"BY THE SHORES OF SILVER LAKE"

Pa Ingalls heads west to the unsettled wilderness of the Dakota Territory. When Ma, Mary, Laura, Carrie, and baby Grace join him, they become the first settlers in the town of De Smet. And Pa begins work on the first building in what will soon be a brand-new town on the shores of Silver Lake.

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This thread is for discussing "By The Shores of Silver Lake".

I'm partial to this book for many reasons!
First of all, the Ingalls arrive in De Smet, South Dakota which is where Pa (finally) settles.
I've visited there and it was so much fun!

Also, Laura has so much fun with Lena.
Ma thought Lena was such a "boisterous" girl
but I think Laura deserved a little fun after all those years of toil!
I can just feel the giggling girl excitement of her time with her cousin.

I also love that the Ingalls were able to stay the winter
in the surveyor's house which was large
by their standards plus it was stocked with food!

And last of all, it is when Laura first sees Almanzo -
or should I say "sees his horses"?

Did anyone else like this book?

~ Holly~

Yes I Love it i have read it Two times already I Just Love it

I can't get enough of that book.

Okay JW and MQF- do you have time to mention your favorite part of the book?

Holly

I love the scenes when Lena teachs Laura how to ride, and they sings together...Yes, Lena was too much boisterous, but she was a jolly spirit, and Laura just caught the better parts of her cousin's way of life. Ma should not have been so worried about "bad examples" since Laura was very intelligent and knew hat to choice and what not to choice. All she did was get some fun.

Other nice part of this book is when they travelled in train for the first time. The girls were amazed by all they were seeing, even if laura rather liked travels by wagon! And I always find amazing the fact that Mary always knew when Laura was fidgeting without seeing her at all! :haha:

Vanesa.

Hi Vanessa!

I like what you said about Laura just catching Lena's positives. We should all do that, eh?

I think Ma was a bit horrified at the thought of
Laura possibly running off with one of the rail road men
like the 13 year old washer woman's daughter did!

Remember how Lena was always singing that
"I wanna marry a rail road man' song!?
Laura wasn't even thinking about boys yet!
Although they both admitted they they weren't ready yet...

Concerning Mary's "motherly" ways-
my favorite interaction between Laura and Mary
is in These happy Golden Years
so I guess I better wait and discuss that on the right thread!

:cabn:
Holly

Has anyone else read this book recently?

I go back and forth between this one one and The Long Winter as being my favorite...

It was so exciting to go in the surveyors house!
It's the only little house I've visited.
I'd love to go to all of them some day.
I loved seeing how small that kitchen was where all those men slept on the floor.
I wish we could have gone upstairs but it was changed off.
I loved peeking into the pantry and pretending I was Laura seeing it for the first time.
I loved it all!

:woohooo:

I just finished reading this yesterday. :)

I always forget how much I enjoy this book. I like the first three books about Laura a lot, but "By the Shores" is when I really really start enjoying the books. I think that part of it is that as Laura wrote more books her writing got better. I also wonder if the later books are more descriptive because Laura was having to see for two people and thus she began to learn how to describe things and see things a different way. If that makes any sense. :b

I like how the Ingalls are surrounded by so many people for most of the book and then by the mid-end of the book it's just them.

I also really like hearing about my favorite wildcat from Tennesse, Mr. Edwards. (By the way, Jacob. I love your avatar drawing of Mr. Edwards!)

I also really like the parts with Lena. I think that she would've been a lot fun to be around, though perhaps a bit exhausting!

I think that this book really starts a new and very important chapter in Laura's life...

Prairie Dweller wrote:

I think that part of it is that as Laura wrote more books her writing got better. I also wonder if the later books are more descriptive because Laura was having to see for two people and thus she began to learn how to describe things and see things a different way. If that makes any sense. :b

Hi, Prairie Dweller!

One of the things I love about Laura's books is that the reading level in the books gradually goes up. The books mature as the character Laura does. By the time we reach By The Shores Of Silver Lake, we're no longer reading a young child's book. I don't know of any other books that mature along with the main character like that! It's so unique!

As I've said before, there are so many things I like about BTSOSL. I can just "feel" the prairie and the adventure when I read it.
Okay, I've just made up my mind once and for all, BTSOSL is my FAVORITE!

Yay! I'm glad you were able to make up your mind!

I agree, it is very unique how the reading level goes up along with the ages of the characters.

Something I picked up this time that I never picked up reading the book before is that Pa comments several times on the mild winter and how all of the winters will probably be like that. ~laughs~

Ha! I can relate. Our first Winter in South Dakota was very mild- sitting out on the deck in 70 degree weather. We thought maybe Laura was an exaggerator! Then there was the second Winter... Whew! What a Doozy! But even then, it was as long and constant as Michigan Winters.

Other good book, to read. That nevers get old.

Good book, not my favorite though