The Jumping-Off Place

by Marian Hurd McNeely, William Siegel (Illustrator)

In the summer of 1910, four orphans leave their home in Wisconsin to "prove up" their claim to a parcel of land on the South Dakota prairie. Seventeen-year-old Becky Linville and her younger siblings — Dick, Phil, and Joan — hadn't intended to move to the newly opened Rosebud Reservation by themselves. But with their Uncle Jim's untimely death, the children are forced to follow up on the claim without adult supervision.
Uncle Jim left detailed instructions for his young relatives; but right from the start, homesteading turns out to be far more difficult than they expected. A family of ornery squatters have set up a shanty on the Linville claim and vandalized the property. A drought threatens the summer corn crop, and winter brings blizzards, relentless cold, and near-starvation. But prairie life isn't as lonely as it seems, and the Linvilles gradually form strong bonds within their far-flung community. The support of their new neighbors, together with their own growing self-reliance, helps the children rise to each challenge. An exciting tale of adventure, resilience, and triumph over adversity, this 1930 Newbery Honor Book was inspired by author Marian Hurd McNeely's homesteading years.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Westerns, Novels

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1929

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

First published in 1929, and chosen as one of six Newbery Honor Books in 1930 - along with A Daughter of the Seine , Pran of Albania , The Tangled-Coated Horse and Other Tales , Vaino: A Boy of New Finland , and Little Blacknose: The Story of a Pioneer - Marian Hurd McNeely's The Jumping-Off Place is an immensely engaging work of historical fiction, which follows the story of four young homesteaders in South Dakota, in the early years of the twentieth century. When their beloved Uncle Jim dies, the four Linville siblings - Becky, Dick, Phil and Joan - decide to follow his plan (elaborately outlined in a notebook left for them) to homestead out west, on South Dakota's newly opened Rosebud Reservation. Leaving behind their home in Platteville, Wisconsin, they head for the endless prairie, where they encounter back-breaking work, daunting weather, and a family of hostile claim-jumpers whose many acts of vandalism and intimidation range from broken windows to assault. They also encounter community, a beautiful land, a new sense of purpose (in the case of Becky's school-teaching), and a place they can call their own...

I enjoyed The Jumping-Off Place - named for Dallas, South Dakota, the last "jumping-off" place before heading into the prairie - immensely, gobbling it down in two days! It immediately grabs the reader's attention, and doesn't let go. Some of the incidents - as when Phil and Autie Wubber are hung over the side of a butte by (presumably) the nefarious Welps - are very serious indeed, but the overall feeling is cheerful, with a sense of hope, and of adapting to new circumstances, prevalent throughout. I admired all four Linville children, and the other homesteaders - how hard they worked! - and can understand why the South Dakota State Historical Society reprinted the book, in 2008, as it documents an important aspect of the history of that part of the country. I also understand why this has been compared favorably with Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books (McNeely's was published first).

That said, this is not entirely unproblematic, as a story for contemporary children. Teachers, parents and librarians should note that there is mention of "dirty Indians," and "working like a n*gger," in the course of the story. The former appears once, spoken by Aunt Jule, whom the children do not like, and who is a character held up to ridicule by the narrative. Although the children themselves later see Indians, on the train, they themselves do not refer to them, or think of them (as far as the narrative indicates) in this way. The latter also appears once, in a casual remark about working hard, and - in the absence of any African-American characters - does not seem to indicate any specific racial animus on the part of characters or author. Still, thoughtful adults should probably be aware of this, and stand ready to discuss the issue of changing ideas about race and language, with young readers. They might also want to discuss the historical reality behind this story - the theft of treaty land that makes the homesteading possible in the first place - as it is not something that the author references in any way.

Despite these issues, The Jumping-Off Place is worth reading, both for its own story, and for its depiction of a specific place and time, and a specific experience. I understand that McNeely based it upon her own life, and that really shines through in the narrative, which is convincing, and at times moving.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows the story of Becky (17), Dick (15), Phil (10) and Joan (8) Linville as they leave behind their home in Platteville, Wisconsin to homestead out in South Dakota in 1910. Their beloved Uncle Jim squatted the claim last fall, before his untimely death, and the children are determined to live out Uncle Jim's dream for him. Though he laid out detailed instructions for the children, homesteading is far more difficult than any of the Linvilles ever anticipated. First there's a family of ornery, evil squatters living on the Linville land who will stop at nothing to drive the Linvilles out. Then there's drought, blizzards, death and near starvation to contend with. Through it all, the Linvilles are determined to go on even when life seems bleak and miserable. They discover that that prairie is not so isolated as they thought and discover their place in the community. It focuses on the struggle of these four children to get along and do what they need to do to survive and the bond they form with other homesteaders. This new edition published by the South Dakota State Historical Society in 2008 features the original wood cut illustrations, an afterward about the author and a glossary of period words used in the book.

