About This Book
"A Place to Claim As Home" is a historical fiction chapter book set in 1943, focusing on 13-year-old Henry. Hired as summer help on a farm while many men are away at war, Henry encounters the stern and seemingly unfriendly Miss Morrison. As Henry works and observes, he gradually discovers that Miss Morrison's gruff exterior hides a deep, unspoken hurt from her past. This book explores themes of empathy, resilience, and finding belonging in unexpected places, offering a gentle yet powerful narrative about intergenerational connection and understanding. It is suitable for readers aged 9-13.
Thirteen-year-old Henry, hired by the strangely unfriendly Miss Morrison to be summer help on her farm in 1943 while most of the men in the area are overseas in the war, discovers that her gruff hardness conceals hurt over a secret in her past.
Discussion Prompts
1
How does Henry's initial impression of Miss Morrison change throughout the story? What causes these changes?
2
Why do you think Miss Morrison was so gruff and unfriendly at first? How did her past secret affect her present behavior?
3
What does "a place to claim as home" mean to Henry? What does it mean to Miss Morrison?
4
How did the setting of World War II impact the lives of Henry and Miss Morrison, even though they weren't directly fighting?
5
Have you ever had to work with someone you initially found difficult? How did you learn to understand them better?
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