Monday, May 12, 2014

Little Town on the Prairie

Finished Little Town on the Prairie, the seventh book in Laura Ingalls Wilder's classic series. It won the Newbery Honor Medal in 1942. As a child I remember liking the cover of this book the best of all the series. The colors and the closeness that Garth Williams captures radiate a warm glow after The Long Winter. The family prepares to send Mary to The College for the Blind in Iowa. Laura knows that she must work hard to gain a teaching certificate in order to earn money for Mary's tuition and board. While studying hard is not new to Laura, new distractions present themselves. De Smet's population has grown enough that various social events start popping up. Laura is caught up in the gayety of it all and starts to fall behind. Also, to Ma's surprise, fifteen year old Laura has an admirer, Almanzo Wilder. Laura seems perched delicately between childhood and womanhood when the sudden need for a teacher in a settlement 12 miles away changes everything.

Wildly Affordable Organic

Finished Wildly Affordable Organic: Eat Fabulous Food, Get Healthy, and Save the Planet--All on $5 a Day or Less by Linda Watson. This book had a lot of good ideas on thrifty ways to eat organically. Sometimes it was a bit too thrifty for me. Also, the author does not take into account the issue of urban food deserts. However, for anyone who feels overwhelmed by shopping at places like "Whole Paycheck," there are great tips about avoiding that all together.

Mad About the Boy

Finished Mad About the Boy, the third book in Helen Fielding's series about Bridget Jones. This was a hilarious, laugh out loud book. Although there is much to be sad about in Bridget's life these days, she herself has not changed a lick. I don't want to put any spoilers in here. Just know that I recommend it highly.