I really liked this little book. I ate up everything about pioneers when I was growing up and can't believe I missed this one! Some of the plot elements felt very cliched but actually, this book was published before the Little House series and all the other pioneer novels I read as a kid! The story is infused with local color (quirky homesteaders down on their luck), descriptive settings and well-drawn characters. The descriptions of South Dakota are lovely and detailed enough to feel like you are right there with the Linvilles seeing everything through their eyes. By the end of the book, prairie fever might catch hold of an unsuspecting reader. (Not I, I would have run home right away!)

The children were all very realistic and fought like normal siblings. I liked seeing them struggle to get along and mature. The plot is paced nicely to keep the reader interested in learning what happens to the Linvilles. This book is truly a hidden treasure and it's unfortunate the author's life was tragically cut short or I am sure she would have entered the canon of classic children's literature.

This is a great book for Little House fans and lovers of pioneer novels from age 8+.

[Carol Schneider · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! If you loved the Little House on the Prairie I think you'll love this book too. A beautiful story about a different United States and the strength of character it took to be a settler.

[Morris · Rating 2 out of 5]

RTC

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I began to read The Jumping-Off Place by book light in a camp bunk with barely a glance at the cover. There was a lovely old-fashioned quality to the writing and the characters that surprised me until I looked more closely the next day and realized that the book was written in 1929.

This is a wonderful story, set in one of the last bits of the frontier after the turn of the twentieth century. Four orphans, having just lost their beloved uncle, travel to South Dakota to "prove up" his claim. They face hardships--drought, blizzard, wind, and an adversarial neighbor--with maturity, hard work, generosity, and an unquenchable spirit. In the process they fell in love with the prairie and the community and it with them.

This is an excellent book for all ages. It would make a very nice family read aloud, particularly because there is some lovely prose. The original illustrations have been retained and enhance the historical feel of the book. The South Dakota State Historical Society has added an afterword with historical background and author information and a word list, adding to the educational value of the book.

This 1930 Newbery Honor Book was a joy, and I am very glad that the SDSHS Press has decided to return it to print.

[Yibbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a rare fiction book that I’ll rate 5 stars. I didn’t even hesitate to give this one that rating. Even though it is a children’s book, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m afraid it will always be compared with Laura Ingles Wilder’s books. The same love of the prairie, the same care for family, the same selfless labor for each other, the same harsh natural elements, the same rugged people, the same feeling of community permeates both books, but it can stand on its own merits.
McNeely wrote a heartwarming, but not sugarcoated, story about homesteading. It’s a call to do the hard things, the lasting things. It’s a call to grow past ourselves and own small desires and to see others. Now a child might not pick up on all that, but I did. Our heroes start out merely to fulfill their Uncle’s dying wish and end by finding home and community.
Please let me recommend it to you. It is worth reading.
I received this as a free ARC from NetGalley and Dover Publications. No review was required, but it was my pleasure to write it.

[Tatyana Naumova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Переезжаю в глушь учителем, что сказать

[Janelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered this book when it was advertised on a flyer sent to my library promoting Pioneer Girl, Laura Ingalls Wilder's first autobiographical manuscript that was recently edited and released to great excitement and acclaim. The South Dakota State Historical Society Press published both books. The Jumping-Off Place is a young adult novel originally published in 1929 (when it won the Newbery Honor); it was republished by the Press in 2008. As it covers the pioneer/homesteader territory I love so well, you can understand that I immediately got my hands on the book.

The basic story is that four orphaned siblings move to South Dakota in the early twentieth century to "claim up" a piece of land filed on by their uncle, who unfortunately dies at the outset of the novel. Dear Uncle Jim left detailed instructions about what needed to happen during a 14-month period for them to successfully claim the land. Since Jim had spent the summer before his illness on the claim setting things up and making contacts, this scheme was actually doable. The older children, Dick and Becky Linville, are only 15 and 17 years old.

The bulk of the narrative takes us through the months of the year. The family arrives in May and settles in. They aim to grow enough food to carry them over in the garden but not to actually farm a crop. They obtain a cow and chickens, establish a garden, plant enough corn for the animals to eat, and work hard to make a go of the homestead. Of course, challenges appear around every corner. Some are predictable - the summer brings a bad drought that kills all the corn and most of the garden. Others are a little surprising - one neighbor family is competing with the Linvilles for the same claim and the unruly Welp boys vandalize the Linville homestead at every turn. The reader is reminded how much "law and order" depended on neighbors policing each other. Some of the Welps' crimes are just expensive (like stealing the well pump or the cow - the cow, fortunately, was returned) and some are truly dangerous (the "hanging" of the boys over the cliff). This little storyline has a very satisfying ending which you must read!

