Bonnie GeisertCritiques

The third book in a series of three, loosely based on author Bonnie Geisert's own childhood experiences growing up on a farm in the American Midwest of the 1950's, I really enjoyed Prairie Winter (and hope to soon be able to read the other two books, which unfortunately, are not available at my local library, Prairie Summer and Lessons).

Both entertaining and poignant, Prairie Winter is a real, slice-of-life description of what life was like (or rather what life often could be like) in the small farming communities of the American Midwest (not all that long ago), and how severe winters could not only be dangerous, but could strand farmers and even whole communities/towns for months on end. Just imagine having to live apart from your family in a hotel room for months, just to be able to attend school.

Bonnie Geisert has done a truly remarkable job, not only showing, depicting realistic, authentic-seeming scenarios and episodes, she has also managed to successfully capture the voice of young Rachel (the twelve-year-old narrator), as well as the dynamics of Rachel's family and the dynamics of both school and farming life. Although the novel does not show all that much narrative tension (except perhaps when the school bus breaks down during a blizzard), this is a wonderful book of historical fiction (and one that is even loosely based on fact), a poignant story that not only shows the importance of family, but also the importance of community, of how neighbours help one another in times of need. I know my review is likely not even remotely adequate, but Prairie Winter is one of those books I find very difficult to review, simply because the book feels just so special, so heartwarming and thought-provoking. Very highly recommended (and not just for children).

Mountain Town, written by Bonnie Geisert and illustrated by her husband Arthur Geisert, is informative with a narrative that is descriptive, although also somewhat sparse and superficial. The real star of Mountain Town are Arthur Geisert's intricate and evocative illustrations (they show a richness of detail that is only hinted at by the narrative). The afterword does offer supplemental details, but personally, I would have preferred more textual information in the narrative itself. On the other hand, this book would likely work very well to stimulate free discussion and/or storytelling, as the elaborate, involved illustrations leave much scope for the imagination (as L.M. Montgomery's Anne Shirley would say). Recommended for children interested in the geography and settlement of the United States, and especially for those children who love to pore over and discuss detailed and intricate illustrations.

Haystack is a book that shows you what hay is used for throughout a year. It held my attention because some of the things in the book I did not know they did.

Mountain Town is a lot like Bonnie and Arthur Geisert's book, "River Town". "Mountain Town" follows the year in the life of a rocky mountain town. The book starts with winter, and how the residents live along side the harshness of winter. The book then goes into spring and describes through illustrations and words how the townspeople enjoy the seasonal change into spring. Summer brought about rain and thunder while the fall brought the townspeople together as they support their local high school football teams. The book takes place in the second half of the nineteenth century.

River Town is a historical fiction book about a small river town along the ocean, in small town USA. The book follows the town's up's and down's as it experiences the four seasons. The town reacts differently as the seasons come and go. For example, during the winter, the children play on the ice as fisherman's go ice fishing for fresh food. The townspeople gather in diner's and discuss the town's issues. As spring and summer arrive, the townspeople can be seen outdoors partaking in outdoor activities.

Pesonal response:

Picked this up at a book sale, thinking it would show a diverse town in the Southwest. Everyone was white! But read a blurb mentioning the dedication to citizens of Montello, NV. Googled the town, and 9.8% are non-white/hispanic. So 10.2% diversity. The author (wife) and illustratior (husband) in no way include any in the writing or illustrations. This book could be renamed 'uniquely non-diverse desert town' or 'desert town w/o color' or something to that effect. What really gets me is this book was published in this decade, and this couple has done several books similar to this one. Wonder if those others show any attempt at diversity...

Cirriculum/programming connections: Good to use as a nice example of activities in a small town. Can be used to stress how illustrators need to show multiculturalism in work.

6th-grader Rachel Johnson lives on a remote prairie farm with no phone. So Cresband school to her means connection to the other students and the town. But a winter storm strands Rachel on the farm. She is surprised when her dad agrees to fly his three eldest daughters to town so they can continue the school year. But they must board in a hotel with no parents, no rules and no chores. Will Rachel ever be able to return to farm life after this?

Rachel lives on a farm in South Dakota with her Dad, Mom, three sisters and newborn brother. Her Dad has recently become very sad. Her mother tells her that the baby has reminded him of their first born son who died before he could be baptized. They were living in Iowa at that ime and their minister would not allow the baby to have a Lutheran burial because he had not been baptized. The book shows a close knit family working together to keep the farm going. They have close ties to their community and their church. It is a portrait of farm life in the 1950's on the american plains.

Reviewed by hoopsielv for TeensReadToo.com

Rachel and her sisters are country girls in their small South Dakota town. Each day they take the long bus ride to school. Rachel enjoys all that school offers: friends, a good teacher, and music lessons. Her life is in the town, not at home with all her chores.

It all changes during the winter of 1956. Severe storms threaten the area and close school many times. Rachel prays for school each day instead of being stuck shoveling and working with the livestock. She can't even call her friends since her dad insists on not getting a telephone!

The decision is made to allow to the girls to stay in town so they can attend school during this snowy time. They stay at the hotel and it's a great adventure! Who wouldn't want cheeseburgers, fries, and pie?

However, Rachel soon realizes that the grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence. She misses her parents and younger sister, Susie, who had to stay behind. How long will this winter last?

This is a heartwarming story where the theme "there's no place like home" shines through. It is the sequel to the books PRAIRIE SUMMER and LESSONS. The novel is based on the author's true adventures as a child in South Dakota. I highly recommend this book!