No name

Setting:

Grade / Age level:

1932

Review:

The first in the famous "Little House" series (circa early 1870s), this book tells of Laura's early childhood in rural Wisconsin. A wonderful story in itself about life in a simpler time, Laura explains in fascinating detail many of the tasks necessary to sustain life, prepare for winter, etc. We are introduced to cheese and butter making, the preparing of meats for winter-storage, and much more. Laura, her two sisters and her Ma and Pa live in the midst of a large forest where the closest neighbors are wolves and deer (and an occasional bear). While adults might assume that such a lifestyle would bore children of today, most are fascinated by Pa's stories in front of the fire, the excitement of visiting town and picking out things from the store for the very first time and the glorious dance at Grandpa's to celebrate "sugaring-off". After reading this aloud to the children, my husband is still bugging me to try to make cheese with the kids.

The story is widely enjoyed by children (and adults) of all ages and makes an especially enjoyable read-aloud for the little ones (as early as two or three years old).

Publisher:

HarperTrophy

Series:

Little House on the Prairie

Binding:

Softcover

Number of pages:

238 pages

Review Date:

2-15-01

Reviewed by:

TitleSort:

Little House in the Big Woods

Farmer Boy

Author(s):

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Subject(s):

Setting:

Grade / Age level:

1933

Review:

This mouthwatering book isn't about Laura. It is about her future husband, Almanzo Wilder, and told through his eyes. He works (hard) on his father's sucessful farm in upstate New York. As would be expected from the perspective of a hardworking young boy the book lingers on FOOD. They ate pretty well too! They have fresh fruits and vegatables, they make their own butter (some of which they sell for - about a buck a pound! - imagine that). The pies, the meat etc. etc. etc. Each is described just well enough that you want to make some for yourself. But this was a growing farmer boy - I am afraid his rich diet might not pass muster with the current health nazis - maybe that's why your mouth waters so much. He also tells how he works off all those calories... making tools, shearing sheep, planting and harvesting - all in addition to his daily chores.

Publisher:

HarperTrophy

Series:

Little House on the Prairie

Binding:

Softcover

Number of pages:

372 pages

Review Date:

1999

Reviewed by:

John Van Hecke

TitleSort:

Farmer Boy

Little House on the Prairie

Author(s):

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Subject(s):

Setting:

Grade / Age level:

Review:

In this story, the Ingalls family ventures out from their cozy log house in Wisconsin to the open prairie of present-day Kansas to make a new start. They spend a very challenging year building a house from scratch and dealing with tensions between other settlers and the local Indians. This is the classic story for which the entire series is named - filled with long journeys over open prairie in a covered wagon, building a log house, and wondering over mysterious Indian trails.

Series:

Little House on the Prairie

Review Date:

2-15-01

Reviewed by:

TitleSort:

Little House on the Prairie

On the Banks of Plum Creek

Author(s):

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Subject(s):

Setting:

Grade / Age level:

1937

Review:

The dog, which has been trotting in the shadow of the wagon for maybe a hundred miles, lays down to rest. The family has just moved from indian territory to western Minnesota. Pa does a little negotiating and ends up trading the horses that helped them move for the sod hut of a Norweigan farmer who is ready to move farther west. So they begin their life at the new home. The delights of childhood liesure are described, not so much reminiscing as the matter-of-fact way that a child who simply enjoyed it would tell. There is plenty to do besides just swim in the creek and make friends with the crab in the creek. Pa forcasts great fortunes for the family when the wheat gets ready to be harvested. But Laura has told us the most enjoyable stories about a family that seems to undergo some of the most trying times you can imagine. They are beset by misfortune again and again - and yet life goes on - life in this family goes on and gets better in ways that are never measured by money or posessions.
I begin to be amazed at this in this book (the second I have read). I am more and more so as the series continues how hard a life they had - and how they deal with the sour turns that are handed to them. Their trials are far beyond what most of us can imagine going through. It is hard to read - knowing that the story is true. And yet the lesson in hope and character is incredibly valuable. The reader will often have a chance to measure his own sufferings and setbacks against those of the Ingalls family - and see how easy he has things!

Publisher:

Harper Trophy

Series:

Little House on the Prairie

Binding:

Softcover

Number of pages:

339 pages

Review Date:

1999

Reviewed by:

John Van Hecke

TitleSort:

On the Banks of Plum Creek

By the Shores of Silver Lake

Author(s):

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Subject(s):

Setting:

Grade / Age level:

1939

Review:

Continue the adventures of the Ingalls family as they make yet another move, working in a railroad camp, and deal with Mary's recent loss of sight. The reader may discern that Laura begins to develop her story-telling abilities by faithfully following her Pa's request to be Mary's "eyes". The railroad workers move along and the Ingalls family stick it out for one very quiet winter before being present for the establishment of a brand new town.

Publisher:

HarperTrophy

Series:

Little House on the Prairie

Binding:

Softcover

Number of pages:

290 pages

Review Date:

2-15-01

Reviewed by:

TitleSort:

By the Shores of Silver Lake

The Long Winter

Author(s):

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Subject(s):

Setting:

Grade / Age level:

1940

Review:

DeSmet is a well-established town and the Ingalls family owns a homestead outside of town as well as a story on the main street. There are early signs in nature that the winter will be particularly cold and long. The Ingalls decide to move into town for the winter and thus share the fate of their neighbors as one blizzard after another pummels the region from October through May. The trains can't get through with food supplies, school is usually closed and the townspeople run dangerously low on food. Two daring youths (you'll recognize one of them from Farmer Boy) race yet another blizzard to try to find desperately needed food.

