"By the Shores of Silver Lake" by Laura Ingalls Wilder

As a kid, this was my favorite of Laura Ingalls Wilder's books.  I think that miiiiiight have had a little to do with the fact that there's a horse on the cover of my copy.  But also, nothing terribly bad happens in this one.  Locusts don't eat up their crops, they don't have to leave the home they built 3 miles too far west, and they don't almost starve.  This one and Little House in the Big Woods were my favorites as a kid, because they were so peaceful, and they're still my favorites now, as I've been reading them aloud to my family, one book a year or so.  Turns out I still love peaceful books that describe everyday life but don't have terrible things happening!

(My best friend is laughing and nodding her head vigorously at that description of my tastes, I just know it.)

My mom used to read these books aloud to us in the car.  I looooooooved them.  So, a few years ago, I took one along to read aloud during the car trip portion of our family vacation.  My husband had never read them, and he and our youngest are very in love with them now too, and they insist I bring one along every vacation.  I am more than happy to oblige.

I was really excited to get to revisit this one this year, and it definitely lived up to my remembered fondness.  Laura starts to grow from a little girl into a young woman, and she makes some really hard decisions, like accepting the fact that she's going to be a teacher in a few years, even though she doesn't want to be one.  That takes a lot of guts and maturity, and I really respect her for being able to accept her parents' requirement like that.

If This was a Movie, I Would Rate It: G.  Wholesome family fare.

This is my 35th book read and reviewed for my second go-'round with the Classics Club!