The Linvilles have a lot going against them, but they also have a lot of things working for them. Becky ends up getting a teaching job over the winter (despite not having a teaching certificate) which brings in money that saves them. Also, they seem to be able to get their hands on enough canned goods to keep them alive through the winter (not quite sure how). They have great friends in the Cleavers, who offer the love and support of a larger family to the plucky children.

Sure, there are some Pollyanna moments in the book. Becky is truly the heroine of the novel, seemingly able to solve any problem, including evading assault by some of her very large male pupils. But there are also plenty of dark moments which are no doubt true for some settler. Some I've already mentioned - there is also the death of a baby by snakebite, families who are truly unequipped to handle the rigors of the prairie, and a bright girl who is physically handicapped by her drunken father.

If you read this, don't skip the Afterword, which explains the curious situation of part of the Rosebud Reservation being opened for settlement in the early 1900s. The editor also points out that many readers assumed that McNeely copied the successful Laura Ingalls Wilder in putting out a homesteading narrative for young adults, but that McNeely published her book three years before the first Wilder title appeared.

All in all, this was a very satisfying and informative read, even though I aged out of the target audience decades ago. I'm glad this book has a shot at rediscovery. May McNeely ride the Wilder wave. There's always room for more good stories in this genre!

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

First sentence: Down on their knees, a boy and girl were taking up the kitchen linoleum. It was a queer time to be at that work--half past eight in the evening--and there was an air of strangeness about the house; an unusual silence, a hollowness and a fragrance of crushed flowers in the air.

Premise/plot: Four kids (Becky, Joan, Phil, and Dick)--doubly orphaned, first by their parents and then their uncle-guardian--set off for Tripp County, South Dakota, in 1910 to homestead on their Uncle's filed claim. And this is to be accomplished almost always on their own. Yes, there are supportive adults who share advice and sometimes an extra pair of hands, but, hundred percent of the blood, sweat, and tears of farming/homesteading will be on these four youngsters. (The oldest is sixteen or seventeen.) The book chronicles about a year's worth of time--give or take a couple of weeks. We definitely go through [late] spring, summer, fall, winter, and the beginning of another spring. Becky, the oldest sibling, I believe, becomes a "teacher" of sorts in a one-room schoolhouse. She isn't certified, but, she's a) willing b) gone through school herself so she's educated enough to teach younger ones c) wanting to go to "normal college" to get her teacher's certificate. There is the almost obligatory chapter where a blizzard strands kids at school.

My thoughts: This one was published in 1929. It was recognized with a Newbery Honor in 1930. This book was published half a decade (at least) before Laura Ingalls Wilder began writing her children's stories about the homesteading life. (Some of Wilder's books would be set in South Dakota, though decades earlier.) The 1910 setting is interesting. We've got some modern touches--the kids have lived in a city and had city conveniences before--but we've got hints of the older 'pioneer' lifestyle as well. To original readers, 1910 wouldn't have seemed all that "historical" in all likelihood. Today's readers will definitely consider it 'historical' in nature. Perhaps a bit quaint and dated, perhaps outdated.

Anytime you have an older book, you'll always have people curious about the content and if it is problematic. This one has at least one instance of the n-word--just so you know that up front. It is in relation to working hard and long hours in the field. The children obviously didn't see anything wrong with this word as a descriptor. (Modern readers, if this book has any, may not agree.) There was not really a presence--or notable presence--of Native Americans or "Indians" in this one. You could argue that their absence from the story raises its own issues. But you won't find any scenes like in Little House On the Prairie. So one could definitely look for ways to talk about context and content with children if you're reading this one with children.

I'm torn with rating. As an adult who enjoys reading historical fiction and vintage books at that, I'm tempted to go 4 stars. That doesn't mean that I would recommend this one to kids to read on their own, or that I'd recommend it be read aloud in classrooms or libraries. This isn't a book that most kids would pick up on their own, and I don't know that I'd try to "sell" it in particular.

[Kirsten Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

The four Linville children (ages 8-17) were planning to homestead on the South Dakota prairie with their uncle, who had been raising them since their parents died. The plans were already in motion when Uncle Jim became ill and he too passed away - a barn was already built and many of their possessions had already been shipped out. It was his desire for them to continue on without him and "prove up" on the claim.

With a detailed journal in hand that uncle Jim left them with instructions for each month, the children head alone from Wisconsin to western South Dakota in 1910 to try and live there for the 14 months required to call the land their own.

