The fifth book in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s treasured Little House series, and the recipient of a Newbery Honor—now available as an ebook! This digital version features Garth Williams’s classic illustrations, which appear in vibrant full color on a full-color device and in rich black-and-white on all other devices.Laura Ingalls and her family move from the banks of Plum Creek to the wilderness of … Creek to the wilderness of the unsettled Dakota Territory. Here Pa works on the new railroad until he finds a homestead claim that is perfect for their new home. Laura takes her first train ride as she, her sisters, and Ma come out to live with Pa on the shores of Silver Lake. After a lonely winter in the surveyors’ house, Pa puts up the first building in what will soon be a brand-new town on the beautiful shores of Silver Lake. The Ingalls’s covered-wagon travels are finally over.
The nine Little House books are inspired by Laura’s own childhood and have been cherished by generations of readers as both a unique glimpse into America’s frontier history and as heartwarming, unforgettable stories.
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In this fifth installment of the Little House Series, Laura and her family are moving from the banks of Plum Creek. After a few years of poor grain crops, an opportunity arises for Pa. A family member is working with the railroad, and he needs a storekeeper and bookkeeper. And after discussing it, Pa and Ma uproot the family and move out west.
But many changes have come upon the family. Mary, Laura’s beloved older sister, is now blind after a bout of scarlet fever. She can still sew and knit, but she will never be able to see again. Laura must be her eyes now. And for what Pa says is the last time, they move out west so that he can stake a homestead and build a new home. And it is not easy, but Laura is sure that they can weather any storm.
This book is great. Now that Laura is thirteen, she can recall so much more of her life on the prairies and the details are breathtaking. The stillness of the prairie seems frightening and so real that the open sky and constant wind rushes over me when I’m reading. There are even more new characters, though Laura and her family are still the main cast. And this adventure is so much fun. I would love to live by the shores of Silver Lake. And with Laura’s help, I can be there in the days of covered wagons and trains.
If you love Laura and want to read more of her fantastic journey to Silver Lake, this book is perfect. The descriptions will have you believing that you are there, and her attitude will lift your spirits. Pick up this book and experience a slower life on the prairie, and see how much fun there is to be had in simple pleasures. This book is great for kids, particularly older kids, as well as adults who want to recapture the feeling of youth. Highly recommended.
This was a Newberry Award winning book.
This was a more interested (in my opinion) book in the series than the earlier ones were. Laura is older and taking on more responsible things. Mary is blind in this book and it helps the reader to understand how Laura adjusted to being “Mary’s eyes” along with helping more and more with her younger sisters Carrie and Grace
My, what early history of the American prairie! The Ingalls’ went west when there were surveyors’ stakes for a railroad grade not even stated. How amazing that the Ingalls family needed to house (they slept on the floor) and fed people as they went west to file their own claims on raw land, even wagons of men. The weather was too cold to sleep outdoors and no place to buy food yet. Pa built one of the first buildings in the new town. We get just a glimpse of Almanzo Wilder and his brother in this exciting book.
From my favorite books as a girl. Just wonderful.
As a fifth generation South Dakotan, I enjoyed rereading this book. Shortly after finishing, I made a trip to De Smet, SD. You can read about my experience and see pictures of the Wilder homestead on my blog: http://maryangelabooks.com/2019/08/prairie-heart-the-passion-of-laura-ingalls-wilder/
I read te entire series to each of my children, and read t once a years to myself. There is so much to learn from these books.
Read every book in series
Love the Little House books!