Reviews - Little House in the Big Woods

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

1.93k reviews for:

4.5 stars. This book was just as I remembered it. I absolutely loved it. I don't know what it is about the simplicity of life back when. Of course it was not simple to them but looking back on the basics and watching the girls see things for the first time was awesome. Something like a store that we take for granted was astonishing to them. I loved reading how they prepare their food and the sugar snow was my favorite. I read the physical copy but also listen to the audiobook. They had actual songs that the father saying in the audiobook and I enjoyed it very much. I will continue reading the entire series.

marvelarry's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous informative lighthearted reflective 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

Instructif.

La prose est définitivement tournée vers la jeunesse, très descriptive et explicative, et donc très immersive. Alors oui, ça se passe de fioritures et de style et peut paraitre un peu sec pour un adulte, mais c'est très efficace.

J'ai été stupéfait par la dichotomie entre le récit plutôt optimiste et joyeux et cette vie quotidienne âpre, solitaire et difficile. On a affaire à des personnages "c'est comme ça, on fait avec ou on essaye de faire mieux" qui ne s'interrogent jamais sur leurs vies. C'est étrange car jamais ils ne sont malheureux. Alors oui, c'est écrit en 1935 et raconte le siècle précédent mais comparé avec nos vies occidentales actuelles, ce n'est même plus du grand écart, c'est un monde à la limite de l'extra-terrestre.

En tous cas, j'ai trouvé que le bouquin fonctionnait encore de nos jours et qu'il nous donnait à voir une époque "comme si on y était". Un peu comme Zola en fait...

kt_rose_17's review against another edition

3.0

emotional informative reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

boundanddeterminedbooks's review against another edition

3.0

I get that this is a children's book, but like...it didn't have any plot? Like, at all? Just seemed to be saying "this is what life was like a long time ago." Hopefully this was just setting the scene for the rest of the series, but we'll see

eschoeps's review against another edition

3.0

Lots of lovely, play-by-play descriptions of old-fashioned work processes (making butter, threshing hay). Moralistic parables from papa that the reader is clearly meant to take seriously. I say this from the point of view of as an adult reading this. I also understand that this is a common and realistic activity that parents would do with their children.

The sweet, comforting ending of Laura laying in bed, watching her mother knit by the fire while her papa plays "Auld Lang Syne" and reflecting on her father's explanation of the song is absolutely perfect. Summing up everything that came before with a strong image and Laura's quiet but mature philosophical exploration of what the present moment is.

I read this book over and over again as a child. I have a strong nostalgia for it that colors my opinion strongly towards it.

There is a slur against black people in a song that Pa sings. I almost put it down. I can't actually recommend this book to others and am shocked that this was a book that we still recommend to children.