With claim-jumping, mischief causing neighbors, a drought, and money troubles, life on the prairie is even harder than the Linvilles thought it might be. But they also experience neighbors supporting one another, and despite not having gone to teacher's college, 17 year old Becky gets the opportunity to teach in the one room schoolhouse.

This middle-grade novel of prairie life will definitely remind readers of better-known books like The Long Winter and Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Prairie School by Lois Lenski (which were written after The Jumping Off Place!), while also giving a bit of "Boxcar Children" vibe with the four children living on their own.

One of my favorite aspects of The Jumping Off Place is how book culture is woven into the story. The Linville children love books, and had a number of books shipped out to South Dakota with their household goods. They are quick to share the books with others, and Becky even starts a lending library in the schoolhouse with books that the families each bring to share.

The Linville children have realistic relationships - they sometimes squabble or complain, but they work through their differences and try to make the best of some challenging situations.

I definitely give this book 5 stars, and hope that more people will discover this forgotten gem about prairie life.

Content Considerations:

*Dated language: the phrase "dirty Indians" is used once by a character (older aunt) that the children generally dislike. The phrase "working like a n*gger" is used once about hard work in general, and this seems to be said more as an offhand remark, as there are no African American characters in the book. The only other mention/interaction with Indians in the book is one time when the children see Indians on a train.

*Death: The children's parents and uncle both have died when the story opens. A neighbor's toddler-age child dies from a snake bite. There is a chapter related to the child's wake/funeral.

*Fighting/conflict: A neighboring family who is trying to "jump the claim" of the Linville family is very mean, and causes a lot of harm/property destruction for the family. Becky, in her role as teacher, allows the strongest boy in the school to beat up one of the mean kids, with the purpose of helping keep the mean kids in line in school.

[Lynette Caulkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd probably bump this 1929 book to 3.5 if we could. I enjoyed reading about young people making their way in the midwest land claim era of United States history. This was something like reading a youth version of My Antonia.

Unfortunately, the book's audience is limited to caucasians, as Native Americans would be entirely offput at the very beginning with the homophobic reference to "dirty Indians" and a rather glib glancing off of the fact that the Rosebud Reservation was opened to settlers by the U.S. government. Two sentences in the beginning with the above racism are the only occurences in the entire book of any reference at all to people other than the caucasian settlers that are involved in the story. It would be good for teachers to discuss the offensiveness of the statements if this were used in the classroom or unit studies. Otherwise, it has good value for introducing young people to the concept of proving up a claim and what it was like to live on the South Dakota plains at that time.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know how I could have missed this book growing up... I loved the pioneer stories I read, especially as I got older and realized I KNEW pioneers among my great aunts and uncles (my grandfather, too) had all traveled by cover wagon across the country. I also happen to know of a family of abandoned children during the Depression, who lived out of a car, by themselves, ages infant to young teen. So I know what kids are capable of doing and surviving.This story of children homesteading in the west was amazing. I'm glad to see it back in print so I could discover it! Might be a good summer read for kids, teens, even adults.
I received a Kindle ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.

[Angie Lisle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've wavered over my star-rating for this 1930s Newbery Honor Book. I lean to three-stars for the modern writing style, which will appeal to today's children, especially if read following the vintage writing style of the Newbery predecessors. This book is easy to read and is oft compared to Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series. I do recommend reading this book following that series because this story attempts to fill in some of the gaps in Wilder's tales, helping to round out the hardships of frontier life. For example, Wilder frequently mentioned hunger and going without food in her stories; McNeely's Linville children rarely go hungry -and we see the work that goes into them having food - but the Linvilles are exposed to death, a concept that Wilder glossed over in her series.

But, this is a fantasy novel. This is one of those books promoting false notions about the history of our country, treating Manifest Destiny as a natural right and not a colonization attempt driven by religion. This leans me toward a one-star review and, when I average my opinions, I come up with a two-stars rating.

The negative portrayals of Native Americans and the casual way in which the author never refers to homesteading as theft of native lands bothers me. Anecdotes blur lines; we can't find viable solutions if we're trying to solve falsehoods. You don't get to the root of the problem that way; thus, any attempt at change is just an illusion that keeps feeding the beast of social injustice.

