On the Banks of Plum Creek (Little House, #4)

by Laura Ingalls Wilder

[Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews]

On the Banks of Plum Creek takes place in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, a more civilized land living under Charles promise to Caroline that their girls would get an education. Although a compromise is made, and the Ingalls move into a dugout on the banks of Plum Creek, 2 miles from town. While not living on the prairie there is still much to discover.

The whole book is a treasure really, but I particularly liked when Laura would go off to discover the inhabitants of Plum Creek, splashing her feet in the water, running up hills and encounters with water wild life.

Although my favorite was her class party at Plum Creek with snotty Nellie Olson. As a come back to Nellie's rudeness, Laura coaxes her into the water only for Nellie to become covered with leeches and scream bloody murder. I should note that I have encountered bloodsuckers many times and a pinch of salt dries them right off.

People are always most comfortable with the familiar. For me, that is Walnut Grove. Due to the 1970s Little House television series, Walnut Grove is my comfort zone and what I most associate when thinking of Little House. Despite the fact that Laura proclaims in By the Shores of Silver Lake that she never wants to go back to Walnut Grove, I love the Mayberry feel of the town. I felt like there was always a helping hand when it was in need, such as the Ingalls' neighbor watching out for the Ingalls girls when Pa was away, or patience when their wheat field was decimated by a savage, hungry plague of grasshoppers.There were also the townspeople, who made me reminisce with Michael Landon, Miss Beadle, Nellie Olson and Reverend Aldon. I feel like I'm rambling but nostalgia can do that to you.