Little House in the Big Woods...First in the Little House Series.
Written: Dec 27 '06 (Updated Dec 31 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: wonderful book full of family tradition
Cons: none, except maybe pig slaughtering
The Bottom Line: Read this story with your children. Start a family tradition.
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| pantazis5's Full Review: Laura Ingalls Wilder - Little House In The Big Woo... |
Little House in the Big Woods….First in the Little House Series.
The Little House Books were once my favorite reading past time. As a child I read and reread them and sometimes even now I will pick one of these books up and reread it. Often I will recall something I read in one of the Little House books and I will think about the series in a whole new way and with new meaning. Sometimes I am even able to apply the teachings of these stories to my own family. I believe that tradition is very important to the stability of a family. The story Little House in the Big Woods is traditional 1870s America and it is important to our history.
Little House in the Big Woods is illustrated by Garth Williams. Black and white pencil drawings are found in this book. This allows the reader to develop his or her own imagery as the story unfolds. It is one of the three books in the series that did not receive the Newbury Honor medal. The original text copy write is 1932. It is available from Scholastic books in paperback edition. It contains 237 pages, in 13 chapters.
Little House in the Big Woods is the first in the series of 8 books written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Many adaptations of the Little House books have been made since the original series, and Rose Wilder Lane the daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote a few books herself. However, if you want to read the Little House Series you really must begin with Little House In the Big Woods It is the story of Ma and Pa and Mary and Laura and Baby Carrie and their little house in the big woods in Wisconsin. They lived there before they moved West in their wagon. In this story the family makes their own food. They live in a snug little house in a clearing in a big wood. Pa has made a salt lick where he goes to hunt deer.
This is the story of a little family. It is filled with love and adventure as they survive in the Big Woods. Children today will read these stories and wonder about the way the Ingalls family lived. In this story, there is extended family, grandparents and cousins. The families get together for the holidays and celebrate. Laura meets her cousins and takes care of her baby sister. The grandparents hold a sugaring off party and make maple syrup. Sugaring Off parties are no longer a tradition in America! But they once were a very important part of early spring.
Laura is a mere four years old in this story of love and tradition. The family in this book is very traditional. Most of the old traditions told about in this family story are historical and children today will not have a lot of understanding about them. For instance, this family observes the entire day on Sunday as a day of rest. Consequences for children are swift and severe when they break the sabbath rules. Most of our children would never understand such thinking!
Slaughtering a pig and playing with the bladder of the pig like it is a balloon would make many children wonder about the balloons they play with today! The play toys that Laura and Mary had were very make believe and they needed to use their imagination.
When Santa comes the children receive pennies and cups. Laura gets her first doll and is proud of it even though it is a handmade rag doll. The cover of this book shows Laura holding her doll, Charlotte. She receives this doll for Christmas. Earlier in the book she is using corn cobs as dolls.
The Little House in the Big Woods takes us back to what the meaning of Christmas is about and what is really important. The family gets together and make a Christmas celebration that everyone looks forward to year after year. The children receive candy and sugar as treats, not everyday fare. Children are taught to respect their elders, respect family tradition and to follow rules. Yet, the parents in this story listen to their children and talk to them as well. The family works together and plays together and it is a very strong family. This is the time without electricity, or indoor plumbing. The family survives without it! The family works together to prepare food for the winter and in this story Laura Ingalls Wilder makes onions stored in the attic sound like the best food in the world! The children make snow angels at Christmas just like we did when we were little! Pa plays his fiddle for the family and the family dances and sings together!
Pa Ingalls shares stories with his daughters of his own childhood. Children love to hear about their parents, and this father knew that story telling was a means of bringing the past forward and sharing stories with future generations is very important.
This is the first book in the series and it is written for a younger reader. Perhaps first grade. As the series of books are written, the writing changes a bit to appeal to older children as the girls in the stories grow up. This is a wonderful first chapter book for a young reader. It is also a wonderful story to read aloud with your children. It is a good introduction to history of America! It will help your children to appreciate all they have.
I recommend this story, read it first in the series. Talk about it with your child. Ask questions. Make a rag doll together. Make some pancakes shaped like little men. If you want to simplify life and look at what is really important, this book will help!
Please read my other Little House Book Reviews
Little House on the Prairie
http://www.epinions.com/content_298565144196
Farmer Boy
http://www.epinions.com/content_299643014788
The First Four Years
http://www.epinions.com/content_299160735364
Recommended:
Yes
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