I first read this book as a child and this was an issue I had with the book back then and my response hasn't changed over the years. The problem with thinking about those larger issues outside of the book trivializes what actually happens inside the book. I stop caring about the story because it never actually addresses the issues that it makes me think about. This isn't the real prairie, this isn't real homesteading. It might as well be set on Mars - and that setting would help me stay inside the story instead of popping out into my own fantasy, wondering what it would've been like to come back 200-hundred years before Europe invaded North America and walk along the prairie, maybe meet a Hidatsa kid (when I was a kid) without having the burden of violence squatting on our shoulders. I keep wanting to read that story, which makes The Jumping Off Place pale in comparison.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Becky, Dick, Phil, and Joan are now orphans. Their beloved uncle passed away from cancer leaving them to fend for themselves. He didn't leave them unprepared though. They had been getting ready to head out and work a claim in the dry prairie. Their uncle meticulously planned enough to give them a chance to make a go of it.

They did it with the confidence of youth; if they had been a few years older they would have been more timorous and less hopeful.

Working the land on their settlement is not easy. There's the pure brutality of the land itself and then there is the added trouble of the Welps - a cruel family intent on stealing their land.

Some parts were awfully slow, typical of the Newbery books of the era, but overall it was a pleasant read. I loved seeing the resilience of Becky and Dick. They were impressive characters. My favorite was when Becky started teaching and had to deal with all the children.

This is one of the very few Newbery books I've read recently. I've really slowed down. I was just getting too bored with them. I have about 150ish left.

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read the Newbery winners and Newbery honor books through the years but I am sorry I missed this one until now. South Dakota State Historical Society has reprinted it and I am so glad. I won this in LibraryThing's Early Reviewers and started on it right away. At first it struck me as similar to Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books which were a favorite when I was a child. I actually wrote to Mrs. Wilder when I was in fourth grade and I got back a photo and information. I quickly turned to the copyright and saw it was written before The Little House books.
It is a delightful story about four children who after the death of their uncle go to South Dakota to take up his homestead. It has wonderful characters that add to the story. McNeely writes with grace and you fall in love with this family and their struggle on the prairie. I will be recommending it to those who love historical fiction whether they are children or not

[Josiah · Rating 4 out of 5]

"(I)t wasn't the being a martyr, but the feeling yourself one, that made hardship."

―The Jumping-Off Place, P. 79

There's just something about homesteading that seems to provide all the necessary elements for a book worthy of winning a Newbery. You have the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, which spawned an incredible five books retroactively cited as Newbery Honors, and New Land by Sarah Lindsay Schmidt, a 1934 Newbery Honoree. There's 1986 Newbery Medal winner Sarah, Plain and Tall, which takes place after the original "proving up" of the land claim but carries the same spirit of independent life on the open prairie, and Hattie Big Sky, Kirby Larson's 2007 Newbery Honor classic that achieved as much as any other story about homesteading in the early American west. Then, of course, we have The Jumping-Off Place, a striking and emotional juvenile novel that reads like a classic just as surely as any of those other fine books about homesteading, but for some reason that I don't understand has failed to retain its status as a mainstay down through the years among enthusiastic readers of historical fiction. Marian Hurd McNeely's portrayal of the hardships of pioneering life, the unexpectedly strong feelings of unity that come from having to rely on one's neighbors for everything that one might ever need, the fathomless depths of despair when one's most precious commodity is snuffed out by an attack whose effects could have been neutralized easily in a less isolated area, and the pervasive sense of joy that arrives when the hard work finally leads somewhere worthwhile, are knit together as one who hadn't spent time proving up a claim of his or her own on the prairie could never have done. Marian Hurd McNeely's hard work and suffering on the prairie becomes our gain as we expand our perspective on life through what we learn in The Jumping-Off Place. It can be very hard to succeed at a long, drawn-out task, especially when there are those around who would just as soon see you fail, but hard work funneled into a worthwhile cause never goes without its just rewards. As Marian Hurd McNeely found out for herself, and Becky, Dick, Phil and Joan learn in this book, the tribulations of fighting the odds and coming out on top are no match for the feeling of accomplishment at the end, when all you've worked for is validated by the prize earned. And looking back on it, the experiences that once seemed mostly peripheral often end up becoming some of the sweetest moments of the entire journey.

"The road to a mountain top is always a zig-zag one."

