Scan barcode
brooklinegirl's review
5.0
what a phenomenal book. I can't believe I skipped it EVERY TIME I read the series. Lea was talking to me about it b/c of her re-read, and it didn't sound remotely familiar, and I picked it up, and NOPE, I'd never read it. It was entirely satisfying. WHAT a different life Almanzo lived than Laura. Everything WENT WELL. He got fifty cents from his dad! He got a pig! He got to eat doughnuts and cookies at the same time. The descriptions of the MEALS ALONE, my GOD. I liked it so, so much - it's definitely one of those comforting books where you KNOW it's gonna go well and there VERY LIKELY won't be grasshopper invasions or fires, or terribleness. VERY satisfying.
bubblegirljulz's review
3.0
I honestly don't recall reading this one when I was younger. Maybe I skipped it and only read the ones about Laura? Either way, I like the continued simplicity/simpler times of this book. It's juvenile but not in the bad way. I think the chapter that I was most invested in was when they were dealing with the frost on the corn and trying to save it before the sun went up. This book is enjoyable and nostalgic.
akburr's review
4.5
that was so cute omg i’d die for almonzo and his colts and his bobsled. just darling
caitsousa's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
hismercysurrounding's review against another edition
4.0
It has been a LONG time since I read this, so I'm guessing in the rating. Someday I'll reread the series. :)
hismercysurrounding's review
4.0
Pretty much a classic, and fun (laughed about the poor pig), but I have a few quibbles with it. Overall I really enjoyed reading it with my nephew, but wanted to comment on a few things to him that weren't good examples.
camiandkitread's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
When I was in kindergarten, my class got to go to the school library every week or every other week. They took us to the section of books appropriate for our reading level and let us pick out whatever we wanted. It seemed like there were a million books to choose from but I always checked out the same one since I had memorized it and didn’t actually know how to read (don’t worry, everyone figure that out pretty fast and put an end to it).
One day while I was waiting in line to check out my book, I spotted “Farmer Boy” displayed proudly on a shelf in the big kids section. We weren’t allowed to go over there, but I told myself I would read that book one day. I think I knew it was a Little House book but assumed it was also about Laura Ingalls and how she had to be a farmer boy for her family since they only had girls.
I didn’t read “Farmer Boy” until I was eight or nine and I was so devastated that it was about Almanzo and not Laura that I hated it! All those years of building up to being able to read “Farmer Boy” on my own, what a let down!
After rereading it again, I realized that I don’t actually hate the book. It’s a charming story and filled with sweet characters and small adventures. But I still can’t completely let go of my childhood disappointment either and remained disappointed that Laura wasn’t in the book at all.
One day while I was waiting in line to check out my book, I spotted “Farmer Boy” displayed proudly on a shelf in the big kids section. We weren’t allowed to go over there, but I told myself I would read that book one day. I think I knew it was a Little House book but assumed it was also about Laura Ingalls and how she had to be a farmer boy for her family since they only had girls.
I didn’t read “Farmer Boy” until I was eight or nine and I was so devastated that it was about Almanzo and not Laura that I hated it! All those years of building up to being able to read “Farmer Boy” on my own, what a let down!
After rereading it again, I realized that I don’t actually hate the book. It’s a charming story and filled with sweet characters and small adventures. But I still can’t completely let go of my childhood disappointment either and remained disappointed that Laura wasn’t in the book at all.
chrisannee's review
5.0
It's very interesting to counter these experiences with Laura's. And isn't the end so delightful!?!
seregelda's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
CW: cultural appropriation, child abuse, sexism, racism, animal cruelty, bullying, misogyny, colonialism, animal killing and butchering, injuries
I tried to read this when I was little and read the first two Little House books, back then this book was labeled the third in the series. I didn't get very far into this book when I was little, I think I got bored when he was training his cattle.
At the end where his father compares his work as a farmer to the cart-maker in town he says some nonsense about being independent while the cart-maker is not, and that got under my skin. He was dependent on the Canadian helpers he constantly hires, he was dependent on the shopkeepers to buy his farm goods, he's dependent on his children to do the daily chores and help him harvest. I hate the American myth of the independent farmer, humans are interdependent and it's a good thing (excepting the child labor).
I tried to read this when I was little and read the first two Little House books, back then this book was labeled the third in the series. I didn't get very far into this book when I was little, I think I got bored when he was training his cattle.
At the end where his father compares his work as a farmer to the cart-maker in town he says some nonsense about being independent while the cart-maker is not, and that got under my skin. He was dependent on the Canadian helpers he constantly hires, he was dependent on the shopkeepers to buy his farm goods, he's dependent on his children to do the daily chores and help him harvest. I hate the American myth of the independent farmer, humans are interdependent and it's a good thing (excepting the child labor).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Racial slurs, Racism, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Colonisation