By the Shores of Silver Lake

Little House Series

Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder

Book 5 in the Little House series

Pages: 304

Published: 1939

Age: 8+

The adventures of Laura Ingalls and her family continue as they move from their little house on the banks of Plum Creek to the wilderness of the unsettled Dakota Territory. Here Pa works on the new railroad until he finds a homestead claim that is perfect for their new little house. Laura takes her first train ride as she, her sisters, and their mother come out to live with Pa on the shores of Silver Lake.

After a lonely winter in the surveyors' house, Pa puts up the first building in what will soon be a brand-new town on the beautiful shores of Silver Lake. The Ingallses' travels westward are finally at an end.

Recognition:

Horn Book Fanfare (1939); Newbery Honor (1940); Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader's Choice Award (1942)

About the Little House Series

Books in series order

  1. 1.Little House in the Big Woods(1932)
  2. 2.Farmer Boy(1933)
  3. 3.Little House on the Prairie(1935)
  4. 4.On the Banks of Plum Creek(1937)
  5. 5.By the Shores of Silver Lake(1939)
  6. 6.The Long Winter(1940)
  7. 7.Little Town on the Prairie(1941)
  8. 8.These Happy Golden Years(1943)
  9. 9.The First Four Years(1953)

Reading age: 8+ years

This series should be read in order.

Laura Ingalls and her family live deep in the Big Woods of Wisconsin. Their log cabin is surrounded by miles of trees, and their closest neighbors are bears, wolves, and panthers. Daily chores keep Laura and her sister Mary busy, but they still find time to go exploring with their dog, Jack.

Pioneer life is sometimes hard for the family, since they must grow or catch all their own food as they get ready for the cold winter. But it is also exciting as Laura and her family celebrate Christmas with homemade toys and treats, do the spring planting, bring in the harvest, and make their first trip into town. And every night they are safe and warm in their little house, with the happy sound of Pa's fiddle sending Laura and her sisters off to sleep.

And so begins Laura Ingalls Wilder's beloved story of a pioneer girl and her family. The Little House books have been cherished by generations of readers as both a unique glimpse into America's frontier history and as heartwarming, unforgettable stories. This series will appeal especially to fans of the Anne of Green Gables or Little Women series.