We stumbled across this book at the library on the shelves with the Newberry Award winners. Miss Hickory received this honor in 1947. As we all know, when reading older books, there can be parts that feel harsh or have a humor that does not quite hit the mark today. That being said, my 5 and 8 year old daughters enjoyed this book very much. I also enjoyed it.
The protagonist of this story shows strength and gumption when left to fend for herself. When her home is taken over, she finds a new home. She encourages the hen pheasants to create a ladies aid society. My daughters loved the details included about what she made her clothes out of and the interactions she had with the various animals in the story.
A recurring theme in this book is how little Miss Hickory tends to get in her own way a bit, overthinking things, and in doing so misses, or almost misses, opportunities for wonder and joy around her. Towards the end of the story, in a shocking twist, a squirrel eats Miss Hickory’s head. I had not read the story ahead and I have to admit that my girls were not at all pleased with this development. However, Miss Hickory’s body goes on, no longer encumbered by her worries and fears. She had a sense of freedom she had never known. The story ends with her climbing up into an apple tree (her body was made of apple wood) and her body grafting itself into an old tree, increasing new and abundant growth.
To me, it is a story of faith. As the old old saying goes, hindsight is 20/20. Sometimes when traveling through life we humans can often make things harder for ourselves than necessary with over examination. I am not suggesting we not use our minds, they are amazing and powerful tools. However, one should be aware of when our minds stop being a well trained tool we use to benefit ourselves, and when they start running the show. Miss Hickory needed to learn to enjoy her own journey more, and if she hadn’t “lost her head” she would have never been able to rationally understand the plan for her life.
We read a lot of older books in our home, and we also read bible stories, which can seem harsh at times. Our children are farm children, they have been exposed to the realities and cycles of nature at an early age, so even though we were all surprised when Miss Hickory’s head was stolen by the squirrel, we were all able to see the beauty in the ending of the story. I think if your young readers are very sensitive then this may not be a good pick. Our family really enjoyed it though and I feel that it illustrates how sometimes sad or difficult experiences can be gateways for growth and lead you into more fruitful and abundant places in life. Miss Hickory is a heroin we can relate to, she shows moxy and bravery, but at times she feels hopeless and afraid. She is tough and cares for others, but she also feels suspicious and lacks faith. My family enjoyed this book. I would recommend it for children ages 5-10. It is an engaging read aloud and also fine for children to read on their own if they are capable. I would read through it yourself first to preview it to decide if you think your children are up for some of the more difficult parts. Click here if you would like to purchase Miss Hickory. This is an affiliate link.
