On the Silver Lake Shore (Volumes 1 and 2)

Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: There is an elderly woman who began writing novels at the age of 65 and continued until she was 75, writing a total of nine books. She did not have a high academic background or rigorous writing training. These nine novels did not feature suspenseful or intricate plots, nor were they adorned with elegant prose. However, the nine books written by this elderly woman have become classic masterpieces in world children's literature. In all corners of the world, countless children have been nourished by love and gained the courage to face the future after reading this series. For many children, this series has even become an indispensable guide and encouragement during their growth. Little House on the Prairie (Book 1 & 2) is part of the Little House series, which can be said to be an autobiography of Laura's early life. The protagonist in the book, Laura, is the embodiment of the real Laura. Laura begins with her birthplace—the Wisconsin forest—and uses Little House in the Big Woods as the prelude to this series. In this book, Laura observes the little details of life through the innocent eyes of a young girl. The white-tailed deer, the big bears, the snow of winter, and the green buds of spring trees in the big forest, as well as the warm glow of the fireplace in the little house, the delicious pastries her mother makes, and her father's melodious piano music, are all Laura's sweet childhood memories. The second book, Little House on the Prairie, is the most famous and representative work in the series. It describes Laura's family leaving the Wisconsin forest and migrating to the Kansas prairie in a covered wagon, which is a typical portrayal of the pioneers of the American West at that time. This move was full of dangers as Laura's family narrowly crossed a flooded river. After arriving in the prairie, they also encountered Native Americans and suffered from wolf attacks, prairie fires, and the threat of heatstroke. But in the end, they settled in the little house built by her father and spent a sweet time living off hunting on the prairie. The third book, Farmer Boy, features Laura's husband, Almanzo Wilder. Almanzo was a farm boy from New York. In the book, Laura vividly describes Almanzo's education in the sky and his pride when he received a horse of his own that he tamed. Additionally, through the record of Almanzo's growth, Laura presents her views on the value of money—for Almanzo, five cents was equal to working many hours in a potato field. The fourth book, Little House by the Shores of Silver Lake, describes Laura's family leaving the prairie and traveling through Missouri, Iowa, and Minnesota to settle by the shores of Silver Lake. During their time by Silver Lake, Laura's family lived in a dugout, and all of her father's crops were eaten by locusts, leaving the family in dire straits. Eventually, her father had to leave for work in the East. At this point, Laura was already eight years old, so the narrative perspective of the book changes as Laura grows, making the challenges of life and the strength of the family more concrete in her eyes. Additionally, Laura and Mary began attending school, and their relationships expanded beyond the family. The fifth book, Little House on the Prairie, tells the story of Laura's family moving from the shores of Silver Lake to the Silver Lake region of Dakota. From Silver Lake to the region of Dakota, Laura did not travel in a covered wagon but by train, which was her first time riding a train. At that time, Laura was almost thirteen years old, and her personality had changed noticeably because Mary had become blind. She no longer had a sister to rely on or the right to be willful and unruly, so Laura had a deeper understanding of growing up and learned to face the things she did not like but had to do. Additionally, for their whole family, life on Silver Lake brought them new hope—her father could apply for a 160-acre plot of land here. The sixth book, The Long Winter. Just as Laura's father had applied for land on Silver Lake and built a little house, a terrible blizzard came. At that time, Laura's family lived in a small town not far from Silver Lake, and the blizzard trapped the town, cutting off all external communication for seven months. During these seven months, Laura's family had no food and could only survive on a little cornmeal porridge; they had no firewood and had to burn hay to stay warm. They struggled every day to stay alive, and her father even cracked his hands from twisting hay bales, making it impossible for him to play the violin. This time, the two boys in the town solved the problem. They risked freezing to death and getting lost while riding out of town to bring back food. One of the boys was Almanzo. After The Long Winter, the difficulties gradually faded, and Laura's family gradually entered a better path. With the influx of settlers, the small town near Silver Lake gradually prospered, forming the town of DeSmet. Laura wrote about this period in the seventh book, Little Town on the Prairie. In Little Town on the Prairie, Laura is fifteen years old. She makes friends with other girls and boys at school and begins to pay attention to her appearance. The sensitivity and rebelliousness of adolescence make her realize the importance of self-control. At the same time, her parents have saved enough money to send Mary to a school for the blind. Mary's departure deepens the sisterly bond, and Laura works hard to study and earn money to help Mary stay in school, eventually earning a teaching certificate. At the end of the story, Laura unexpectedly gets a teaching job and prepares to leave home. The last two books of the Little House series are The First Four Years and These Happy Golden Years. The First Four Years describes Laura's first time teaching alone outside her home. At this time, Almanzo was already pursuing Laura, driving a carriage to pick her up from school every week and taking her back, gradually deepening their subtle feelings. At the end of the story, Laura and Almanzo get married, and she truly leaves her parents to start a new chapter in life with Almanzo. The First Four Years was discovered after Laura's death. This manuscript describes the little details of Laura and Almanzo's life in the first four years after their marriage. During these four years, Laura and Almanzo's life was very hard. They suffered from the destruction of their house by fire, a drought, both falling ill, and the death of their child. The only comfort was the healthy growth of their daughter, Rose. However, Laura and Almanzo were not defeated by one setback after another. With their deep love as support, they still faced the future with hope and courage, creating their own home. From a pioneer girl to a world-renowned children's literature author, Laura's life story is full of twists and turns. The Little House series fully embodies the spirit of perseverance in pioneering. Laura, with her delicate and sincere writing style, vividly portrays the growth of a girl, as well as the love between parents and siblings, the subtle and enduring love between her and Almanzo, and the diligence, courage, and reverence for nature of the people in the pioneering era. The value of the Little House series lies in the fact that it not only records the history of the American pioneering era but also records personal growth. In fact, it wasn't just Laura who lived through the pioneering era; our ancestors also used their hands and sweat to open up a beautiful home and passed it down to our children and grandchildren. When we look back at their lives, we see how they tilled the land, hunted, sewed, built houses, and dug wells through countless life tests, honing their wisdom and deepening their appreciation and gratitude. The Little House series may not have many plots, but it is a wonderful, enjoyable, and enduring classic in world children's literature. The text is full of wit, covering many interests of teenagers such as nature, adventure, animals, family, and growth, which can greatly attract their reading interest and provide great benefit to their knowledge and growth. Today, we publish the Little House series, hoping that readers can, through Laura's growth, re-examine their relationship with their family and nature. We also hope that readers can draw inspiration from this difficult pioneering journey and, in this materialistic and distant modern society, rediscover simplicity, courage, perseverance, and love! Mary is blind, Aggie is gone, and for two years, the harvest by Silver Lake has been poor. Father accepts Aunt DeSicia's advice and moves the family to the Silver Lake region of Dakota. For Laura's family, life on Silver Lake brings new hope.