cute but more a children's story. i should've expected that because of the cover art style. fun story for kids!

This was a good story up till the end. It seemed to end very abruptly and very preachy. The writing was good up to that point. It pulled you in and made you want to find out what happened. I liked how realistic the characters were in the face of adversity and I appreciated how the author portrayed the aftermath of the storm. It was very realistic to what would have and did historically happen.

This was a quick and easy read about friendship, bravery and resilience.

Caught in an unexpected storm, Maddy and her school friends need to make difficult decisions to ensure their survival.

Filled with poignancy and tension this was a heartfelt read that children and adults alike will enjoy. Very sad at times however, so don’t read without tissues nearby.

This is my first contact with this series so I can't say if this is my fav survived girl story but it was a very quick and emotional episode where the storm hits and choices must be made. The main character is quite weak and keeps doubting herself but takes action when needed. There's no depth in characters because it's a short read for younger audiences and not exhausting historical details. For older audiences, it can be good to start a dialogue about what each one would have done and makes us want to research more about the event.

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to give my honest opinion

Maddy is new to the prairie, but when she and her classmates are trapped in their schoolhouse by a ferocious blizzard, she must lead them all to safety.

I’d first heard of the Schoolhouse Blizzard a year or two ago, when I read Melanie Benjamin’s The Children’s Blizzard, which similarly followed a schoolteacher and a group of schoolchildren who were trapped by the snow and had to fight to survive. This book covers the same topic and themes, but in a way that is more accessible to children.

Maddy is a relatable heroine. She may have been sent to live with her uncle and his family in Dakota Territory and have trouble adjusting to the rough rigor of pioneer life, but what she worries about is fitting in with her peers and making her family proud. I thought the depiction of the storm was reasonably vivd without becoming too frightening for young readers. I also liked the non-fiction

However, I did feel the characters were thinly sketched, somewhat one note, and I wished we got a better sense of who Maddy and her classmates were. One of the best parts of a survival story is always rooting for the characters to live through it, but without being able to connect much to anyone, the emotional impact of this story was lessened.

Overall, I think this is a good choice of reading material for young readers who have a morbid streak – as I was!

A tragic yet heartwarming historical fiction, focusing on the Schoolhouse Blizzard. It is a story of bravery, loss, friendships and facing fears headstrong. My heart goes out to all the kids who suffered from terrible consequences, lost their loved ones and dealt with financial and emotional struggles. As it doesn't snow in my country, I can't possibly imagine the gravity of the situation but the terror, despair and fear were captured very well in the narration and in the few illustrations that were included. Maddy's character development was amazing. She goes from being a girl who is looked down on due to her lack of experiences in prairie life to someone everyone relies on to save the day. The supporting characters were great too. Recommended!

Survival theme novel is one of my favourite read. Our MC must change her luxuries life in big city with hard working life in prairie. The plot is interesting and bring multiple emotions. I think this is a heartwarming and inspiring story for young reader. A easy but meaningful lesson about bravery and gratitude.

Thank you Netgalley for my copy.

Thank you so much to Capstone/ Stone Arch Books and Netgalley for ebook to read and review

This was incredible, what a very scary thing to have to go through and then to be so strong and brave and solve the problems no one else could solve. Just wow, this story was incredible. It was scary, filled with bravery and also so very sad.

Maddy had recently moved to the Dakota Territory from the Minnesota city and has no skills for her new life on the prairie. What started as a clear and perfect morning soon quickly turned into an icy snow storm of hell and no one knows what is the right thing to do.

I honestly loved everything about the book, I am always drawn to prairie stories I love them, this one was so unique and told a very dark, scary side of that with this deadly ice storm blowing through. The details this book went into was incredible and it felt like I was there, it suddenly got so ice cold for me whilst reading and I cannot even imagine how it was for the characters in this story.

Maddy is the only one that can do anything after the storm hits, trapping them in the cold school house. She found so much courage, using her mind to figure out anything she can do to help and then having to make the scariest and hardest decision that they must brave it out in the open prairie to get to safety. It was amazing what she was able to do, how she was able to help them all even through her own fears, but also this story came with some very sad parts too.

This books illustrations were outstanding and so beautiful I loved that we got them every so often within the story. We also got extra facts at the end which I always love, they are always a perfect addition to any book and especially historical ones.

This book would be a perfect addition to anyone learning about, or teaching about prairies days it shows a side that isn’t often considered the roughest of weather and the struggles that they went through, the mass loss of life these storms could bring. It shows how harsh they could be to live on and the realities of these immigrants dreams not being quite as the expected.

It’s such a fascinating and deep story I loved this book and I loved the characters and their bravery through this scary ice storm.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

Wow I really enjoyed this action adventure.

What a wonderful book! This was a lovely read, there was not one moment where I wasn't hooked to this story! I enjoyed the idea of the plot, where 13 year old Maddy is sent to live with her aunt and uncle on a Prairie farm, where she struggles with fitting into the lifestyle. Her and her school are stuck in a violent snow storm and she steps up as the leader to bring them to safety.

I loved the depth that this novel had in terms of character development and story progression! Maddy starts off as a lost girl who's seemed as weak by others. She's full of self doubt and feels like she has no place in the Prairie. By the end of the novel, she's becomes a much stronger character, who's no longer filled with negative thoughts about her self worth. Her character development is shown throughout the plot, from her inner monologues to the comments others around her make and even to the bread she makes at the end of the story (which is now deemed edible), signifying her growth.

I loved how this was written from Maddy's point of view, getting an insight to her inner monologue really adds to the story. The characters are all so likeable in their own way.

There are also some illustrations in this book and they're so beautiful!!

The illustrations aren't the only things that are beautiful, but also the writing! This book is descriptive and written wonderfully. From the description of the Prairie lifestyle, to the descriptions of Maddy's feelings and the detailed adventure of the blizzard, everything is written in a realistic and detailed manner!

This is a lovely story of growth, hardship, sadness and friendship!