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Philip's Reviews > Farmer Boy
Farmer Boy (Little House, #3)
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Before I hand the reviewing reigns over to Eleanor, I wanted to say a couple things I took out of this book. (Hopefully she doesn't get too impatient.)
There's a lot in the Laura Ingalls Wilder books written for adults as well as kids. The theme of self-reliance comes through loud and clear. The difference in child-rearing... wow. Hold on:
Me: Eleanor, what does it mean to "speak when spoken to?"
E: It means, "BE QUIET UNTIL YOU ARE SPOKEN TO!!!"
Me: Do you think we should make that a rule in our house?
E: What if I need dessert?
Me: Well, you couldn't ask for it. So, should it be a rule?
E: ...I don't know...
Me: What do you think?
E: Well... if we have a question, we speak. So I don't know about that rule, dad.
Me: You mean you don't like it?
E: No...
That's exactly what I thought. Although, I'd like to add she's been sitting here very patiently waiting to review the book. She hasn't complained or said a word, and it's late. (She was kind of grumpy earlier...)
Me: Weren't you Eleanor.
E: Yeah.
Anyway (me again), like I said, there was a lot in there for grown-ups that is applicable to today.
They were at the fair, and father saw some Belgian horses:
"Father said they were Belgians. They came from a country called Belgium, in Europe. ...Father admired them very much.
'Look at that muscle! They'd pull a barn, if hitched to it.'
Almanzo asked him: 'What's the good of a horse that can pull a barn? We don't want to pull a barn. A Morgan has muscle enough to pull a wagon, and he's fast enough to pull a buggy, too!'
'You're right, son!' Father said. He looked regretfully at the big horses, and shook his head. 'It would be a waste to feed all that muscle, and we've got no use for it. You're right.'"
How apropos for today. For myself. For my country. How often have I looked at something I don't need? Something that has no practical purpose? Even Almanzo's father - the faultless, the diligent - he's even tempted at times.
Eleanor's doing such a good job of waiting for her turn. I'm not sure how to reward her. I've got one more story to tell about her before I let her write her part of the review.
Here's what I wrote down when it happened:
It is shocking, SHOCKING how much Eleanor remembers. We've been reading this book for months and months. I don't sit down and read her a chapter a night, it happens much more sporadically than that. She ALWAYS remembers what chapter we're on. Here's how it went down:
E: What's chapter 22 called?
Me: The Fall of the Year.
E: But I thought chapter 10 was called "The Turn of the Year."
Me: (I'm shocked that she remembered this, as it had been months since we read it.) What was chapter 10 about?
E: Almanzo not going to school.
So, I went back to check, and sure enough she was right. I got up, and told my wife what happened, and she was surprised too. She asked how many chapters Eleanor remembered, and I said, "I don't know." So I asked her. She went chapter 1-3 and at 4 she stopped.
E: I don't want to tell anymore.
(She was getting bored, exasperated, or just plain wanted to stop. Maybe she didn't know any more.)
Me: You don't remember?
E: I do. I just don't want to tell.
Me: (teasing) No, you don't.
E: I do.
Me: ...We'll play the WOO! WOO! WOO! game if you tell. (The WOO! WOO! WOO! game includes me throwing her into the air. ...We don't play that one as much anymore.)
E: OK! Chapter 4- Surprise. Chapter 5-Birthday. Chapter 6-Filling the Ice House. Chapter 7- Saturday Night...
She did all the way up to chapter 22 - which was the chapter we were on at the time. We'd never gone back to practice. It seems crazy to me. Seriously crazy.
Of course, there are times I send her upstairs to tell her mother something and she'll come back down and ask, "What was I supposed to tell?"
Anyway. Sorry for the long story. I know it's a review. I just had to get that story down somewhere.
THE ELEANOR REVIEW
Me: You already told me 5 stars, so why don't you tell me what the book was about. Or tell me your favorite part.
E: I liked when Almanzo was going to get Starlight.
Me: Who is Starlight?
E: A baby colt. And when he's four, Almanzo's gonna start to "gentle" him.
Me: What's "gentle him" mean?
E: I think it means "make him gentle." How do we "gentle" a colt?
Me: I don't know. What other parts did you like?
E: I also liked that he went to the county fair and (view spoiler)
Me: I liked that part too.
E: Why didn't it say about Royal's pets?
Me: I think because this book was mainly about Almanzo.
