A parent might reach for this book when their family is navigating a big move, or when a child is trying to understand a parent's sadness and withdrawal. Set in the 19th century, the story follows ten-year-old Susie, who moves with her family to a sod house on the vast South Dakota prairie. While Susie and her father are enchanted by the open spaces, her mother sinks into a deep homesickness for their old life in Ohio. This gentle historical novel explores themes of empathy, resilience, and family love from a child's perspective. For children ages 8 to 12, it provides a powerful model of how a child can show love and understanding for a struggling parent. It's a wonderful choice for opening conversations about how change affects people differently and the importance of finding beauty and creating a sense of home wherever you are.
The potential dangers of prairie life, like fires and storms, are mentioned but are not central.
Sensitive Topics
The book's central sensitive topic is maternal depression, although the term is never used. It is portrayed through the mother's listlessness, isolation, and persistent sadness, as seen through her daughter's eyes. The approach is gentle, empathetic, and secular. The resolution is hopeful and realistic: not an instant cure, but a significant, loving gesture that opens the door to healing and acceptance of the new life.
Ideal Reader
This book is for an empathetic, thoughtful child aged 8-11 who is either experiencing a difficult family move or is sensitive to a parent's emotional struggles. It is perfect for a reader who appreciates quiet, character-driven historical stories over fast-paced action.
Parent Prep
The book can be read cold, as its approach is very gentle. However, a parent should be prepared for conversations about the mother's sadness. It's a good opportunity to clarify that while Susie's actions are beautiful and helpful, it isn't a child's responsibility to "fix" a parent's feelings. Discussing the challenges of pioneer life for women could also add valuable context. A parent has just overheard their child ask, "Is Mom sad because we moved?" or has witnessed their child trying to "cheer up" a parent who is stressed, withdrawn, or sad. The parent is looking for a way to discuss these complex feelings.
Age Experience
Younger readers (8-9) will connect with Susie's love for her mom and her concrete plan to plant flowers. They will see a story about making someone happy. Older readers (10-12) will better grasp the unspoken theme of depression, the nuances of homesickness, and the emotional weight the entire family carries. They can appreciate the story as a look at emotional as well as physical survival.
What Makes It Special
Many pioneer stories focus on external survival against the elements. This book is unique for its focus on internal, emotional survival. It powerfully depicts parental depression from a child's point of view with immense gentleness, using the historical setting to amplify feelings of isolation and the subsequent power of a single, beautiful gesture.
Read plot summary
Ten-year-old Susie and her family move from wooded Ohio to a sod house on the Dakota prairie in the 19th century. Her father and younger brother adapt quickly, but her mother becomes withdrawn and deeply depressed, unable to see any beauty in the vast, treeless landscape. Observing her mother's profound sadness, Susie conceives a secret plan to bring a piece of familiar, joyful nature to their new home by planting a surprise patch of Black-eyed Susans, a flower that shares her own nickname, in an attempt to rekindle her mother's happiness.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Susie's mother misses the trees of Ohio, while Susie and her father love the 'endless sky' of the prairie. Why do you think the same place can feel so different to different people?
2
Susie's plan to plant Black-eyed Susans was a secret. Why was it important for her to do it herself, and for it to be a surprise for her mother?
3
At the end of the book, Susie's mother starts calling her 'Black-eyed Susan.' What does this new nickname signify about their relationship and her mother's feelings toward their home?
4
How did Susie show empathy for her mother? Think about what she observed and how her actions were designed specifically to address her mother's unique sadness.
