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sarahetc's review against another edition
5.0
A charming, exciting read with my girls. They were consistently enthralled with Laura's tales of life in the great prairie of the burgeoning United States. We laughed and gasped and a couple times they sat bolt upright in bed eager to know what happened next. So glad to have waited to read these. My daughters are learning bravery, determination, derring-do, and a little bit of fire-fighting.
unhingedfemaleprotagonist's review against another edition
3.0
Haven’t read these since childhood and wow…this book is blatantly anti Native American. When Mrs Scott claims that the land should belong to the people who are going to farm it (whites) instead of moving around constantly (natives), I went into a blind rage that caused a trance in which I saw what this country would look like if the native practices of migration were still in place. There were no strip malls or condo complexes where the forest once was. If you don’t understand my point, read up on native land practices. It’s too much to explain here.
jrskjr's review against another edition
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
3.0
alreadyemily's review against another edition
4.0
Umm wow this doesn't hit the same as when I was a kid. The family illegally moves into Indian Territory and then complains about there being Indians there?!
The extra star is for the detailed descriptions of the natural world and the ins and outs of all the DIY activities taking place on the homestead.
The extra star is for the detailed descriptions of the natural world and the ins and outs of all the DIY activities taking place on the homestead.
danoreading's review against another edition
4.0
A reread to ascertain the appropriateness of the audio book for my 3-year-old. I haven't read this series in years, and probably a lot of my loving it so much is due to pure nostalgia. Obviously lots of troubling bits in this book, especially with regards to the treatment of Native Americans, so we'll be waiting to share it with the three-year-old until she's older.
miss_snek's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
dullshimmer's review against another edition
4.0
We've been continuing to work our way through the Little House series of books with our kids. We just finished reading Little House on the Prairie which I had heard of and originally thought was the only book in the first place. This is my first time reading through the books and they're interesting tales of life in the late 1800s. There isn't that much of a plot, but I would say that there is more here than in Little House in the Big Woods.
In Little House on the Prairie Laura's family moves from the woods of Wisconsin to the prairie. So much of the book is about their travel and setting up their new lives; building a house, establishing a well, and things like that. They also have incidents with Indians and a prairie fire. The parts of the novel about the Indians will go against modern sensibilities, but remembering when this book was written must be taken into account.
As I mentioned earlier, these books are interesting for providing a window to a different time and place. This is a great strength to these books, but a major weakness is in the characters themselves. I can't help but feel that while they're interesting to read about, there isn't a whole lot of growth or dimension to the characters. I even say this compared to Wilder's book Farmer Boy. Almanzo felt like he grew and developed and that his siblings weren't so one dimensional. When we're with Mary and Laura, there doesn't seem to be much of any growth. Mary is the one who is alway prim, proper, and polite. She always does what is right. Laura tends to forget her manners and acts or speaks before she thinks a number of times. Then Baby Carrie is just kind of in the background. However, nobody really grows or changes. They just kind of remain the same.
So while I certainly do enjoy these books, I find them more interesting as windows into a different time and place than they are about interesting characters who grow and develop over time. Maybe that will change with later books. I think that's why I like Farmer Boy the best so far. As it provided both an interesting window into a different time, but also with more complex characters. Maybe this is simply because it is harder using your own life as inspiration for a story than it is about someone else. Either way, you can tell why this book is a classic, but it's not without its flaws.
In Little House on the Prairie Laura's family moves from the woods of Wisconsin to the prairie. So much of the book is about their travel and setting up their new lives; building a house, establishing a well, and things like that. They also have incidents with Indians and a prairie fire. The parts of the novel about the Indians will go against modern sensibilities, but remembering when this book was written must be taken into account.
As I mentioned earlier, these books are interesting for providing a window to a different time and place. This is a great strength to these books, but a major weakness is in the characters themselves. I can't help but feel that while they're interesting to read about, there isn't a whole lot of growth or dimension to the characters. I even say this compared to Wilder's book Farmer Boy. Almanzo felt like he grew and developed and that his siblings weren't so one dimensional. When we're with Mary and Laura, there doesn't seem to be much of any growth. Mary is the one who is alway prim, proper, and polite. She always does what is right. Laura tends to forget her manners and acts or speaks before she thinks a number of times. Then Baby Carrie is just kind of in the background. However, nobody really grows or changes. They just kind of remain the same.
So while I certainly do enjoy these books, I find them more interesting as windows into a different time and place than they are about interesting characters who grow and develop over time. Maybe that will change with later books. I think that's why I like Farmer Boy the best so far. As it provided both an interesting window into a different time, but also with more complex characters. Maybe this is simply because it is harder using your own life as inspiration for a story than it is about someone else. Either way, you can tell why this book is a classic, but it's not without its flaws.
allisonbraun's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
crankylibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
Re-read this with my 7 year old daughter and was amazed at how moving it was. There is a sense of heart-breaking futility at the end: all that effort, all those dangers, and for what?
The scenes with the Indians are chilling, both in their terror and the tragedy of the settlers' heartless outlook. A deceptively simple book with much to ponder for adults and children.
The scenes with the Indians are chilling, both in their terror and the tragedy of the settlers' heartless outlook. A deceptively simple book with much to ponder for adults and children.