Christmas+in+the+Big+Woods

= **Christmas in the Big Woods ** = Written by: Laura Ingalls Wilder, Illustrated by: Renee Graef

=**Bibliographic Data** = Book: Christmas in the Big Woods Written by: Laura Ingalls Wilder Illustrated by: Renee Graef Ages: 3-8 Publisher: HarperCollins, 1995 ISBN: 9780064434874 = **Summary ** = Christmas in the Big Woods is about Laura Ingalls and her family on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. In the story, Laura and her family live in a small log cabin in the woods far away from anyone else. Laura lives with her ma, her pa, her sister Mary, and their bulldog Jack. On Christmas Eve, Laura’s aunts, uncles, and cousins come to her house in their sleigh pulled by horses. When the aunts, uncles, and cousins arrived, Laura, Mary, and Jack were very excited. Now they had even more children to play with! All of the kids bundled up and went outside to play in the snow. After playing in the snow, they went back inside and got ready for bed. They were so tired from playing outside that they fell right asleep. The next morning, they all woke up at the same time and went to check their stockings to see what Santa brought them. Each child received a pair of red mittens and a peppermint stick, and Laura received a beautiful rag doll. Ma made everyone pancake men for breakfast and after the girls read books and played with Laura’s doll by the fire. Then, it was time for their aunt, uncle, and cousins to leave so Laura and her family went outside to wave good-bye, and Christmas was over.

= **Review ** = This is a wonderful children's book with amazing illustrations and an entertaining plot line. The vivid and colorful illustrations that accompany the story help children imagine what is happening while reading. The illustrations are also so detailed that they teach children about different tools or objects that were specific to the time period that the story is taking place in. The plot is also a very relatable one. //Little House in the Big Woods//, and all of Wilder's other books, follow plots that every young child can relate to, such as attending a family party, having an adventure outside, or celebrating Christmas with the family. The //Little House// books are also a captivating series because they allow readers to follow the life of Laura and her family throughout their life journeys, and the readers can learn life lessons along the way. =**Analysis of a literary element **= 1) The illustrations in the book are very detailed and depict historical products that were actually used during that time period. For example, there is one page in the story where the father comes back into the house after shoveling and he is standing in the doorway hugging his daughters. In the right and left hand side of the door are objects such as a wooden spoon, an animal horn pouch, and a tin lantern. These are all objects that children would not necessarily find in their homes now days and are specific to this time period. Displaying these items in the background not only adds detail to the picture, but it also shows kids the types of objects that existed in homes in the 1800’s. 2) The illustrations are also very colorful and are a main focus of the book. For example, a picture consumes every single page of the book. Even the words are incorporated into the picture (usually the picture is lighter where the words are). The colorful and large illustrations really draw children’s attention and allow them to vividly picture the story as it is being told. The colorful and detailed pictures also help children jumpstart their imagination when reading. = **<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Author Bio ** = <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Laura Ingalls Wilder is the author of Christmas in the Big Woods, which is just one of the many picture books she wrote. One of the fascinating facts about Wilder is that all of the books she writes are about her real life experiences. Laura was a pioneer girl who traveled with her family across the Midwest in a covered wagon. Laura was born on February 7, 1867 and passed away on February 10, 1957. She lived with her mother, father, and five siblings in Wisconsin until her father decided to move the family to unsettled land in Kansas. The land they settled on in Kansas was inhabited by Native Americans, which gave the family some trouble. Wilder went on to become a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse in De Smet, South Dakota. Wilder lived a very eventful childhood, and her childhood adventures, along with her daughter Rose, are what inspired her to write her children’s picture books and her short chapter books. = **<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Related Links ** = http://www.lauraingallswilderhome.com/ http://www.lauraingallswilder.com/