The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder

The Long Winter
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Published by Harper
Publication Date October 14, 1953
Source: Library
Genres: Young Adult
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The adventures of Laura Ingalls and her family continue as Pa, Ma, Laura, Mary, Carrie, and little Grace bravely face the hard winter of 1880-81 in their little house in the Dakota Territory. Blizzards cover the little town with snow, cutting off all supplies from the outside. Soon there is almost no food left, so young Almanzo Wilder and a friend make a dangerous trip across the prairie to find some wheat. Finally a joyous Christmas is celebrated in a very unusual way in this most exciting of all the Little House books.

First Impressions

I had not read The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder in a long time and had forgotten what a classic children’s book it was.  Like The Force Awakens, The Long Winter felt like a throwback to the earlier books.  It was like an old friend had come home.

Impressions While Reading

Laura, while only fourteen has grown up and with school and farm work has taken on more responsibility. She has shown that she could be relied upon and therefore much more mature than its five predecessors.

I also liked that Almanzo had a bigger role in this novel. Laura Ingalls Wilder introduces the readers to a man who had grown up and was no longer a Farmer Boy. Almanzo was a strong character who did what he felt was right rather than take the easy way out.

Final Impressions

Of course the main event of the book was the seven month-long winter. I desperately read to learn of the Ingalls’ fate and how they survived the blizzard. I found the Ingalls Family’s resilience made for a fantastic story.