kailey_luminouslibro 's review for:

These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder

4.5

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Laura has taken a job teaching a school at the Brewster's claim. Mrs. Brewster is sullen and rude, and some of Laura's students are actually older than her. Laura does her best to teach the school, but she is miserable at the Brewster's house. Laura wishes she could go home at least for the weekends, but the snow and ice would make for too long of a drive across the prairie. But Almanzo Wilder shows up to drive her home in his new cutter with sleigh bells ringing! Laura begins to understand that Almanzo is interested in courting her, and she isn't sure how she feels about that.

This was always my favorite of the Little House books when I was a girl because of the sweet romance. with Almanzo. I was also inspired by the chapters with Laura teaching school. Although it was a very difficult situation, she figured out a way to inspire her students to love learning, and she gained their respect even though they were the same age as her or older.

All through the Little House books, Laura describes her happy family, how they work together, play and sing together, and how they trust and love each other. After seeing the misery in the Brewster house, Laura comes home and truly appreciates for the first time just how lovely her family is. She is filled with gratitude for their kindness and quiet ways, after having to endure the rudeness and shouting at the Brewster's.

I love the scenes with Mary coming home from college. You can feel the joy of the whole family on each page! We get to see how Mary has gained confidence and skills despite her blindness, but she has not forgotten her family during her years away from home, and she blends right back into their home life without any awkwardness. I especially like the scenes when Mary and Laura open up to each other and connect on a deeper level than they did as children. Now they are both young women, and they can relate to each other as adults. They open their hearts to one another as sisters, knowing they will find understanding and love.

There are some very excited scenes as Almanzo is breaking in a pair of colts to pull a buggy, and Laura goes with him on long drives across the prairie. But the colts won't behave, and they gallop and rear and pull against the reins! Laura even takes a turn driving them, and you can tell that Almanzo is impressed with her courage.

I love that Almanzo takes Laura to a singing school, so that they can sing in a youth choir together. He notices that her whole family loves to sing along with Pa's fiddle, and that Laura often sings on their drives together, so he knows that this is something she will enjoy. I love how thoughtful he is!

Overall, there are a lot of scenes in this book that inspire and interest me! These are stories that stay with you in your memory for a long time.