My Prairie Year

by Brett Harvey

Nine-year old Elenore describes her experiences living with her family in the Dakota Territory in the late nineteenth century.

Genres: History, Biography, Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this title in the stacks of our university's summer reading clinic library and am so glad I did. I didn't know anything about Elenore Plasited, illustrator Treasure Island, The Swiss Family Robinson, and Grimm's Fairy Tales, who was orginially from Lincoln, Maine. Her granddaughter, Brett Harvey, took her diary and put them in story form. Immediately you think of Little House on the Prairie but I also thought it would make a nice text companion to Caroline Starr Rose's 2012 title, May B. which I loved. So glad I went searching among the stacks...you never know what treasures you might find!

[Melinda Christensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is based on the diary of the author's grandmother. As a youngster, he loved to hear his mother read this diary, and felt that other children might enjoy it as well. Elenore Plaisted was nine years old in 1889 when she and her family moved from Lincoln, Maine, to homestead in Dakota Territory. The home was set on a small hill surrounded by tall grass that seemed endless. There was a moat of rainwater which surrounded the home. The family was composed of Daddy, Mother, Elenore, her little sister and brother, Marjorie and Billie. Elenore tells what each day of the week was used for and how she helped: Monday, washday; Tuesday, ironing and mending; Wednesday, gardening and school lessons; Thursdays, to town for supplies; Friday, cleaning; Saturday, cooking, baking, and canning; and Sundays, Sunday School lessons and play. Life on the prairie was back-breaking. She also talked about her dad ploughing and farming with the neighbors. There were also life-or-death experiences they endured as a family which I will not reveal.

The history was well-told, accurate, and exciting, and would be the perfect read for a youngster. I liked it! Elenore later became a famous illustrator.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. It was historical fiction out on the plains. Farming, chores and prairie fires. And the good things -- seeing over the plains and the beauty.

The black and white drawings are beautiful.

[Mellanie C · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations were big and simple, but I loved the story.

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was interesting enough and packs a lot on a few pages, but just felt like more description would give the reader a better understanding of what they experienced.

[Arsenio Richardson]

The first thing that came to my mind when reading this book was:”Little House on the Prairie” and even though it was not like the TV. show I understood where the author was coming from. The most intriguing things for me about the book were the art and time frame the story took place. The art was amazing; it was like reading a sketch book with words. The illustrator used black and white colors which symbolized the time period. All the pictures were drawn in pencil, so they were very detailed and entertaining. I was little nervous because of the cover being boring but the text and art made up for it.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

An honest portrayal of life out west, told by a family who moved from Maine. Be warned, natural disasters and fire are part of the plot and might frighten a younger reader. MANY details are included and could be considered dull to a young reader too. I would want to use this book in my middle school classroom as a review of westward expansion.

[Katie Nanney · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book reminded me so much of Little House on the Prairie. It wasn't my favorite because the text was a little dry and the pictures were too dark to really make sense of what's going on. I don't think I would like to have this book in my classroom.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this with my children last week after purchasing it at a library book sale. It was well-written and the story was quite engaging. I took one star off because the pictures didn't really interest my children although I liked the simplicity of the drawings.