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Little Town on the Prairie (Little House) Review

First let me say that I read this in the full-color collector's edition, and it was lovely. Thick, glossy pages that could withstand much "love" and Garth Williams' lovely drawings enhanced with color. Very nice.

In Little Town on the Prairie, Laura is about 15 and the Ingalls family spends most of the narrative in the town of DeSmet, South Dakota. Laura has adapted to town life (compare her discomfort at being surrounded by strangers in By the Shores of Silver Lake) and is experiencing life as a young lady in frontier society in the 1880's. The period detail is rich and rewarding in this book, and in its own way, Little Town shows Laura struggling with the need to "fit in" with her peers, just as every teenager experiences today. For Laura, it's having a chance to select her own printed "name cards" and exchange them with her friends. ({BestCustomerReview}.25 for a dozen cards, a princely sum by Ingalls' standards). She also experiences a bit of evil glee at seeing the tables turned on Nellie Oleson, who is now the poor country girl. On the other hand, we see Laura work steadfastly at a hated job of sewing sleeves on men's shirts, because of her dedication to giving Mary a chance to attend college for the blind. She also dedicates herself to studying for a teacher's license so she can further supplement the family's income, and at the end of the book achieves her goal, via a lie of omission (something that Ma surely would have disapproved!).

In a remarkable section, Laura describes sewing an elegant winter dress for Mary to wear at college, and then casually tosses in that they made a hat to go with it! How on earth does one make a hat, and isn't it remarkable that Laura Ingalls Wilder didn't think hat-making merited any special mention?

We also see the intellectual side of Ma and Pa, as they go head-to-head in a fierce spelling bee competition. Pa is primarly a businessman in Little Town, which is a delightful contrast to his handyman skills that were so prominently on display in the earlier Little House volumes. Pa also delights in creating Literary Society productions for Friday nights in town. There is a queasy-making (by modern standards) chapter describing a blackface show, which may provoke some important discussions between parents and children. Ma is ever the conscientious molder of young women's behavior; it's a thankless job but someone has to do it.

Finally, Little Town is where Laura begins to be courted by Almanzo Wilder. He walks her home from the Literary Society several times, and gives her a sleighride behind his glorious team of horses. Tame stuff by modern standards, but Ma and Pa's tightlipped and cautious acceptance of this much-older man in Laura's life tells us everything we need to know.

Little Town on the Prairie (Little House) Feature

ISBN13: 9780060581862
Condition: New
Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Little Town on the Prairie (Little House) Overview

For the first time in the history of the Little House books, this new edition features Garth Williams’ interior art in vibrant, full color, as well as a beautifully redesigned cover.

The little settlement that weathered the long, hard winter of 1880-81 is now a growing town. Laura is growing up, and she goes to her first evening social. Mary is at last able to go to a college for the blind. Best of all, Almanzo Wilder asks permission to walk home from church with Laura. And Laura, now fifteen years old, receives her certificate to teach school.

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Customer Reviews

my 2nd fav. by her - LibKat - Cape Cod, MA
I love Laura Ingalls Wilder as an author. I think her books are interesting and well written. Her descriptions of events, places, people, and time periods cannot be beat and it draws you right in.

Enjoyable book - M - I wait behind the wall, gnawing away at your reality
In the other books, Laura and her family were more isolated. Part of this was of course due to her youth, but as Laura moves into womanhood, she is able to enjoy and do more things, and be treated more as an adult, including getting jobs to help raise funds for her sister to go to a college for the blind. Town life is also emphasized here, as opposed to living in the big woods and the prairie. And lo and behold, here's Nellie Oleson again! Yes, really! And she has the same bratty attitude as well, which makes for some rather entertaining parts in this book. Overall a great book in the Little House series, if you've enjoyed the other books you will enjoy this one too. Enjoy!

breath of fresh air after that dreadful winter - Penny - Los Angeles, CA USA
Like many readers, I enjoyed watching Laura grow up: putting her hair up and letting her dresses down, attending her first boy-girl party, and house-sitting for a week while Ma and Pa saw Mary safely off to college. Laura had good work ethic, and academic diligence beyond most girls her age. She sacrificed much of her spare time to study hard enough to get teaching certification. Though she did not especially want to become a teacher, she was determined to earn money for Mary's college tuition. I liked Laura best when her fun or fiesty side showed itself. She couldn't help laughing her head off when two town drunks made a fairly innocuous scene in public, and she was playful at recess when the boys wanted to take the girls for sled rides. She fiercely stood up to her teacher (and sister-in-law in the future!) when that woman was mean to little sister Carrie. In Little Town, Laura also learned about the repercussions of gossip, and how to remain neutral but respectful when caught in the middle of others' conflicts. She experienced the excitement of literaries, potluck dinner fundraisers, and the attentions of the older handsome Almanzo. One of my favorite things about this book was the way in which Laura and Mary bonded during long walks. They talked about their sibling rivalry as kids. They were able to talk about Laura's resentment toward such a 'good' older sister, and Mary's secret enjoyment of her role and others' praise. For years, Mary did chide Laura for not being absolutely literal when she described things, but Laura's knack for metaphor and simile led HER to lay the foundations for these wonderful books. I think both girls did much growing during the final books of the series, Mary in capability and Laura in self-confidence. It was a joy to read about the entire family's changes, and about the excitement of living in a fast-growing town.

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Aug 30, 2010 18:32:06

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Monday, August 30, 2010