About This Book
This historical fiction chapter book introduces readers to May Amelia, a feisty 13-year-old Finnish American girl living on the Washington State frontier in 1900. Surrounded by seven brothers and a father who believes girls are 'useless,' May Amelia struggles with her identity and place within her family and community. The plot centers on her efforts to prove her worth and help her cash-strapped family when an enterprising gentleman attempts to purchase their settlement. It's a story rich in themes of resilience, family love, gender roles, and the challenges of pioneer life, offering a strong female protagonist who defies expectations.
Living with seven brothers and her father, who thinks girls are useless, a thirteen-year-old Finnish American farm girl is determined to prove her worth when a enterprising gentleman tries to purchase their cash-strapped family settlement in Washington State in 1900.
discrimination
financial_hardship
Discussion Prompts
1
How does May Amelia challenge the ideas her father and others have about what girls can do?
2
What are some of the biggest challenges May Amelia and her family face living on the frontier?
3
How does May Amelia show resilience and perseverance throughout the story?
4
What does this book teach us about family, even when family members don't always understand each other?
5
If you lived in May Amelia's time, what do you think would be the hardest part of her life?
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