Anna and her classmates are trapped in their sod schoolhouse during the 1888 Children's Blizzard. When it's no longer safe to remain, eleven-year-old Anna's creativity and determination saves them all from the raging storm. Hart's characters bring a straightforward urgency to their plight. Illustrated historical notes about the blizzard and prairie life are appended. Reading list.

<p>In 1888, people suffered one of the worst winters in U.S. history.New York City had its "Great Blizzard" andthe high plains were struck by a sudden,life-threatening blizzard in January. Called the "Schoolchildren's Blizzard" because it caused the deaths ofmany children who were trapped away from home, Hart tells how a group of Nebraska school children were saved thanks to the actions of 11-year-old Anna Vail. A poor student, she'smore comfortable herding sheep and working around the homestead than holding a pencil or reading. She devises a plan to lead thechildren from the destroyed school, into the icy blinding whiteout and deepening snow. After the dangerous trip, they find a soddy in which to shelter. Perhaps Anna and some of the other characters are too good, and one, too prissy, but readers should identify with Anna and admire her spunk. In addition, readers will learn about the hardships of life on the treeless plains. "More about life on the Prairie in the 1880s" adds information. Could work as a read-aloud, too. (Historical fiction. 8-10)</p>

Gr 3-5-Anna Vail, 12, lives in a sod house on the Nebraska prairie in 1888. She enjoys farm chores and riding her beloved pony, Top Hat, but feels clumsy and out of place at school. When an unexpected blizzard traps her class in their one-room schoolhouse, it's up to Anna and Top Hat to lead everyone to safety. But will they make it through the blinding snow before they freeze to death? Anna is a strong, appealing heroine, and the story is suspenseful. A short afterword with black-and-white illustrations tells more about the 1888 "Schoolchildren's Blizzard" on which the story is based and discusses details of life on the Nebraska prairie. Fans of the "American Girls" series (Pleasant Co) or Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" books (HarperCollins) will also enjoy Anna's Blizzard.-Kathleen E. Gruver, Burlington County Library, Westampton, NJ Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.