E: I feel like I could write a book when I grow up. I could write a book about Meeeeee... And Gwennieeeeee... And my kids. And you, when you were a little boy, and mom when she was a little girl.
Me: I think you would be very good at writing stories. What else do you want to say about the book? There was a lot in this one, right?
E: You want to take some out?
Me: I don't want to take anything out of the book.
E: Yeah. There was a lot, but it was all good. In chapter one, they went out for recess. I liked when they went out for recess. When did Star and Bright show up?
Me: I don't remember when Star and Bright showed up.
E: You aren't Almanzo.
Me: What do you mean?
E: You're typing. And Almanzo can't type. He's a little kid.
Me: Do you want to know what my favorite part is?
E: What's your favorite part? Tell us!
(view spoiler)
Me: Do you want to say anything else about the book? Any other favorite parts?
E: Well, one more. In CHAPTER 2 they ate a Yuuuuummmmmyyyy dinner, called HAM. Which I love, and we have. Read the review now.
Me: Ok. Here it is.
There's a lot in the Laura Ingalls Wilder books written for adults as well as kids. The theme of self-reliance comes through loud and clear. The difference in child-rearing... wow. Hold on:
Me: Eleanor, what does it mean to "speak when spoken to?"
E: It means, "BE QUIET UNTIL YOU ARE SPOKEN TO!!!"
Me: Do you think we should make that a rule in our house?
E: What if I need dessert?
Me: Well, you couldn't ask for it. So, should it be a rule?
E: ...I don't know...
Me: What do you think?
E: Well... if we have a question, we speak. So I don't know about that rule, dad.
Me: You mean you don't like it?
E: No...
That's exactly what I thought. Although, I'd like to add she's been sitting here very patiently waiting to review the book. She hasn't complained or said a word, and it's late. (She was kind of grumpy earlier...)
Me: Weren't you Eleanor.
E: Yeah.
Anyway (me again), like I said, there was a lot in there for grown-ups that is applicable to today.
They were at the fair, and father saw some Belgian horses:
"Father said they were Belgians. They came from a country called Belgium, in Europe. ...Father admired them very much.
'Look at that muscle! They'd pull a barn, if hitched to it.'
Almanzo asked him: 'What's the good of a horse that can pull a barn? We don't want to pull a barn. A Morgan has muscle enough to pull a wagon, and he's fast enough to pull a buggy, too!'
'You're right, son!' Father said. He looked regretfully at the big horses, and shook his head. 'It would be a waste to feed all that muscle, and we've got no use for it. You're right.'"
How apropos for today. For myself. For my country. How often have I looked at something I don't need? Something that has no practical purpose? Even Almanzo's father - the faultless, the diligent - he's even tempted at times.
Eleanor's doing such a good job of waiting for her turn. I'm not sure how to reward her. I've got one more story to tell about her before I let her write her part of the review.
Here's what I wrote down when it happened:
It is shocking, SHOCKING how much Eleanor remembers. We've been reading this book for months and months. I don't sit down and read her a chapter a night, it happens much more sporadically than that. She ALWAYS remembers what chapter we're on. Here's how it went down:
E: What's chapter 22 called?
Me: The Fall of the Year.
E: But I thought chapter 10 was called "The Turn of the Year."
Me: (I'm shocked that she remembered this, as it had been months since we read it.) What was chapter 10 about?
E: Almanzo not going to school.
So, I went back to check, and sure enough she was right. I got up, and told my wife what happened, and she was surprised too. She asked how many chapters Eleanor remembered, and I said, "I don't know." So I asked her. She went chapter 1-3 and at 4 she stopped.
E: I don't want to tell anymore.
(She was getting bored, exasperated, or just plain wanted to stop. Maybe she didn't know any more.)
Me: You don't remember?
E: I do. I just don't want to tell.
Me: (teasing) No, you don't.
E: I do.
Me: ...We'll play the WOO! WOO! WOO! game if you tell. (The WOO! WOO! WOO! game includes me throwing her into the air. ...We don't play that one as much anymore.)
E: OK! Chapter 4- Surprise. Chapter 5-Birthday. Chapter 6-Filling the Ice House. Chapter 7- Saturday Night...
She did all the way up to chapter 22 - which was the chapter we were on at the time. We'd never gone back to practice. It seems crazy to me. Seriously crazy.
Of course, there are times I send her upstairs to tell her mother something and she'll come back down and ask, "What was I supposed to tell?"
Anyway. Sorry for the long story. I know it's a review. I just had to get that story down somewhere.
