Even as customers support the shop, some interactions still show the limits of their acceptance. The story ends with a sense of hope as Hanna begins to build the future she has always wanted while still acknowledging the challenges she will continue to face.
The book includes an important Author’s Note at the end, which explains Park’s very personal inspiration for the story and offers clear historical context. I actually think reading the Author’s Note first can help readers build background knowledge and understanding. It highlights something many young readers may not know. Pioneers were not only white people. Many groups lived in the West, and this story calls attention to the unfair and often painful treatment of anyone who was not white. Hanna expresses this clearly when she says, “I always cared about the unfairness. But I used to think only of how white people treated Chinese people. Now I know it is about how white people treat anybody who isn’t white.”
This text is also a strong example of high-quality historical fiction. Park weaves in small but meaningful details about clothing, food, school routines, travel, shopkeeping, and daily life in Dakota Territory. These elements create a vivid and accurate sense of place without overwhelming the story. The characters behave and think in ways that are true to the late 1800s, and the dialogue feels realistic while still being accessible to students. Park also adds perspectives that have often been left out of traditional pioneer narratives, giving readers a fuller and more honest understanding of the time period.
This book can serve as a mirror, window, and sliding glass door. Some students may connect with Hanna’s feelings of wanting to belong or being treated differently. Additionally, in reading Park's Author's Note, it is clear that she hopes the book will be a mirror for Asian children who wish to see themselves in long loved stories of pioneers. Other students will experience this story as a window into a part of American history they may not have encountered before. As a sliding glass door, the text invites readers to step inside Hanna’s world and imagine what life was like for families who were not white during this time.
This text works well for grades four through six, and it could also be read aloud in some third grade classrooms. Teachers would simply need to decide whether their students are ready for certain scenes, especially the physical assault. Reading the Author’s Note first can help build background and prepare students for what they will encounter in the story. The text offers many opportunities to explore point of view and whose stories are told. Students can look for scenes where Hanna is included or excluded and identify evidence to support their thinking. A simple window and mirror journal can help students reflect on their own experiences and how they connect with Hanna’s. The book also supports short research projects on topics such as westward expansion, immigration laws, or Native nations in Dakota Territory. Students might interview a family member about their own history of movement or belonging and write a short narrative about what they learned. Finally, the ending offers a natural place to discuss both hope and reality, since the shop opening is successful, but prejudice still exists in the way some people treat Hanna. These conversations can help students think more deeply about fairness, community, and the complexity of historical fiction.
November 27, 2025
This was a great read. Hanna was so courageous in wanting to be accepted, while at the same time not being disrespected. She also showed that she had a good head for business in providing ideas for the shop. Also, she was willing to engage and learn from the natives. Hanna is truly a brave girl.
December 1, 2024
I really enjoyed the old-timey language in this book. Its beautifully written. The description is detailed. Just like the lawn dress that hanna makes...
June 21, 2025
Me gustó mucho este libro, lo recomiendo.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews