One Big Open Sky
Holiday House, 2024
Three women narrate a perilous wagon journey westward that could set them free—or cost them everything they have—in this intergenerational verse novel that explores the history of the Black homesteader movement.
★ "Cline-Ransome once again demonstrates her incredible literary skills. . . a deeply moving story that centers a distinctive part of the African American story." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
★ “This is a captivating story about African American homesteaders and their claims to land promised them after the Civil War.” —Horn Book, Starred Review
"[A] gripping historical verse novel. . . The meticulously layered intersections of each protagonist’s experience deftly captures the lengths to which Black people—particularly women—would go in pursuit of freedom in the post-Reconstruction era." —Publishers Weekly
"Lesa Cline-Ransome's historical novel in verse, 'One Big Open Sky,' is determined to fill in these archival silences. . . a mix of richly textured description and vibrant dialogue. . . meticulous research. . . ."—The New York Times
"This emotional look into an untold part of the Westward Expansion dives deep into Black self-emancipation and the strength of Black women."—School Library Journal
"The verses read smoothly and, although completely lacking in punctuation, will be accessible to young readers."—Booklist
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Evanston Public Library 101 Great Books for Kids List for 2024
New York Times Best Books of 2024
Kirkus Best Books
Evanston Public Library 101 Great Books for Kids List for 2024
Center for the Study of Multiculticultural Literature Best Books
Boston Globe Best Books of 2024