―Uncle Jim, The Jumping-Off Place, P. 180

The death of Uncle Jim really gouges a hole in the Linville family, especially the smaller unit made up of his four nieces and nephews, just as the five of them are about to head out to the patch of prairie land that Uncle Jim had purchased in Tripp County, South Dakota and try their hand at proving up the claim. Uncle Jim was the one with all the know-how, though, having made the trip once already and observed what needed to be done in order to start a successful homesteading campaign. Ever a stickler for details, both practical and emotional, Uncle Jim walked the path ahead of time that his nieces and nephews will now have to traverse on their own, trying their best to set unsure footsteps inside of the prints left by their capable uncle. Uncle Jim knew that proving up on the claim would be difficult, of course, even with him around, and this foresight led him to take down notes for himself and the four kids about all that they would encounter along the way. Hanging on to the last vestiges of life following the debilitating stroke that he suffered, digging in and simply not letting himself succumb to death while he still had further instructions to set down for the young homesteading partners whom he realized would have to carry on the good work without him, Uncle Jim used the final days and hours of his fading awareness to flesh out the path to success for his nieces and nephews, a path that he knew would be no walk in the park for them all on their own. Yet Uncle Jim believed that they could tackle the mammoth task ahead of them and come out of it triumphant, as his notes repeatedly affirm to the four kids while they make their way to the homestead, lifting their spirits with the sharply painful poignancy of words that most definitely sound like those of the Uncle Jim they all admired and loved. The four determined young homesteaders will have to show tenacity and strength of purpose beyond their years if they are to have any hope of bringing to fruition Uncle Jim's vision of establishing a life for themselves on the prairie, and much of that strength will come from the energy of their fresh grief over Uncle Jim, energy that can be diverted into constructive tasks even when their emotional resolve wobbles.

As stoutly as the Linvilles approach the job ahead of them, though, troubles sprout like wayward prairie grass when they arrive in Tripp County. Uncle Jim's untimely demise has left them way behind schedule in beginning to work the claim. Normally this might not be a major issue, considering that the year has been a dry one and even homesteaders who have been in place since early spring haven't had much luck getting the land to work for them so far, but the Linvilles couldn't have taken into account the trouble they would have at the hands of the Welp family. Homesteading rules in Tripp County state that a claim must be occupied within six months of staking it, and while Uncle Jim had planned to move in and get to work long before the end of this grace period, the sudden occurrence of his stroke set that timetable back substantially. While the Linvilles have a strong case for an exception to the rule because of Uncle Jim's tragic decline in health, the Welps don't feel any compassion for the young siblings. They've stretched their own claim to cover a good portion of the Linville land, and are willing to push back forcefully on the four new homesteaders should they try to contest it. The Welps seem not even to be above resorting to violence if it means retaining the extra portion of land that they've annexed, and they clearly mean business when it comes to keeping the Linvilles off the disputed property. What's more, they want the Linvilles off their own claim, as well, and they'll stoop to anything to get want they want.

The Jumping-Off Place isn't about the mean Welp family, though, not really. Because there's so much for not only Becky and her siblings, but us as well, to learn about homesteading life on the prairie, and only three hundred eight pages in which to learn it. The unbreakable closeness of those living on the prairie is a wonder to behold, formed in the crucible of the relative isolation that they must always endure and borne by the human need for deeper contact and personal connection. There's no way that the tragedies of homesteading life on the prairie can fail to affect every person living out there when they're all connected by the hardship of their chosen lifestyle. For every victim of a rattlesnake bite, every sudden death that couldn't be prevented because adequate help was just too far away, doubt over the nature of the lifestyle lingers unspoken in the air. It has to be there. One doesn't lose a son or daughter to the perils of homesteading life, or anything else, for that matter, without wondering how things might have been different, whether or not life would have moved in an entirely and permanently altered direction had their choices only been different. I suppose such is the curse of anyone who steps out to do what's necessary when it's never been done before. Someone had to homestead that prairie. Someone had to do the hard work that would pave the way for all others who have ever moved west to do so in comfort and without danger, and even if we often don't recognize it from our present-day vantage point, it was the pioneering homesteaders such as the Linvilles who made it possible for later families to move into the American west without the blood, sweat and tears. Their personal sacrifices are quite sobering if we give them the consideration that they deserve, grounding our thoughts on the matter in a solid foundation of knowledge and understanding. One can never fully express in words how much the sacrifice of losing a child means; however, with recognition and respect, not needing to voice sentiments that can never be adequately communicated to address the loss, one can at least gratefully acknowledge it.

