Customer Reviews

By the Shores of Silver Lake (Little House)

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In this next book in the landmark "Little House" series, the Ingalls family decide to leave their farm by Plum Creek to find a new homestead on the prairie. The grasshoppers and poor crops in Minnesota were a little too much for them. In addition, some bad times appear for the Ingalls family in the time period between this and the previous book in the series. The whole family had been stricken with scarlet fever and the oldest daughter, Mary, is now blind because of it. In addition, although it is never mentioned in the books, Laura had a little baby brother at this time (Charles Frederic, "Freddy") who died before his first birthday (1875-1876). And, a new baby sister has been added to the family, Grace Pearl Ingalls (1877-1941). Laura's father gets a job acting as a storekeeper for the Chicago and North Western Railroad who are laying tracks through the Dakota terretory. While working for them, he finds a new homestead on the prairie and brings the rest of his family out. There is concern as to whether he will be able to file his claim on time; but, he does. The Ingalls family are among the first to live near the new town of De Smet, South Dakota (although South Dakota doesn't become a state until 1889). The time frame of this book is 1879-1880 and Laura Elizabeth Ingalls is 12-13 years old. The book was a 1940 Newbery Honor Book (that is, a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best contribution to American children's literature. And, it deserved it! Near the end of the book, Laura gets her first glimpse at the boy who will later become her husband, Almanzo Wilder.

Laura Ingalls Wilder described to us what we never would see--the building of railroads and towns right before her eyes. Her ability to describe makes you see the railroad being built in your own mind. This book really captures the emotions of growing up. From losing Jack, the brindle bulldog, to Mary's blindness to the hardships of no money. Laura struggles with the longing of wanting to keep going west but knows it can never happen. By being able to stay in the Surveyors House, they do not have to go back east but stay as far in the west as Laura feels she'll always be. The part where Carrie and Laura follow the moonbeam, while skating on the ice, made me appreciate the long cold winters here in the North. She appreciated all things wild and saw the beauty in the night. When they moved to the homestead, you could feel the heartache of knowing that was it for traveling in the wagon. You can feel the boredom in Laura while she is with Lena. Not that Lena was boring to Laura, but Laura saw Lena as someone who had so much freedom and would always be following the railroad while Laura would always be right where she is at. Little did Laura know that when she saw the beautiful brown Morgan horses, they and the young man driving them, would be her future.

I liked the book because it was interesting the way Laura described everything to Mary because she was blind. I liked when Laura went horseback riding. It sounded fun. My Mom read these books when she was young and back then this was her least favorite when when she re-read it as an adult she found it much more interesting. Now she is reading the series to me. It was sad when Jack died. I cried because I liked Jack. Pa said he would go to dog heaven. Mom's favorite part of the book was when the family lived in the surveyor's house for the winter and they had a nice Christmas with the Boasts, and she liked the part when the family learned about the blind college, and they had hope that Mary could one day go there.

When the book starts out, Laura's aunt comes, and Pa decides to move. Laura is 13. I really like this book because Laura puts detail in what pioneer life was like. It is a well-written book. You just can't miss a book like this.

The adventures of Laura Ingalls and her family continue as they move from their house by Plum Creek to the wilderness of the unsettled Dakota Territory. Aunt Docia visits the family to offer Pa a job working for the Chicago and North Western Railroad who are laying tracks throughout South Dakota. Grasshoppers destroyed all their crops and hunting was scarce. Also the family had been stricken with scarlet fever, and also caused Laura's sister, Mary, to go blind. Mary does not complain about being blind and she is very brave. Many times Laura tells her details about their new life out in the wilderness and on the train rides. The Ingalls's bulldog Jack died of old age. He was a great companion to the family and is terribly missed.
While working for the railroad company, Pa finds a new homestead on the prairie and brings out the rest of his family. This is Laura's first time riding on a train. Also, the Ingalls's covered-wagon travels are finally over. Then Pa puts up the very first building in what will soon be a new town called De Smet.
One night, Laura and Carrie take a walk in their new town and come face to face with a pack of wolves. They are chase by them, but luckily Pa was there with his shotgun and shot the wolves, and saved their lives.
This book is definitely one of the most important books of this series, and I highly recommend it to everyone. It is very fun, exciting, and adventurous.

(...)

In this story, Laura and her family settle in the Dakota territory where Pa must work with a railroad company. Due to the railroad, a little town begins to sprout up around them. Now the pioneering family must decide whether to move on or become part of the town. This story is one of tragedy, triumph, and human spirit. A must for every child's library.

Laura Ingalls tells about her childhood experiences as her family travels from Minnesota to settle in South Dakota. She gives an account of how their lives changed from living in a more settled area in Minnesota compared to living in unsettled land which later becomes De Smet. Mary, Laura's older sister, has lost her sight to scarlet fever, and Laura hopes that she will someday be able to attend a college for the blind. Although Laura works very hard she rarely complains. She enjoys singing with her father as he plays the fiddle. Ingall's gives clear pictures of what life was like for a girl growing up in early American History. As an adult this was my first experience reading one of Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" books; I found it most informative and enjoyable. This book is a great way for children to learn what life was like during the pioneer era.

