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Saturday
March 20, 2010 Since 1922 |
Lost Little House years given new life
By JoAn Martin
Baytown Sun Published May 16, 2004 Ryland, Cynthia. “Old Town in the Green Groves.” Illustrator: Jim LaMarche. New York. HarperCollins Pubishers. 2002. Hardback. 164 pages. $15.99. ISBN 0-06-029562-4. Recommended for ages 8-12.
Laura Ingalls Wilder left only a dozen pages about her life between 1875 and 1877. She actually lived with her family in Burr Oak, Iowa. Cynthia Rylant was asked to write about this time in Laura’s life. Rylant relies on these few written memories and the wonderful spirit that permeates all of Wilder’s Little House books. Parts of the “lost Little House years” were in the unpublished manuscript, “Pioneer Girl.”
Laura was 8 years old, living in the newly settled town of Walnut Grove. She liked school and now that the family was in a town, it was easier to attend school.
Laura recognizes how Ma always makes any place they live “homelike” and she vows to do the same when she grows up.
One day Mary and Laura come home to a special surprise — a baby brother. They vie with Carrie to hold him and care for baby Freddie.
When spring comes, Pa moves the family back to the farm on Plum Creek where they had lived during the fourth book, but floods, a grasshopper plague and Ma’s illness made this a difficult time for the Ingalls. Maybe that is the reason Laura had not written about it.
Finally the Ingalls family have to give up the farm and their beautiful house. They move to Burr Oak, Iowa, to work in a hotel.
On the trip across the lonesome prairie, Mary and Carrie said they feel lost. Laura says she feels found, which is indicative of Laura’s love of moving from one area to another.
Both Pa and Ma work hard at the hotel, but working inside is against Pa’s nature and the girls have too many chores keeping the hotel going. The family has no privacy, Pa never plays his fiddle, and their blessed family life becomes non-existent. Christmas brings measles for the whole family, the obnoxious Stedham boys, and a well-to-do lady who tries to adopt Laura.
Even after they find a house of their own, Laura and Pa still long to go west again. She wants to go back to the tall-grass prairie, the enormous sky. She misses the emptiness. Laura is ready for a fresh start.
Wilder wrote nine Little House books about growing up on the western frontier. Rylant has imagined what the two years were like and written the first Little House novel in almost 60 years.
Wilder lived until she was 90 years old, but for millions of readers, she will forever be the little girl who wanted to go west.
JoAn Martin reviews children’s books for The Baytown Sun. She is a retired teacher. She may be reached at josbook(at)mindspring.com.
Baytown Sun Published May 16, 2004 Ryland, Cynthia. “Old Town in the Green Groves.” Illustrator: Jim LaMarche. New York. HarperCollins Pubishers. 2002. Hardback. 164 pages. $15.99. ISBN 0-06-029562-4. Recommended for ages 8-12.
Laura Ingalls Wilder left only a dozen pages about her life between 1875 and 1877. She actually lived with her family in Burr Oak, Iowa. Cynthia Rylant was asked to write about this time in Laura’s life. Rylant relies on these few written memories and the wonderful spirit that permeates all of Wilder’s Little House books. Parts of the “lost Little House years” were in the unpublished manuscript, “Pioneer Girl.”
Laura was 8 years old, living in the newly settled town of Walnut Grove. She liked school and now that the family was in a town, it was easier to attend school.
Laura recognizes how Ma always makes any place they live “homelike” and she vows to do the same when she grows up.
One day Mary and Laura come home to a special surprise — a baby brother. They vie with Carrie to hold him and care for baby Freddie.
When spring comes, Pa moves the family back to the farm on Plum Creek where they had lived during the fourth book, but floods, a grasshopper plague and Ma’s illness made this a difficult time for the Ingalls. Maybe that is the reason Laura had not written about it.
Finally the Ingalls family have to give up the farm and their beautiful house. They move to Burr Oak, Iowa, to work in a hotel.
On the trip across the lonesome prairie, Mary and Carrie said they feel lost. Laura says she feels found, which is indicative of Laura’s love of moving from one area to another.
Both Pa and Ma work hard at the hotel, but working inside is against Pa’s nature and the girls have too many chores keeping the hotel going. The family has no privacy, Pa never plays his fiddle, and their blessed family life becomes non-existent. Christmas brings measles for the whole family, the obnoxious Stedham boys, and a well-to-do lady who tries to adopt Laura.
Even after they find a house of their own, Laura and Pa still long to go west again. She wants to go back to the tall-grass prairie, the enormous sky. She misses the emptiness. Laura is ready for a fresh start.
Wilder wrote nine Little House books about growing up on the western frontier. Rylant has imagined what the two years were like and written the first Little House novel in almost 60 years.
Wilder lived until she was 90 years old, but for millions of readers, she will forever be the little girl who wanted to go west.
JoAn Martin reviews children’s books for The Baytown Sun. She is a retired teacher. She may be reached at josbook(at)mindspring.com.