One Big Open Sky
One Big Open Sky is a 2024 children's historical fiction novel written in verse by Lesa Cline-Ransome. Set in 1879 and told through the narratives of three women, young girl Lettie, Lettie's mother Sylvia, and traveler Philomena, it follows Lettie and her family as they relocate from Mississippi to Nebraska. Lettie's father, Thomas, is convinced that life in Nebraska will be better, as the family will no longer have to work on land owned by whites and can own their own land; Lettie's pregnant mother, Sylvia, is apprehensive about leaving their community in Mississippi behind. In Missouri, Philomena, an orphan hired to be the new teacher in North Platte, Nebraska, joins the family, offering her services as cook and washerwoman. As the group sets out on their journey, they're forced to brave the perils of the frontier and endure personal tragedies.