This is my favorite book in this series. I love how hopeful it is. The farm is finally starting to produce and although they still have their challenges I love reading about how things are getting just a little bit easier. They now have a proper "house" with actual bedrooms. It was fun to read about how the town is starting to grow. It was bittersweet reading about Mary going away but exciting to know that now she is able to learn new things. I loved reading about all the events in town! The literaries were really fun and the birthday party. This is the period of the Little House "lifestyle" that I always fantasize about living in.
One thing that jumped out at me this time that I never really noticed before in the dozens of times I've read this book was "A grown-up person must never let feelings be shown by voice or manner." I wonder why this was. Why wasn't it okay to show any feelings, even surprise?
Another thing that just boggles my mind every time I read this book was during the school exhibition. How much more information they knew than people now. Being able to do the mental arithmetic. I'm sure there are still people that can do this in their head, but the majority of people that I know would not be able to divide 347,264 by 16 in their head.
This is a book that I really enjoy reading, even though I've read it dozens of times! ( )

The little settlement that weathered the long, hard winter of 1880-81 is now a growing town. Laura is growing up, and she goes to her first evening social. Mary is at last able to go to a college for the blind. Best of all, Almanzo Wilder asks permission to walk home from church with Laura. And Laura, now fifteen years old, receives her certificate to teach school.

Though the Ingalls family lived in town during the long winter of the previous book, this one really brought out the character of the young town. Moving there for the winter again, just in case it were to turn out as harsh as the previous, Laura and Carrie deal with a school teacher who maybe needed a little training to know how to deal with kids (good, bad, any kind, really—she wasn't great with kids), the townspeople come up with a variety of ways to entertain themselves through the winter, and Laura catches the eye of a certain farmer boy. Though there is still some focus on the Ingalls homestead and their work there, the book takes a turn as winter comes on, and it's quite the change of pace after that. Also, thanks to much work and sacrifice by her loved ones, Mary goes off to college partway through this book, which adds to the different dynamic. It's a good reminder that life keeps moving on and things change, sometimes for the worse, but even when it's for the better, it can be bittersweet.

As before, my enjoyment of the book was greatly enhanced by the audiobook narrator, Cherry Jones, who does a fantastic job. If you've ever considered reading this series, or have already read it and have occasion to listen to the audiobooks, I say do it! ( )

After listening to the first book of the little house series I couldn't resist myself to finish the series as soon as possible so that I know what happened to Laura and his family. I didn't read any other books before finishing this series. ( )

how do you participate in the torment of your teacher and then become her sister-in-law? did Laura and Lazy Lousy Lizzie Jane ever talk over old times?? ( )