This family lives in a cabin and travels when the weather permits. Day after day they do the same thing. The father is musically inclined and will play for his 3 daughters and wife. Laura turns 5 and they have a special party together. This book is in a series that talks about the traveling they do in their wagon. It was a cute read and I would have the books in my classroom for self/fun reading. ( )

I enjoyed this book for the main message and illustrations. The main purpose of this story was to inform readers about how children lived during the late 1800s in the United States. The book described how the family bathed every Sunday by melting snow in a washtub on the stove. The entire family used the same tub of water. This is very different than how people bathe in the United States today.
I also enjoyed how the illustrations were apprropriate for the text they accompanied. The illustrations supported and enhanced the text. For example, the log cabin was accurately illustrated. The cabin was adorned appropriately for the time period that the book took place during and lacked modern technology. ( )

I have always loved this book for many reasons. First, I like how this book, and the others of the series, broadens the perspective of those reading because it takes place in the 1800’s. This particular story is about a little girl name Laura who is celebrating her fifth birthday with her family in their log cabin. I like this plot because readers can understand family lifestyle and traditions of people living hundreds of years ago. For example, the book explains that Laura is given a man carved out of a stick for her birthday. This detail is something that explains the types of gifts given in the 1800’s in an interesting way, rather than just listing them in a text book.
Next, I love the illustrations in this book. They are very large and colorful and take up the whole page. The pictures in this book give readers incite into a life of the 1800’s. Prior to reading this book, one may have never heard of things that were described in this story such as washtubs or a rag doll. Thus, the large, colorful pictures of this story are necessary to help readers identify some of the key vocabulary words as well as essentials to the 1800’s home life.
I think the overall message is to inform readers about home life, and traditions/celebrations of those who lived in the 1800’s. Through the story’s creative plot and illustrations, I believe that this message is conveyed well. ( )

A little house birthday is about a little girl named Laura who lived in alog house with her parents and two sisters. It was long winter and Sundays seem to last forever. The family took their baths in the washtub with snow that was heated on the stove. On Sunday's they always put on their good clothes and had to behave their best. One day Laura's dad told her it was her 5th birthday and her mother made her five little gaves and her sister's gave her a dress. As a special treat that evening her father played the fiddle for her.

I liked this book since it had nice pictures and told about a family that lived a simple life in the woods.

Extension 1. I would have the students write a few sentences about how they celebrate their birthday.
2. I would have them draw a picture about how their families spend sunday. ( )

I love this book because it is infomational about how people lived in that time period. It has beutiful pictures that are real soft looking with earth tones. It follows along with the tv segment Little House on the Prarie. It is also Laura's 5th birthday. Her Pa' sings her song, Mary her sister made her a dress for her doll. They all take Saturday night baths, and dress up on Sundays and be very quiet and still on Sundays. ( )