Little House on the Prairie: The Pilot

I know many of us love the Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I have only just begun to read them this year with my AO Year 2 children. However, I grew up watching the TV show.

I have heard from many LHotP book fans about how far the TV show strayed after the first couple of seasons. Recently, I purchased the Little House on the Prairie: The Pilot and was amazed at how well it stuck to the story line. Not, only that, but it is actually the WHOLE book! Then, the series picks up with the next book, On the Banks of Plum Creek, when they move to Walnut Grove.

I was disturbed with the way they portray Ma as disagreeing with Pa about many things, which she did not do in the book (although she wasn't fond of Indians, she was never disrespectful to Pa about it). However, she does realize the error of her ways reguarding Edwards and the Indians!

I quite enjoyed the Pilot and cannot wait to watch it with the boys when we finish the book in the next couple of weeks.

Understood Betsy

One of the Ambleside Online books we are reading this year is Understood Betsy. All of the boys have been enjoying it!!

Elizabeth Ann (Betsy) is a nine year old girl. Her parents had died and she was left to be raised by her aunts. In the aunts' home every need and detail is handled for Betsy. She fears what they fear (especially dogs), and her every move is planned for her. However, when the older aunt suddenly gets a serious cough and the doctor sends them away, Betsy ends up with "the bad cousins".

Betsy's life takes a dramatic turn. Suddenly she must think for herself and help care for herself and contribute to the household. They even have A DOG!!!

We've almost cheered for Betsy with each new discovery! This is a great story for any age!!

What We are Reading

We are reading lots of new books right now, but none of them will be finished anytime soon. Ambleside Online spreads the readings out over a longer period of time. I think this forces you to take the book in slowly, as opposed to devouring it to get to the bottom of the story and not really taking the time to make connections and a build a relationship with the story.

My Year 2 students are reading:

Our Island Story
The Little Duke
The Little Pilgrim's Progress
Understood Betsy
The Tree in the Trail
Parables from Nature
Tales from Shakespeare
Trial and Triumph
the poetry of Walter De la Mare

Of course they are also reading Exploring Creation with Zoology I, doing math, grammar/reading, spelling ect.

My Year 0 student is different however. We have read all of the books with a star by them in the list on the side of my blog. We have really enjoyed the Billy and Blaze book. We have three of them so far: Billy and Blaze: A Boy and His Pony, Blaze and the Forest Fire and Blaze and Thunderbolt. I am even enjoying their adventures!

I began last year reading to my ds at bedtime. He never wanted me to read to him until I offered to read to him at bedtime. Now, he will not let me miss a night!!! I have noticed a drastic difference in his attention span. He is able to follow the story well! My how much he has grown from our nightly readings.