Little House in the Big Woods: Back to a time where life is different

Title: Little House in the Big Woods
Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
Illustrator: Garth Williams
Age Range: 5-12 (content-wise appropriate for young ages, reading level is a bit harder)
Genre: Autobiography

I had to put my foot down one day, when my oldest daughter continued to read only the Rainbow Fairy books.  Fortunately for me, the library was finally out of them (everyone else's child is reading them) so I had a reprieve as my daughter stomped around the house saying, she had nothing to read.  I quickly scanned my bookshelf (the one I use for teaching) and found my old copy of Little House in the Big Woods.  I handed it to her and said, "This was one of mommy's absolute favorite books growing up."

She looked at it, opened it up, studied the words, got stuck on one of the first words "Wisconsin" but looked intrigued.  I explained to her that it was a book about a time before cars, before cities, before email, computer, TV, DVD, telephones, cell phones and libraries.  Her eyes got bigger, and I think I got her attention.  I explained that she would be reading about a time and place more than 100 years ago.  The next comment was something like " older like you" and as she read the book, at one point she came downstairs and asked me if I had had TV growing up.  Hmph.

I have a habit of asking each child after they read a book, "Can you tell me what the book is about?" or "What does the main character of the book have to do?" and have my kids give me their answers.  As my daughter was way into the Rainbow Fairies, she was very used to a cut and dry plot summary.  She could give it to me in five sentences, stating the problem, the attempt at a solution and the resolution.  It was easy for her. With this book, she looked up, and said, "Mommy, I'm not so sure what this book is about."  I asked her, "You don't understand the words?" and she said, "No I understand.  I just can't explain."  I knew immediately that she was struggling with figuring out WHAT the story was...the plot if you will.  Since this book is primarily autobiographical, it really is just a collection of sweet stories and experiences of Laura as a child.  I explained to my daughter, "This book is really about a young girl growing up in a time totally different than ours. That is what this story is about."  Her eyes lit up and she looked happy to know that there was a way to explain the story, just not the way she had been conditioned to after the darn Rainbow Fairies.

I really encourage you, if your child is not yet a strong reader, this is a lovely book to read aloud to your daughter.  The stories of family, spending time together and working together to make a living is one that is wonderful and truly heartwarming.  Exposing children to a life different from the one they are living is also a valuable experience that makes for lots of interesting conversations, like the one where my daughter asked, "Where did Laura go to the bathroom?"

I really prefer this version of the book as the illustrations are so wonderful in color.  Garth Williams did the original illustrations and they add immensely to the stories told in the book.


This is a set of the first five of the books in color, but there are nine books in all.  The remaining 4 also exist in color.  I bought these for my girls, as it is a book worth having on the bookshelf.


#6


#7


#8


#9