This is the fifth of nine books in the "Little House" historical fiction series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The book starts with the news, in the first chapter, that Laura's older sister Mary has gone blind. The information is related matter-of-factly, "Her blue eyes were still beautiful, but they did not know what was before them, and Mary herself could never look through them again to tell Laura what she was thinking without saying a word." (p. 2)

Laura has to become Mary's eyes and see for her, describing in detail what she is seeing so that Mary, too, can "see." The perceptive reader understands how central this experience, this role, was in shaping the future author of this series of books which are enduring across generations of readers, young and old.

Much later in the book, in the chapter, "On the Pilgrim Way," a much beloved, Reverend Alden is visiting, passing through with a very young (boy preacher) Reverend Stuart, and has just said to Ma, "I am sorry indeed, Sister Ingalls, to see the affliction that has come to Mary."

The reply comes, "Yes, Brother Alden," Ma answered sadly, "Sometimes it is hard to be resigned to God's will. We all had the scarlet fever in our place on Plum Creek, and for a while it was hard to get along. But I'm thankful that all the children were spared to us. Mary is a great comfort to me, Brother Alden. She has never once repined."

Brother Alden extends encouragement and comfort, "Mary is a rare soul, and a lesson to all of us...We must remember that whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth, and a brave spirit will turn all our afflictions to good. I don't know whether you and Brother Ingalls know that there are colleges for the blind. There is one in Iowa."

The account continues, "Ma took tight hold of the edge of the dishpan. Her face startled Laura. Her gentle voice sounded choked and hungry. She asked, 'How much does it cost?'"

In this book, perhaps more than the other books in the series, the author develops the subtleties of what the Ingalls family is all about, the close interrelationships of its members, their self-sacrificing devotion to one another. With the news that there are colleges for the blind, Laura determines to work hard so that the family can afford to send Mary to one, a theme that carries throughout other books in the series.

The author does a nice job of developing the central characters, especially Mary, whose blindness does not in any manner stop her from being a valuable, contributing member of the family. For example, it is Mary who warms and entertains baby Grace on her lap in the rocking chair by the fire, a repeated sweet scene.

Mary is mentally sharp and keeps the free-spirited, free-wheeling Laura on her toes, particularly when it comes to being truthful and describing accurately what she (Laura) is seeing. When Laura tells her the road in front of them has disappeared, Mary objects, saying that is impossible. Laura struggles to explain. In the chapter, "The Shanty on the Claim," Laura describes the shanty, which is papered with black tar paper fastened with yellow lath strips as "tiger-striped." Mary corrects her and points out that tigers are yellow with black stripes.

Laura gets her first glimpse of her future husband Almanzo Wilder, who along with his older brother Royal, passes the Ingalls family, the Wilder boys standing in a wagon, driving a beautiful, matched set of horses. Laura's attention is consumed completely by the beautiful horses, and she seems to scarcely notice the young men.

We cover this series, as well as the prequel series (The Martha Years, The Charlotte Years, The Caroline Years) and the sequel series (The Rose Years) in our home school curriculum with my grandchildren, who are currently 11, 8 and 6. My grandson enjoys the books at least as much as my granddaughters.

This book is by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The story is about Laura, her older sister Mary, her two little sisters Carrie and Grace, and Ma and Pa, who are their mom and dad. They move from one place to the next. The setting is 19th century trail and shows a lot of trees, wagons, and people too.
One of the main events is when Mary, Carrie, Grace and Ma get Scarlet Fever and Mary went blind. Another is when Jack was their dog and he died of old age.
The author is telling about her life when she was a little girl. She is Laura. I think my favorite part of the book is when Laura and Lena were riding horses in Lena's backyard. The book starts when Mary goes blind. Some of it is sad, some of it is happy, and some of it is just right. I think everyone could like this book if they really wanted to.
- Emma,9

Plum Creek had seemed such a haven in the last book. After moving out of the Big Woods and the Prairie, Plum Creek apparently is no longer the right home for them anymore, thanks to poor crops and other junk in Minnesota. So onward they move!

There were plenty of hard times not covered in this book, though just a couple of things were mentioned. There is a wider gap of years between this book and Plum Creek than with the other books, I guess Laura Wilder didn't want to write out about these harsh events, not that I can blame her. Mary is now blind due to a bout of scarlet fever that hit the family during the interim between Plum Creek and this book. Another child (Grace) has been born, but what is not mentioned in the book is that there was another child (Charles) born in 1875 but he died before his first birthday.

So this book begins after this has all happened and Pa finds a new job and homestead so he can bring out his family, Laura's just becoming a woman (12-13 years old) as she returns to life on the prairie, which is very different to the way that pretty much all Americans live today, as there was a lot of isolation due to the low amount of people. Wow, life was hard back then but they managed! Overall this is a solid book in a wonderful series.