THE ELEANOR REVIEW
Me: You already told me 5 stars, so why don't you tell me what the book was about. Or tell me your favorite part.
E: I liked when Almanzo was going to get Starlight.
Me: Who is Starlight?
E: A baby colt. And when he's four, Almanzo's gonna start to "gentle" him.
Me: What's "gentle him" mean?
E: I think it means "make him gentle." How do we "gentle" a colt?
Me: I don't know. What other parts did you like?
E: I also liked that he went to the county fair and (view spoiler)
Me: I liked that part too.
E: Why didn't it say about Royal's pets?
Me: I think because this book was mainly about Almanzo.
E: I feel like I could write a book when I grow up. I could write a book about Meeeeee... And Gwennieeeeee... And my kids. And you, when you were a little boy, and mom when she was a little girl.
Me: I think you would be very good at writing stories. What else do you want to say about the book? There was a lot in this one, right?
E: You want to take some out?
Me: I don't want to take anything out of the book.
E: Yeah. There was a lot, but it was all good. In chapter one, they went out for recess. I liked when they went out for recess. When did Star and Bright show up?
Me: I don't remember when Star and Bright showed up.
E: You aren't Almanzo.
Me: What do you mean?
E: You're typing. And Almanzo can't type. He's a little kid.
Me: Do you want to know what my favorite part is?
E: What's your favorite part? Tell us!
(view spoiler)
Me: Do you want to say anything else about the book? Any other favorite parts?
E: Well, one more. In CHAPTER 2 they ate a Yuuuuummmmmyyyy dinner, called HAM. Which I love, and we have. Read the review now.
Me: Ok. Here it is.
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Farmer Boy.
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Reading Progress
October 26, 2012
–
Started Reading
October 26, 2012
– Shelved
December 28, 2012
–
Finished Reading
December 30, 2012
– Shelved as:
children
December 30, 2012
– Shelved as:
eleanor-review
December 30, 2012
– Shelved as:
young-adult
December 30, 2012
– Shelved as:
classics
Comments Showing 1-11 of 11 (11 new)
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message 1:
by
Clickety
(new)
Oct 26, 2012 08:55AM
This book always makes me HUNGRY. Also, check your PMs. ;p
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Hah hah. This is my favorite review of this book EVER. Both you and Eleanor made me laugh--she's so lucky to have a dad who is reading this series with her! Thanks for the lovely comment on my review, too. :)
I just read Eleanor your comment here. (This after I read her the comment from your review.)She said (and I quote:) "Thanks, its my favorite review too. And tell her I was jumping on my trampoline while you read it."
I suppose I'm raising her to be a little bit conceited. We'll work on that.
Well, maybe the "pride" thing is the subject of another Laura Ingalls Wilder review. ;) P.S. I liked this review so much I even tweeted a linkt to it the other day, so let Eleanor know a few other Laura lovers enjoyed it, too!
:) We're still here, and I just read El these last two comments too - from your review, and here.She said (after I explained what "tweet" means,): "Wow! That's GREAT!"
I second that. Thanks a lot.
Sure thing. And not to belabor this, but for some reason the tweet made the rounds a few more times today thanks to Beyond Little House, one of the most comprehensive sites about LIW: Fun stuff!
Sorry it took me so long to reply back, but that's fantastic.Thanks a lot. :)
Eleanor's still a little too young to understand the complexities of the internet, but let me say that we're both honored.
Philip, I'm so late in telling you this, but I thought you and Eleanor might like some of the photographs I posted last year when I visited Almanzo's farm. Dream come true!And I'm pleased to see that you and she have enjoyed the subsequent books. I hope she does get a GoodReads account of her own sometime. ;)
"E: OK! Chapter 4- Surprise. Chapter 5-Birthday. Chapter 6-Filling the Ice House. Chapter 7- Saturday Night...She did all the way up to chapter 22 - which was the chapter we were on at the time. We'd never gone back to practice. It seems crazy to me. Seriously crazy."
Wow!!!! She has a really good memory! Impressive!
"Of course, there are times I send her upstairs to tell her mother something and she'll come back down and ask, "What was I supposed to tell?""
ROFL! I guess the things that are important to her, she remembers? :)
Sonya wrote: ""E: OK! Chapter 4- Surprise. Chapter 5-Birthday. Chapter 6-Filling the Ice House. Chapter 7- Saturday Night...She did all the way up to chapter 22 - which was the chapter we were on at the time. ..."
Her memory is impressive and scary.