The stories about homesteading that fill this book, both the humorous and the angering, the uplifting and the profoundly sad, the workaday and the wondrous, are excellent, and reflect with great skill and much compassion the realities that homesteaders endured. What really persuaded me to rate The Jumping-Off Place as being worthy of four stars, though, is the emotional undercurrent of the Linville kids' sadness over Uncle Jim, a sadness which is faintly present on every single page of the book even when they're not directly talking about him, even when the story has taken a comical turn. It's always there, though, like a faded watermark, as anyone who has lost a loved one will be able to attest was the case when it happened to them. The emotion of the loss colors every part of one's life even under the best of circumstances, but the four Linville kids have it especially hard. They have to process their deep sense of loss while undergoing the most physically, mentally and emotionally draining challenge of their entire lives, trying to accomplish what so many other homesteaders with the best of intentions had to give up on when the going became too rough. But it's easy to see that Uncle Jim will always be right there with them on the prairie. The distinct tone of his words continues to echo in their ears even though he may be gone, and his love of the prairie makes Becky, Dick, Phil and Joan eventually come to love it, too. There's no way they could help loving it, after seeing and hearing how much Uncle Jim loved it, how much he was willing to sacrifice for the land. Not all of the good of the prairie is immediately obvious to those who haven't put in the time to learn to love it; there's a lot present beneath the surface, and those are the parts of prairie life that Uncle Jim loved most, and that the Linvilles discover as they stick it out through the days of hardship and learn why a person would choose to make their life on the prairie, as Uncle Jim had planned to do with them. I guess when you love someone enough their passions can become yours, and as you take the time to unearth the concealed reasons why they would have that passion in the first place, it connects you to them in a way that can never be broken. All it requires is love.

Sad to say, author Marian Hurd McNeely was taken from us far too soon, the victim of a strange car accident that snuffed out her virtually limitless potential as a writer before she could gift us with more than just a few books. It's hard to imagine what literary treasures she might have introduced to the world had she survived to a ripe old age, but what we have in The Jumping-Off Place is a magnificent novel that has touched hearts for years and should continue to do so for as long as there are readers willing to take a trip back in time to a place very different from what it is today, but populated by people who experience emotions no different from ours. Few books have earned their Newbery Honor citation more convincingly than this one, in my opinion. The Jumping-Off Place is a beautiful, unforgettable story that I loved, and I will treasure it always.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I confess that based on the description that this was the 1930 book I was most interested in reading, and I'm pleased that it didn't disappoint. Set in the 1900s four young orphans move from a small town in Wisconsin to the Dakota prairie to "prove" a land claim established by their uncle the previous year. The uncle had taken them (and mother) in on the death of their father, kept them when the mother died, and dies himself of complications of a stroke before the book's story begins. The "children" (18, 15, 10, and 8) decide to honor his memory by continuing his dream of the prairie; luckily he has left them a notebook with the info they'll need. He also did a lot of prep work the previous year or they would never have been able to do it. As it is they almost don't succeed. They face the hardships of trying to be adults, the hostility of one set of neighbors, heat and drought, having their crops fail, and then winter and a late blizzard. Without help from a townsman and the salary from a teaching job they wouldn't have made it and "proved up". For all their travails they never go hungry, able to rely on the tinned food that their uncle had purchased. There is no doubt that they are in all ways exceptional compared to the normal squatters. descriptions of their neighbors' claims leave no doubt to that. They have a middle class life back in Wisconsin and don't have to be in Dakota, the other families have nowhere else to go. So far I've only read one "Little House" book, but it seems to me that this book is less idealized, Does the book have issues?
Yes, it's written in 1929; issues are going to be there. In no way could 4 orphans go off on their own today. It wouldn't be allowed, the uncle may not even had custody of them. Yet they do and they hold down jobs much as youngsters their age did in the early 1900s-40s. The main issue is the concept of Manifest Destiny. The "jumping-off place" is the end of the railroad line in a small town in Tripp county. The claim is on recently opened land which had been part of the Rosebud Indian Reservation (Sioux), a part of US history that happened and can't be avoided. There are no Native Americans in the book and very few references to them: a comment that the Sioux were "the worst" and that there were lots of arrowheads to be found. As far as cultural insensitivity, I'm not condoning it, but I've seen worse in some of these early Newberys. I read this for my Newbery Challenge and for my 2018 Reading Challenge.

[Katherine Basto · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a child, I read all the "Little House on the Prairie" books and I've always enjoyed reading about the struggles of the prairie life, complete with stark beauty and the harsh elements.
This Newberry Honor Medal, young adult novel did not disappoint. Four orphans set out from Wisconsin to S. Dakota to claim their deceased Uncle Jim's homestead. It might seem hard to believe nowadays, that four children, led by the intrepid seventeen year old Becky, fifteen year old Dick, and a pair of younger children could actually make the journey, set up a home and survive.
They certainly have their challenges, the greatest being the Whelp family, squatters and people with a genuine mean streak in them. The tale continues with Becky eventually becoming the schoolteacher for the newly founded community.
What makes this book so special is first and foremost the characters. They are all so different, and stand out in their own ways. Each of their personalities shines brightly. Then there's the description of the prairie itself, replete with a creek, birdsong, a prairie dog town, and the ever- changing weather. It really made me feel I was right there, cheering on the family. I learned a lot and it's a great tale.
The dialogue was outstanding and the specific dialects and manners of speaking were clearly elucidated. Loved to hear Uncle Jim's words of wisdom from the grave..."There is no right road to a wasp's nest..." or "You can't argue with a rattlesnake."
I can see how this book won the Newberry Honor Medal. I enjoyed it very much, and the book really made me want to take a journey out to the prairie. Maybe a meadowlark still sings in the prairie, or a grouse does a mating dance. Any way you look at it, this book is a winner!

