What next???

[humboldtorganic]

So we just finished reading "The Little House on the Prairie" books and we are so fascinated with Laura and Almanzo that we are wondering what happened next?

Anyone have any good suggestions for what to read next? I was thinking maybe a biography of Laura or something?

Thanks for any input!

[ollyoxenfree]

There are Little House series extensions written by other authors.  They are prequels and sequels to the books that Laura wrote. They are called The Caroline Years (about Laura's mom), The Rose Years (about her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane) and so on. I have no comment on the quality of these books because I've never read them. DD enjoyed a few of them though but she was never a huge Little House fan. 

You may also want to try Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink. 

I would also highly recommend The Birchbark House and other books by Louise Erdrich, telling the story of a young girl in an Ojibwe tribe around the same time as the Little House books. There is some tragedy in the book, so it may require some caution for very young readers.  

[humboldtorganic]

Thanks for the info. I had not heard of those. I will have to check them out!

[ollyoxenfree]

There are biographies about Laura but I'd be careful about reading them to children. I haven't read them (so what do I know??) but I understand that the reality of Laura's life was mostly pretty grim. Living conditions were harsh and not in the romantic, nostalgic way that she depicts in the books.  Occasionally they were near starvation, there were tragedies (child deaths), Pa was not the kindly guy that kids know from the books and t.v. show, they illegally squatted on Native American land and ran from bad debts. It may shine an important light on actual history vs. the romantic "memoir", which is important, but children may not handle the disillusionment all that well. I know adults who have were pretty unhappy to learn the truth about LIW and LHOP. 

Your children may enjoy reading some of the "Dear America" series of books. Each is written as a journal by a young girl experiencing an historical period or important event. There are a few that cover the European migration and North American settlement. 

[Caneel]

How I loved that series as a child.  Someone got me the entire set for a gift and I read and re-read them over and over again. 

I remember reading one of the sequels afterwards and being confused by some of the content, like why Laura and Almanzo weren't living together.

Originally Posted by ollyoxenfree 

There are biographies about Laura but I'd be careful about reading them to children. I haven't read them (so what do I know??) but I understand that the reality of Laura's life was mostly pretty grim. Living conditions were harsh and not in the romantic, nostalgic way that she depicts in the books.  Occasionally they were near starvation, there were tragedies (child deaths), Pa was not the kindly guy that kids know from the books and t.v. show, they illegally squatted on Native American land and ran from bad debts. It may shine an important light on actual history vs. the romantic "memoir", which is important, but children may not handle the disillusionment all that well. I know adults who have were pretty unhappy to learn the truth about LIW and LHOP. 

I have the newest one on my reading list but I agree, I have heard from fellow (adult) lovers of the Little House series that it is a major bummer because it doesn't jive with our perception of Laura's life. 

[ollyoxenfree]

Ouch. Sorry about the typo/bad grammar ("have were") in my last sentence in that paragraph. Not sure what I was doing there. I must have started to write one thing and altered it without subsequent proof-reading. Oy.