De kleine stad op de prairie (1941)

(see copy 2)

NA

The settlement that weathered the long, hard winter of 1880-81 is now a growing town. With spring comes a new job for Laura, town parties, and more time to spend with Almanzo Wilder. Laura also tries to help Pa and Ma save money so that Mary is able to go to a college for the blind.

The town of De Smet is growing, as is Laura. Now 15, she is about to finish school, hopefully to get her teacher's certificate. Mary is sent to college, and little Carrie is a weak child, but growing too. A decent entry in the series, severely marred by one chapter, "The Madcap Days," which adds absolutely nothing to the story other than a heavy dose of racism. If that one chapter were simply ripped out, it would be a much better book. Since these stories are at least semi-autobiographical, I assume the dreadful minstrel show depicted in that chapter did actually happen, but that doesn't make it any less appalling to a reader today. ( )

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