[Psusan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe that I missed this book growing up. The Jumping-Off Place by Marian Hurd McNeely is a marvelous story of the pioneer spirit so well portrayed by these four orphans. I would have loved it as a child seeing how teens and children made it in a world that was difficult even for adults. It is sort of a cross between the Box Car Children and Little House on the Prairie, while also being uniquely its own story.

These siblings are living out their late uncle’s dream by homesteading in South Dakota. Their determination against natural difficulties along with some human conflicts kept the story a page turner. Like all great stories, the Linville’s story inspires the reader today just as it did when first published.

The story has the old fashion writing charm that dates the piece but it makes for a graceful flowing read. I appreciated the way it is written for upper elementary children but found the story to be just as interesting for me as an adult. Kudos to those who have republished the 1930 Newberry Honor book, The Jumping-Off Place.

The publisher through Net Galley provided a copy.

[Shella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve gone between 3 or 4 stars. The last 3 chapters were strong. The Christmas scene, blizzard and ending were terrific. It started slow. I felt like I was starting to get to know the characters. I would have liked the characters more developed. What made the Welps so nasty, what happened to the kids before they were orphaned and how did they get so close to their uncle? How did Becky develop the tenacity to be so adept at adjusting to homesteading? I wish the story had started before the uncle’s death. The book’s setting and the hardships of homesteading were written well. This title seemed more similar to Hattie’s Big Sky rather than the Little House series. I had no idea homesteading was still happening in 1911. The afterword is interesting because it explains how the author homesteaded in this area from 1910-1912. I think this is what made the description so vivid. Overall no complaints, but Hattie’s Big Sky is a far superior Newbery honor book with a very similar setting and problem.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book because it was a Newbery Honor book and I'm so glad I did. I honestly liked this better than any of the Newbery winners I've read so far. This had a similar feel to the Little House books, but I think I might have liked it more. Granted it's been many a year since I read any of the Little House books. But this was filled with realistic depictions of the sibling relationships and the struggles and challenges of settling on a claim in the Dakotas. It also handles the issue of grief in a really touching and realistic way. I laughed, I cried. I will definitely be recommending this book to others.

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book highlights the incredible feats young people can accomplish. The Linville family must begin a new chapter of their life in the rural Dakotas as they attempt to develop the claim belonging to their late Uncle Jim. Following the detailed instructions meticulously recorded by their uncle before he died, Becky and Dick leave everything familiar behind and take their younger brother and sister to live on the open frontier. Many adventures await as they figure out all that needs to happen in the fourteen months they have to develop their claim. Easy, fun story.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely sorry of homesteading life, for four children trying to keep a claim on their own. If you enjoy the Little House books, you will likely enjoy this one.

And though I enjoyed it, I do want to note that very little mention is made of the native inhabitants of the land who have been removed. It is fortunate that little mention is made, at it does not drop to the negative stereotypes and slurs found in the Little House books, but it does shore up the glorification of Western expansion.

[Lisa N · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Was looking for something simple and light to read. This children’s historical fiction fit the bill. A cute story about 4 kids ranging in age from 8 to 17 who move to South Dakota to prove up the homestead claim their Uncle left them. Most of the surrounding neighbors lend a hand when needed along with one terrible neighbor that is trying to steal their claim from them. A quick enjoyable read.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is mostly a good book. there is a whipping of a pet dog that is graphic and arguably necessary yo safe his life. more troubling are the racial references, i understand Dover wanting to be true to the originally published text, but editing those half-dozen lines out would not have hurt the read at all.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Similar to the Little House books but actually published before those. Also, more realistic in some ways, showing more of the hardships and realities of prairie life, and yet less realistic, since the four children are on their own. A decent Newbery honor book for the time period.

[Meepspeeps · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good story for children of all ages. The detailed descriptions of the beauty and harshness of the landscape paint a picture. I recommend it to all readers, and as a read-aloud likely to prompt curious questions from young listeners.

[Alyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+⭐️

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

You have to read this book knowing that it was written in 1930 about 1910.

[Emily M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, this was charming. The children were real, imperfect but brave, and the homesteading challenges would be familiar to any Little House or Little Britches fans. My kids will eat this up.