Published: 1971 by Harper Trophy
First Published: 1940
Series: Little House #6
I feel like I knew exactly what I wanted to say about this book. But now that I'm sitting here writing my thoughts down, I seem to have forgotten everything. Basically, I'm guessing this one is going to be a little "rambly".
One thing I've always loved about this book are the chapters from Almanzo's point of view. I'm not sure why exactly, even now I enjoy them, but again can't articulate it. Maybe because it's different from what we're used to always seeing things from Laura's perspective?
Yet, it is also hard reading his chapters. Those scenes where Pa visits Almanzo and Royal and they're eating ham and pancakes and he knows that his family literally has nothing to eat. Well, it just seems so wrong to me. I kind of understand why he doesn't, but part of me still wishes he was able to take some of that deliciousness home. Plus there's the fact Almanzo hides his wheat seed. As an author Laura does show his reasoning and tries not to make him look like a bad guy, but still, he just seems a selfish, which I guess you kind of had to be living all alone on the prairie.
Again, reading it know I'm struck by just how hard things actually are for the Ingalls. It's so miserable the idea of never being able to get warm for months at a time. It's hard to imagine considering the way we live now, but they really did spend most of the winter close to freezing. It's pretty much a miracle that everyone survived. Although if I had to guess, in terms of actual history, I wouldn't be surprised if there were townspeople who didn't make it, it just wasn't included since it's a children's book.
It's funny, because so often in my reviews of these Little House books I've mentioned how it's basically about nothing. Except here, this book where their stuck inside the entire time and nothing is happening, instead this one feels like it's really about something. Interesting the way things work out sometimes.
5/5
Today I'm linking up with Blonde Undercover Blonde for Book Club Friday!
It seems crazy that really, not much happens in this book, yet as you pointed out, there is still a lot going on. And yeah, I don't know that I would have survived as a pioneer and yet, if I'd grown up then, I probably would have.
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