Publisher:

HarperTrophy

Series:

Little House on the Prairie

Binding:

Softcover

Number of pages:

334 pages

Review Date:

2-15-01

Reviewed by:

TitleSort:

Long Winter

Little Town on the Prairie

Author(s):

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Subject(s):

Setting:

Grade / Age level:

1941

Review:

Laura continues her studies and enjoys life as a young teen in a growing frontier town.

Publisher:

HarperTrophy

Series:

Little House on the Prairie

Binding:

Softcover

Number of pages:

307 pages

TitleSort:

Little Town on the Prairie

These Happy Golden Years

Author(s):

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Subject(s):

Setting:

Grade / Age level:

Grades 6-8

1943

Review:

Laura, at only 15 years of age, teaches school in a neighboring town and is courted by Almanzo Wilder.

Another fascinating read from an excellent storyteller.

Caution: This story does contain some elements that may frighten younger or more sensitive children, namely, the situation of the Brewster family with whom Laura boards while teaching at the neighboring town. To give you a brief idea of the situation, Mrs. Brewster seems to be coming unglued, perhaps because of her isolation from all that she is used to. Their child is neglected. And Laura fears for her life after she sees Mrs. Brewster threaten her husband with a knife one night. Yet does not tell her family of her fears because she so wants to earn money for her sister Mary to be able to come home during her vacation.

Publisher:

HarperTrophy

Series:

Little House on the Prairie

Binding:

Softcover

Number of pages:

289 pages

TitleSort:

These Happy Golden Years

The First Four Years

Author(s):

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Subject(s):

Setting:

Grade / Age level:

Grades 6-8

1971

Review:

Laura and Almanzo's first four years of married life and the difficulties of starting out as farmers. This book seems to have been written quite a bit later than the other books of the series and has quite a different flavor. When I first read the series in grade school I found this difference a little disappointing and confusing. The story is quite a good one, though, but geared more for older children (perhaps 12 and up).
Additional Comments: "According to a biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the book was begun shortly before Almanzo's death, and afterwards Laura lost interest in it; thus it was published "as is" some years after her death. The different tone is due to the fact that it is a first draft - she did not do the revising and "fleshing out" she did with the others."
(Contributed by Pat Dixon)

Publisher:

HarperTrophy

Series:

Little House on the Prairie

Binding:

Softcover

Number of pages:

134 pages

Review Date:

2-15-01

Reviewed by:

TitleSort:

First Four Years

Mother of Divine Grace School British Literature Syllabus

Author(s):

Margaret A. Hayden

Subject(s):

Literature

Lesson Plans

Literature Study Guides

Grade / Age level:

High School

2003

Review:

NOTE: A more recent edition of this syllabus was published in 2007 - this review is based on the 2003 edition.

This syllabus outlines a complete year of study in British Literature intended for 12th graders.

Books used in this course:

Required:
The Harp and Laurel Wreath by Laura Berquist
Beowulf
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Primary Works of Literature:

Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
Henry V by William Shakespeare
Midsummer-Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
Vicar of Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Emma by Jane Austen
Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis
Perelandra by C.S. Lewis
That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis

Alternate Works of Literature (for substitution of any titles in the above list that the student has already read):

Kenilworth by Sir Walter Scott
Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Othello by William Shakespeare
Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
The Warden by Anthony Trollope
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
The Everlasting Man by G.K. Chesterton
Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh

This is the author's explanation for the goals of this study:

The goal for this year is for the student to exhibit more subtlety in understanding, more discrimination in interpretation of text, and more attention to language in his papers. The syllabus is designed to help the student in these areas. British Poetry will be studied throughout the year, and great works of literature will also be read and discussed. There will also be 4 required papers.

There are paper topics included at the end of this syllabus. However, students are encouraged to create their own topics for their papers, using the 'General Questions for Works of Literature'. The reason students should be encouraged to create their own paper topics is that the thought that will go into creating a paper topic will help the student organize his thoughts about the work of literature which he has just read. A student in the rhetorical stage should be able to assemble and organize his thoughts, and then should be able to present those thoughts in a well written, well organized paper.

She goes on to explain the "how" and "why" of discussing works of literature with your children

The syllabus contains eight pages of detailed instruction for parents on learning objectives, pointers for improving and grading student papers, and a basic style sheet for student writing.

A detailed lesson plan (11 pages long) provides a year-long schedule of readings, including time allocated for discussions, writing papers and studying works of poetry.

Detailed discussion questions (and answers) are included for Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the "Prologue" to the Canterbury Tales (the text of this Prologue is also included in this syllabus). A detailed "General Questions for Works of Literature" is provided as a help in discussing the other works studied.

Finally, a paper topic is provided for each of the primary and alternate works of literature covered in the syllabus. Some are fairly detailed such as this one for Henry V: "Henry V undergoes a great change in his life. This change is referred to in the opening scene by the Archbishop. Do you think such a change is realistic, and do you think that Henry V is really a good man?" Others are quite simple, such as this one for The Everlasting Man: "Summarize and explain what the author is teaching us through this book."

I've personally read about half the books recommended in this syllabus and they seem quite well-suited to the reading level and area of study. The one thing that surprised me was having G.K. Chesterton's The Everlasting Man recommended as an alternate to a portion of C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy, to be read over the course of three weeks. It's a fantastic book (one of my very favorites!) - but really more of a non-fiction selection (and overview of history), rich in language and symbolism, that I believe would frustrate many students if read through too quickly. G.K. Chesterton's The Man Who Was Thursday might be a better option and would certainly provide wonderful material for writing and discussion.

Publisher:

Mother of Divine Grace School

Series:

MODG Lesson Plan

Perspective:

Catholic

Number of pages:

41 pages

Review Date:

4-11-2007

Reviewed by: