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Little House #5

By the Shores of Silver Lake

laura ingalls wilder

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The adventures of Laura Ingalls and her family continue as they move from their little house on the banks of Plum Creek to the wilderness of the unsettled Dakota Territory. Here Pa works on the new railroad until he finds a homestead claim that is perfect for their new little house. Laura takes her first train ride as she, her sisters, and their mother come out to live with Pa on the shores of Silver Lake. After a lonely winter in the surveyors' house, Pa puts up the first building in what will soon be a brand-new town on the beautiful shores of Silver Lake. The Ingallses' covered-wagon travels are finally over.

385 pages, Paperback

First published October 1,1939
Series
Little House
Literary awards
newbery medal, pacific northwest library association young readers choice award, boston globe-horn book award, 
Places
de smet south dakota, south dakota, 

This edition

Format
385 pages, Paperback
Published
January 1, 2007 by HarperChildrens
ISBN
9780060885410
ASIN
0060885416
Language
English
Characters More characters

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laura ingalls wilder

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Community Reviews

Rating(4.1 / 5.0, 100 votes)
5 stars
39(39%)
4 stars
30(30%)
3 stars
31(31%)
2 stars
0(0%)
1 stars
0(0%)
100 reviews All reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly .
Profesor_Teto
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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Should I be reading the approximately twelve thousand books that are due for class by week 8? Probably. Is this what I’m reading instead? Yes. Am I making a definitive ranking of all the Little House books while I reread them instead of doing homework? OBVIOUSLY
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MalekithSythil
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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I really love the pioneer spirit in this novel. It is even stronger than in Little House on the Prairie.
I was feeling with the family and especially with Laura much more than in the previous books. I so hoped that things would turn out alright for them especially when Laura's father gets his claim.
I'm really looking forward to reading the other books in this series!
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Moomochi
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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Another wonderful part of the series. I admit some stories weren't as marvelous as others. I would have given this book 4.5 stars.

Some of these stories are outdated for kids (I mean, we don't teach nowadays that girls should be quieter than boys, etc.) but as an adult, I am charmed by them.
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adiroy2
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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There are chapters in this book that caught hold of me in a powerful way. Several of them could have been award-winning short stories in their own right. But as always, the Ingalls saga continues strong!
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summer_sky50
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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Pa continues to drag his family all over the country in search of his prairie glass castle. I’m starting to view Ma as more of a pleasant-tempered hostage than a wife. Even still, it’s fun to read.
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DrinkWorms
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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This isn't my favorite of the Little House books, but I still enjoyed it. Reading through as an adult, I am so amazed at the things "Ma" went through - wow. I love the view of settling the American West through the eyes of a child - they were in some really dangerous situations. Anyway, it's a great "comfort food" series for me.
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WishIhadaName
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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Perhaps my least favorite of the four I've read so far, but I still can't give it anything less than five stars. Most of the second half is wonderful! I guess, like Laura, I just didn't love the town and busy-busy aspects of their lives in this one but it was still well written.
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Purphase
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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These books give such a view into the psyche of America back when the land was being settled. The pace is slow compared to today's literature, but there is something here.

One of the best parts of the book is toward the end. The Ingalls family are living out on the prairie alone during the winter. The spring comes and droves of men begin coming through. The Ingalls have the only house so they all stay with them. The town literally is put up in two weeks. I was shocked. I can't believe how that happened.

The most intense part of the book is the day Charles goes to claim the homestead and 15 men come through and need to spend the night. Ma and the girls have locked themselves in their bedroom while the drunk men are fighting downstairs. It was a deeply unsettling piece to read. I could feel the tension. Very well written.

It is a window into our past for sure. I did enjoy this or parts of this. It is a much more innocent time. Ma kind of gets me down. She is a killjoy in the book. She is always saying that seems heathen and she can't simply laugh at Pa's jokes. I have a modern perspective. We really have changed as a society. I will read more of these.
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