Laura Ingalls Wilder

The "Little House" books by Laura Ingalls Wilder are my favorites, even now I can pick up any one of them and read it as if for the first time.  So it seemed only fitting that they would be my first pick for the "Book Club".  They are wholesome, historic and easy to read.

I would like to share how I discovered the "Little House" books. From 1966-1974 my family and I lived in a teacherage in rural Oklahoma, my dad was the principal/ teacher and my mom was a teacher. It was only a community with a school and one church,  population to small to be counted. Living on the school grounds had it's perks. One being the "Bookmobile", it came to the school for the community to check out books. I loved it. It was big, red, full of books, and when it came in the summer it was cold inside, I was fascinated. I happened to find the "Little House" books when I was in 3rd or 4th grade and read them all. Even though I know I read others they are the only books I remember checking out.

Here is a link to read  and see pictures about Bookmobiles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bookmobile

One suggestion is to check out tapes of the "Little House" books and listen to them  while in the car. An interesting story can sometimes keep young minds on something else other then what a sibling may be doing. 

You can also read the books on the computer.

http://books.google.com/books?id=KO0tMOWl5AEC&dq=little+house+on+the+prairie+cast&printsec=frontcover&source=in&hl=en&ei=VPaOS7LCB8mztgesrq2bCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=12&ved=0CEMQ6AEwCw#v=onepage&q=&f=false

Activities:

Laura writes about freshly made cheese and butter. Research for a dairy in your area, even a small private dairy may give you a tour.

I have owned this cookbook for years and it is worth buying or checking out from the library. You will find recipes for making butter, cheese, pies and many recipes from all of Laura's books.
http://www.christianbook.com/the-little-house-cookbook/barbara-walker/9780064460903/pd/60908

Make Bread, here is an easy recipe to use with small children. I have used this for small and large groups and the children always enjoy it.
http://www.skiptomylou.org/2007/02/16/making-bread-in-a-bag/

Plan  a picnic where each family brings a dish from one of the books.

Try to spend a whole day without the tv, computer, radio or using lights.

Plan an old fashioned party using the food and games from Little Town on the Prairie.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2044544_play-blind-mans-bluff.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_4481209_play-drop-handkerchief.html


Grow a garden, even if you don't have garden space, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes etc can be grown in pots or 5 gallon 
buckets. (I have been given buckets from Wal Mart's bakery section) You could even try Alamanzo's plan for growing a prize winning pumpkin. Enter your produce in the county fair, if you are not in 4-H there should be an Open Class 
Area.


Use the Ingall's travel to study geography. Laura speaks of many different animals, if you have someone interested in
animals study how their habitats have changed.

Visit one or all of the Ingall's/Wilder homesites. Many of them have celebrations each year to attend.
http://www.littlehouseontheprairie.com/
http://www.pepinwisconsin.com/
http://www.walnutgrove.org/
http://www.ingallshomestead.com/

Hope you find some of these activities useful.
Happy Reading, Rhonda