The First Four Years

It's official! Laura has agreed to marry Almonzo "Manly" Wilder. They wed in a simple ceremony to the displeasure of Almonzo's mother and sisters, who had something a little bit larger in mind. Some things change very little over the years : ) Besides saying "I do", Laura also agreed to be a farm wife for three years. Manly promised her that if he doesn't make a successful living for them by that time, he'll move anywhere Laura desires. Sounds reasonable...right? Now the question is whether or not these young newly-weds can make it through the first three years. Farm life on the South Dakota prairie is challenging, to say the least. Add a baby to that mix and your work is definitely cut out for you! The pioneer spirit of The Little House books have enthralled generations of American readers; you'll have to read this conclusion to the series *tear, sniff, sniff* to discover whether or not that pioneer spirit is enough to sustain Laura and Almonzo through the harsh reality of prairie life.

These Happy Golden Years

"Only yesterday she was a schoolgirl; now she was a school teacher. This had happened so suddenly... But tomorrow she would be teaching school.


She did not really know how to do it. She never had taught school, and she was not sixteen years old yet. Even for fifteen, she was small; and now she felt very small." -Chapter One

The cover of this book depicts a confident looking young woman joining hands with smitten young man. There is so much more to the story, although Laura and Almonzo's budding romance is a definite theme. Laura transitions from childhood to adulthood as she assumes classroom responsibilities far from home.  The distance tears at her heart, but she does it because of her love for the ones she holds close. Life is ironic like that. These Happy Golden Years poignantly illustrates time's bittersweet beauty, celebrating the wonder and of novelty of young adulthood in the midst of childhood lost.  

Little Town on the Prairie

Laura is a teacher! As a bright student and a dutiful sister, Laura acquires her teacher certification so that she can support older sister Mary's education at the college for the blind. Talk about a dedicated fifteen year old. Just thinking of her entering her classroom for the first time thrills me to the core! On a side note, tomorrow I begin my final student teaching assignment at a Decatur Elementary school. Laura Ingalls Wilder's relentless curiosity and thirst for learning have always inspired me.  In some small way, she deserves credit for my current career track. You're my hero, Laura! Apparently Almonzo Wilder thought she was too cool for school himself. He requests permission to walk her home from church *OOOHOOOH*, heralding a new season of friendship...and more to come! Ahh, there's nothing better than a coming of age- teacher tale with a side of heart-flutters and sweet nothings.

The Long Winter

Brrr! Dakoata Territory winter smothers the countryside in snow. The Ingall's little town is bombarded by blizzards, which cut-off supplies crucial to their survival. Waiting for the snow to melt while watching the food stock dwindle to nearly nothing makes for a desperate Christmas season! Is hope lost? Not if Almonzo Wilder has anything to do with it. Our childhood friend from the New York farming community reappears on the scene, this time as a courages young man. Together with a friend, Almonzo rides a daring journey across the Winter-streaked plains to secure food for the starving town's folk. The atypical Christmas story sends readers on a suspense-packed ride through the midst of the blizzard and into the enveloping warmth of loving hearts.

Farmer Boy

Ok, up to this point we've tracked the Ingalls family as the traveled around the Midwest. And by they, I mean Pa, Ma, Laura and Mary.  Farmer Boy alludes to Laura's future relationship status by ushering us into the daily grind of Almonzo Wilder.  Tracking this young man around a New York farm offers the reader a broader perspective on 19th century  life. I personally found this forray into farm life intriguiging as a child.  I certainly didn't grow up anywhere near on, and none of my relatives were farmers. The simple details skillfully acquaint the sub/urbanite with a life-style that still characterizes many around the globe. Almonzo is a tough, hardworking kid with a passion for horses...a passion that may send away from the East Coast and out to the plains one day.