On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Why read the book?

The Ingalls family moves to Minnesota and first lives in a dugout house built into the bank of Plum Creek. It sounds funny to live in a house made of dirt but Laura loves it. Later Pa builds a real wooden house and plants wheat to sell.

Laura and Mary go to school for the first time. Laura meets Nellie Oleson, a mean girl who shows off and makes fun of country girls. But Laura is not the kind of girl who lets anyone push her around. The family also faces terrible grasshopper plagues that eat all the crops and make life very hard.

Favourite quote

The creek was singing to itself down below and the wind went by overhead. It was all so quiet and peaceful.

What I Loved

I loved the dugout house. Laura and Mary played in the creek and the tall prairie grass. It sounded like a wonderful place to be a child. Swimming in Plum Creek on hot summer days sounded like so much fun.

Nellie Oleson was awful but it was funny when Laura got back at her. The grasshopper plagues were sad because the family worked so hard and then the insects ate everything. Pa had to walk far away to find work. But Ma kept the family going and never gave up. I learned that even when bad things happen, you just keep going.

Key Takeaway

Life brings hard times but you can get through them if you stick together and never give up hope.

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