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.

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.

On the Banks of Plum Creek

Move 'em out! The Ingalls are back in the wagon and headed across the prairie to Minnesota. Laura trades in her little house for a dug-out nestled beside Plum Creek. Your budding architects and civil engineers will love this one ; ).  Pa eventually builds a real house, sheltering the Ingalls  from blizzards and a plague of pestilence.  Book three of the Little House series continues the saga of planting and uprooting: the rhythm of pioneer life.

Little House on the Prairie #2

Pa says it's time to move. As more and more people move into the big woods, Pa feels the need to cultivate unsettled land.  The Ingalls family does precisely that in this second installment of the Little House series. This title book recounts the Ingalls journey by covered wagon from their log-cabin in Wisconsin to a little house Kansas.  The prairie is dangerous, unfamiliar, and beautiful; but most importantly, it is home.

Little House in the Big Woods

The best part about this book is that it is true! Wilder penned her first-hand experience into The Little House series, which is the classic American saga of 19^th century pioneer life.  We meet Laura as a young girl residing in the great white north and follow her across the years to the even whiter prairie plains. Are you beginning to since a pattern here? Think winter weather. I'm slightly preoccupied with the issue as we head into day 3 of Atlanta's 2011 snow-siege. Laura Ingalls devoted a whole book to the subject, recounting her family's survival in the face of starvation one harsh winter (not a concern these days...thank God for Whole Foods down the street :).  But I'm getting ahead of myself – The Long Winter is book #6. 

Book #1, Little House in the Big Woods, begins the series with blizzards and sleds, a quirky pig game, and (my faves!) syrup-turned-snow-candy. According to my sources, “sugar on snow” is a long standing tradition for our northern-dwelling brothers and sisters. My Mom (Illinois native) helped me and my siblings make our own candy on the back porch as kids. That was when we lived in the States of course! Definitely didn't taste any snow candy in Ghana. 

 Mom loved the Little House  series. Sitting on her lap, gazing at the sketches of Laura and Mary while listening to the story of Pa and the panther is one of my earliest Mommy-read aloud memories. The Little House Books are ideal for early readers with their short chapters and Garth Williams' descriptive sketches. Young boys and girls alike will enjoy these heart-warming narratives of olden-day life.  

• Age Range: 8 to 12
• Lexile: 0930L