Little House Friends (Little House-the Laura Years)
No matter where Laura Ingalls and her family settled on the frontier, Lauraalways made many friends. And when the farm work was finished and school was out for the day, Laura and her friends had wonderful adventures. From racingponiesbareback with Cousin Lena to sliding down snow-drifts with Cap Garland and the gang, Laura loved spending time with her friends. Even mean old Nellie Oleson couldn't spoil Laura's fun!
These gentle adaptations from Laura Ingalls Wilder's original Little House books capture the spirit of this beloved pioneer girl and invite beginning chapter book readers into the magical world of Little House. These rare glimpses into America's frontier past bring Laura's cherished stories to a whole new generation of young readers.Gentle adaptations of Laura Ingalls Wilder's celebrated Little House stories have been gathered together here in two new titles in our Little House Chapter Book series. In Christmas Stories, join Laura and her family for some pioneer Christmas celebrations. Christmas on the frontier means visits from friends, good things to eat, and presents! For Laura, every Christmas in the little house is better than the one before. Laura and her friends share wonderful adventures in Little House Friends. From racing ponies with cousin Lena to bobsled rides with Cap Garland and the gang, Laura loves spending time with her friends. Even mean old Nellie Oleson can't spoil Laura's fun!With simple text, entertaining stories, and Renee Graef's beautiful black-and-white artwork, Little House Chapter Books are the perfect way to introduce beginning chapter-book readers to the world of Little House.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author:
Laura Ingalls Wilder was born in 1867 in the log cabin described in Little House in the Big Woods. As her classic Little House books tell us, she and her family traveled by covered wagon across the Midwest. She and her husband, Almanzo Wilder, made their own covered-wagon trip with their daughter, Rose, to Mansfield, Missouri. There Laura wrote her story in the Little House books, and lived until she was ninety years old. For millions of readers, however, she lives forever as the little pioneer girl in the beloved Little House books.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:
Chapter One
Laura and Lena
When Laura first saw Lena, she knew she would like her. Lena's eyes were black and snappy. Her curly hair was black as black could be.
"Do you like to ride horseback?" Lena asked Laura right away. "We've got two black ponies. I can drive them all by myself Tomorrow I'm going for the washing. You can come too, if you want to. Do you?"
"Yes!" said Laura.
Lena was Laura's cousin. She was one year older than Laura, and she had a little brother named Jean. Lena and Jean lived with Uncle Hi and Aunt Docia in a railroad camp in Dakota Territory.
Uncle Hi worked for the railroad. Laura's Pa had come to help him. Laura and her sisters, Mary, Carrie, and baby Grace, and their Ma and Pa had traveled all the way from Minnesota to Dakota Territory. They were staying with Uncle Hi and Aunt Docia until they found a place of their own.
Uncle Hi and Aunt Docia's little house was so crowded, there was no room for Laura and Lena. They had to sleep in a tent.
After supper, Lena took Laura outside. The tent looked small under the big black sky. It seemed far away from the warm, cozy house.
When Laura peeked inside, she saw that the tent was empty. There was onlya blanket spread over the grass on the ground. Laura felt a little lost and lonesome. She didn't think she would like sleeping on the ground in a tent. She wished Ma and Pa were there.
Lena thought it was great fun to sleep in the tent. She flopped down right away.
"Don't we undress?" Laura asked sleepily. She was very tired. It had been a long journey from their little house on the banks of Plum Creek in Minnesota. Now she was far away, in a strange new place.
"What for?" Lena asked. "You only have to put on your clothes again in the morning. Besides, there aren't any covers."
So Laura lay down beside Lena. She closed her eyes, and in no time at all, it was morning.
Sunshine coming through the tent woke Laura. She opened her eyes just asLena opened hers. The girls looked at each other and laughed.
"Hurry up!" Lena sang out. "We're going for the washing!"
Since they hadn't undressed, there was no need to dress.
Laura and Lena jumped up and ran outside. The sun was shining, and the prairie stretched out as far as Laura could see. There were two black ponies grazing in the tall prairie grass. Their shining manes and tails were blowing in the wind.
"We've got to eat breakfast first," Lena said. "Come on, Laura! Hurry!"
They raced inside the house. Everyone was already at the table. Aunt Docia was frying pancakes.
Aunt Docia cooked for all the men in the railroad camp. There were so manymeals to cook, and so many dishes to wash, that Aunt Docia and Lena were busy every day from sunrise to sunset. There was never any time for them to wash their clothes. So Aunt Docia had hired a homesteader's wife to do it for her.
The homesteaders lived three miles away. It was Lena's job to drive the buggy to pick up the washing.
After breakfast, Lena untied the black ponies from their picket lines. Laura helped her harness them to the buggy. Lena and Laura climbed up, and Lena took the reins.
Pa had never let Laura drive his horses. He said she was not strong enough to hold them if they ran away.
As soon as Lena took the reins, the black ponies began to trot. The buggy wheels turned quickly, and the prairie wind blew. Faster and faster went the ponies. Faster went the wheels. Laura and Lena laughed with joy.
The trotting ponies touched noses, gave, a little squeal, and started to run.
Up sailed the buggy, and Laura almost bounced out of the seat. Her bonnet flapped behind her. She held on to the edge of the seat. The ponies were stretched out low, running with all their might.
"They're running away!" Laura cried.
"Let 'em run!" Lena shouted. "They can't run against anything but grass!" And then Lena yelled to the ponies, "Hi! Yi! Yi, yi, yee-eep!"
The ponies' long black manes and tails streamed behind them. Their feet pounded and the buggy sailed. Everything went rushing by too fast to be seen.
"Hi, yi, yi, yi yipee-ee!" Lena and Laura called together. But the ponies couldn't go any faster. They were going as fast as they could.
I guess I better breathe them," Lena said. She pulled and pulled until she made the ponies trot. Then they slowed down to a walk. Everything seemed quiet and slow.
"I wish I could drive," Laura said. I always wanted to, but Pa won't let me."
"You can drive a ways," Lena offered. Just then the ponies touched noses, squealed, and ran.
"You can drive on the way home! Lena promised.
Singing and whooping, they went racing on across the prairie. Every time Lena slowed the ponies, they got their breath back and ran again. In no time at all, they reached the homesteaders' little one-room house.
The homesteader's wife came out to the buggy. She carried a heavy basket of washing. Her face and arms and bare feet were brown as leather from the sun.
Lena talked to the homesteader's wife for a while, and then she tugged on the reins. Soon Laura and Lena were far out in the middle of the prairie again.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherDemco Media
- Publication date1998
- ISBN 10 0606176985
- ISBN 13 9780606176989
- BindingLibrary Binding
- IllustratorRenée Graef
- Rating
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