It is wonderful that Sara gathers the ingredients for her seaweed soup and makes it all by herself. Her independent spirit makes her a valuable character for children to read about and to know in Famous Seaweed Soup. For parents and children looking for characters who find they can make such joy for themselves Malinda Martha and her Skipping Stones(also available on amazon.com) is a worthy addition. In learning to skip a pocketful of stones, Malinda Martha discovers the joy inside that she can make for herself. I want Sara and Malinda Martha both in my children's library.

Read it at once like a novel or in chapters like a series of vignettes, this delightful book features difficulties facing a farm family, and rejoices at their victories and grieves over their sorrows and defeats. Enjoy the mischievous pranks of a bunch of farm kids who invented ways to make their hard work more fun, and how their jokes sometimes turned into expensive lessons when things went awry. The intense desire for education that drove these farm boys to make enormous sacrifices in order to have an opportunity to achieve their goals is inspiring. This is a great book for young folks who are wrestling with lifes tough questions, and how faith, persistance and determination can lead to fulfilment of dreams.

Frank Lloyd Wright And The Prairie School In Wisconsin: An Architectural Touring Guide includes descriptions of forty-seven Wright-designed buildings, as well as thirty-six buildings of other Prairie School architects. Kristin Visser's guidebook will enable visitors to tour more than two dozen buildings, stay in Prairie School bed and breakfast inns, and even rent a Wright-designed cottage. Frank Lloyd Wright And The Prairie School In Wisconsin offers a history of each building, noting special features to observe. There is a brief biography of Frank Lloyd Wright and the other architects whose work is represented, as well as a brief history of the Prairie school. Frank Lloyd Wright And The Prairie School In Wisconsin is enhanced with more than one hundred photographs and practical travel information. James Dennis (professor of art history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the owner of a Wright-designed home) provides an informative introduction. Frank Lloyd Wright And The Prairie School In Wisconsin is "must" reading for architectural students and Frank Lloyd Wright enthusiasts.

I consider Bogue's book to be an excellent research source for people interested in mid-19th century agriculture. It covers every aspect of agriculture during the formative years of Iowa and Illinois, and provides an ample beginning for someone looking to do research in this field.

This is my 10 month old's favorite book. It's short and sweet,with lovely illustrations and design. She loves Laura's smiling face and simple activities. It's the first book she pulls off the shelf every time!

The text/workbook is particularly appropriate for students in the upper elementary or middle school grades. It was written to fill a void for Christian-oriented schools (and homeschoolers) ages 11-14, depending on ability, who are looking for an up-to-date Illinois history/geography text with strong moral values.

Besides the student text/workbook, there also is a Teacher's Guidebook and a Test Booklet.

Don Worster once again intertwines his artful use of words with the photographic mastery of Terry Evans to make The Inhabited Prairie a true masterpiece in landscape narrative. The writing, reminiscent of John McPhee, shows professor Worster's love of his native Kansas landscapes. Furthermore, the photography of Evans superbly depicts the Kansas landscape and prairie mixed with the marks of the modern world. From aerial shots of Stan Herd's monumental crop canvases to the ruins of days gone by, Evans & Worster collaborated to expose the natural beauty of a uniquely beautiful state. A pleasant read that should occupy sitting room tables across Kansas and the Great Plains.

This is another great book by this team of authors who really know how to present information in a lively, easy to read format, with wonderful illustrations! Book features new crafts revolving around themes from the books and the period, time lines of events happening in the world during Laura's time, information about the real life stories of the Ingalls and Wilder families. An enjoyable book for child or adult readers with lots of projects that can be done together. If you have not read the other Collins / Eriksson books, I highly recommend searching though Amazon for the others, they are all fantastic!

Now in an updated and revised third edition, Iowa Past To Present: The People And The Prairie by Dorothy Schwieder, Thomas Morain, and Lynn Nielsenis a textbook-style reference and guide to the history of the state of Iowa, from the American Indians who were the first people to live there to pioneers, the toll of the civil war, Iowa farm life, and more. The emphasis of Iowa Past to Present lies with Iowa history and life before World War I; subsequent events are treated relatively briefly in comparison. Collaboratively written by Dorothy Schwieder (Trustee of the Iowa State Historical Society); Thomas J. Morain (Vice Provost for Academic Affairs for Liberal Arts, Graceland University, Lamoni, Iowa); and Lynn E. Nielsen (Professor of Education, Department of Curriculum & Instruction, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls) Iowa Past To Present is an informative, fascinating history and enthusiastically recommended students of Iowan history, events, and personalities.

I bought this as a bargin book simply because it is a story set on the prairie, and I wanted to introduce my 3-year-old son to that part of the world. My son fell in love with Josepha on the first reading. The story and its pictures--vivid paintings, with real prairie skies--prompt endless questions. My son relates to the characters in this book, and I can see it helping him develop his sense of empathy. He often talks of Josepha long after we put the book down. That in itself is a good recommendation.