I squeezed one more book into 2012! The characters are the same as in all the books, of course--Pa is the greatest and a hero among men, Ma is uptight and kind of racist, Laura is rebellious but good at heart. Everything is described in such loving detail. I do feel like I should have reread The Long Winter before this one because the relative plenty in LTotP is in such contrast to those poor people starving around the stove.

Notes of note:

- I liked the conversation when Mary admitted that she was being good partly to show off. It really made her more likable. I wonder if that really happened.

- Almanzo makes his move on Laura! And she seems completely confused at first. That was cute. But she held up her end of the conversation. That's why we like her.

- It's interesting how close the family was out of necessity. Like, they'd miss Pa when he was out working in town all day. I guess if you're used to being around someone 24/7, it's pretty strange when they're gone. And of course, Mary went to college and they were too despondent to have Christmas. It makes Laura's already understandable unhappiness at the crazy Brewsters' in the next book even more poignant(and Almanzo's kindness at bringing her home every weekend even more touching).

- Related to the above, Laura and Carrie absolutely freaked out whenever they went into town. There were almost 20 students at the school! And not having a clue how to act at a party. What if they'd never moved to town, as I'm sure a lot of people didn't? Who did those people marry?

- For someone who hated to sew, Ma sure did a damn good job of it. Can you imagine doing all that by hand? I'm sure a lot of women just ran around in big old sack dresses. But Ma had a bit of upper-class striving that makes Laura's scorn of Nellie Oleson a little funny, IMO.

- Good Lord, the blackface. Progress is good.

My daughter and I wrapped this book up and are headed into book 8! Her goal is to finish the series before the end of the year so we can move on to a new series together. This book was more refreshing and uplifting after reading The Long Winter. I love the schoolhouse characters' introduction, the town's growth, and the introduction of a more civilized life for Laura and her family.

So many of the lessons they learned then are still prevalent today. Although times are different in our technologically advanced society, the family/core values they held up are still so important.

Another wonderful volume in the Little House series. Nellie Olsen returns for more drama, Almanzo comes a courtin', Mary goes off to college, and Laura grows up. What's not to love? I especially loved the depictions of social life in a brand new town at the end of the 1800s. I couldn't get into these books as a kid, but now that I'm an adult, I absolutely love them!

Teenage Laura Ingalls is growing and changing as she is working in town to help her sister Mary go to college, going to school while dealing with the atrocious Nellie and crossing paths with her future husband Almamzo. To top it all, she gets a surprising opportunity that will change her life. A (100%/Outstanding)

Vejam a minha opinião em vídeo, AQUI.

Always a comfortable treat to read--one of my favorites in the series.

Ничего не могу с собой поделать: серия книг про жизнь американских переселенцев абсолютно меня покорила. Такое ощущение, что если б в серии было 30 томов, то я бы методично прочла ВСЕ. Магия какая-то.

“There is no comfort anywhere for anyone who dreads to go home.”
― Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little Town on the Prairie



I read the whole Little House series as a kid. I would like to reread some of them and this one is one of my all time faves from the series.

I adored the whole little house family and loved Laura's determination to become a teacher. I loved everything about the series and this book, even Nellie and her "name cards". I still get a smile on my face from these books even after all this time.

Reread, but apparently the first time on goodreads. I was really struck by how different the religious talk felt in this one. It seemed to me that it went from moralism, just trying to be good, in past books, to really thinking about the heart behind the actions in this one.

#lerlauraingallswilder

I'm torn on how to rate this book, probably very similar to how France is in a tug-of-war with Polanski and the Cesar awards. On one hand, this was very close to a young adult book and the pace of the story was much more enjoyable to read. Laura shows some spunk, begins to think for herself, and is beginning to form her own opinions of things.

On the other hand, the casual racism in this book is horrifying. Ma hates Native Americans, even though they have helped the family numerous times. Pa dresses in blackface for minstrel shows. They show white privilege and superiority when pushing people off their lands to settle. My jaw literally dropped as I realized that a book I read as a child had all of this content. On one hand, I'm glad for a book series that doesn't white wash the past, and actually shows the racism that occurred in our history. On the other hand... this is a children's book series. Is it appropriate to have these discussions with young children? And how many adults are having these discussions with their children (rather than giving their child a classic children's book)?

I like the nature descriptions, but town life is where it's at. There's plenty to skim in the long descriptions of dresses and things. The history is interesting...but so many problems. I knew there was a minstrel show in this, but I hadn't remembered or read yet about the long Fourth of July speech which includes these lines, "They had to fight the British regulars and their hired Hessians and the murdering scalping red-skinned savages that those fine gold-laced aristocrats turned loose on our settlements and paid for murdering and burning and scalping women and children."