THE LONG WINTER

Patience and hard work overcome the darkest winter in the beloved Little House series. For endless months, the Ingalls family’s only fuel is created by twisting sticks of wild hay, and their only food is made from wheat they tediously grind by hand. Almanzo Wilder, the young man who will become Laura's husband in future stories, braves the winter searching for food on the desolate prairie. Cherry Jones’s narration is straightforward, though subtle differences are touching, such as Pa's hearty voice and Ma's gentle one. The occasional frontier songs are sung in a plain voice and accompanied by a simple fiddle, much as Pa must have done during that long winter. N.M.C. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 05]