Laura Ingalls Wilder Reading Challenge Review

I know I'm really late on posting about the Laura Ingalls Wilder Reading Challenge that I did last month.  The Challenge was hosted by Barbara at Stray Thoughts blog.

I did get to read two of Laura's books, Little House in the Big Woods and Little House on the Prairie.  I really enjoyed reading them.  These books are like "comfort food" to me.  They remind me of a very happy time in my childhood and make me think of the olden days like what my grandparents lived in.  My grandma had just gone to Heaven before I started reading and it was a good time to read these books.

Little House in the Big Woods takes place when Laura is four and five years old.  It covers one year from fall to fall.  In LHitBW, we learn about many things that the Ingalls have to do just to survive:  butchering, hunting, gardening, churning butter, smoking meat, and I'm sure there's more that I can't think of right now.  We also read about the fun things that Laura and her sister Mary do: play ball with the pig's bladder, play among the harvested vegetables in the attic, attend a dance at their Grandma's, play with cousins, make snow angels, eat snow ice cream, visit town for the first time in their lives, and play with their dolls.  We learn about Ma who is very industrious and quiet and Pa who is loud and playful.  We read wonderful stories told by Pa and if we listen hard enough, we can hear Pa's fiddle as he plays at bedtime.

Little House on the Prairie takes place the next year after LHitBW.  Pa has decided to move west to find a better place to live, one that has better hunting and room to breathe.  Ma probably didn't like the idea too much as she is always one for being near civilization, school, and church, but she supports her husband and is an excellent example of a helpmeet to him.  Laura thinks it's all one grand adventure.  You can really sense the excitement and wonder throughout the book.  I love how Laura describes how they made a home on the prairie.  They were such hard workers, thrifty and creative in making do.

As a mother, I really liked how both books stressed obedience.  I really can't wait to be able to read these with my daughter!

I forgot to mention that I did find a few of the picture books to read with Gracie.  I'm sorry to say that she wasn't very impressed.  When she gets older, I think she will like them, though.

I didn't get to try any recipes.  I really wanted to make the heart-shaped cakes, but I didn't get to.  Maybe next year!