New Dawn on Rocky Ridge (Little House Sequel)

I have been reading this book with interest. Before I talk about Pa Ingalls and his mortal illness I will talk about how sad it was that Laura, Manly and Rose did not visit Pa and Ma Ingalls etc. more often. Sadly, every time they may have thought they could start saving for the trip there would be some crisis. Laura did say that every cent they earned would have to go towards the mortgage so a trip was out of the question until Pa was at death's door. Laura even considered scolding Rose for writing to her Aunt Mary too often - spending too much money on stamps - thankfully she did not so at least there was some communication between the two families in the pre-telephone era. No wonder Rose wanted to do something better with her life such as continue her education. Up until the age of 13 which she was at the start of the book she was largely shielded from the hardships her parents had to face and looked upon everything as an adventure. However she does turn 13 in this book and suddenly she is expected to behave like a young lady and take on adult concerns. On the way to see her parents Laura admits her guilt at giving Rose far too many chores and gives some indication that she would have liked to have more than one surviving child who would have helped take some of the stress and burden off Rose but that cruel fate (I strongly suspect, in the form of Almanzo's partial paralysis after contracting diptheria) had somehow decided otherwise.Anyhow, when Laura arrives in De Smet she is confronted by her father who is bedridden and short of breath and has just been given a dose of morphine. This could indicate that although his Death Certificate read Heart Disease I think the lead up to it was either Lung Cancer or Emphysema: Here are the symptoms of the illness:-Emphysema SymptomsShortness of breath is the most common symptom of emphysema. Cough, sometimes caused by the production of mucus, and wheezing may also be symptoms of emphysema. You may notice that your tolerance for exercise decreases over time. Emphysema usually develops slowly. You may not have any acute episodes of shortness of breath. Slow deterioration is the rule, and it may go unnoticed. This is especially the case if you are a smoker or have other medical problems that limit your ability to exercise.One of the hallmark signs of emphysema is "purse-lipped breathing." The person with emphysema is struggling to exhale completely, with airways that close when the chest wall collapses during expiration. They purse the lips, leaving only a small opening. Then, when they exhale, the lips block the flow of air, increasing pressure in the collapsed airways, and opening them, allowing the person to fully exhale.People with emphysema may develop a "barrel chest," where the distance from the chest to the back, which is normally less than the distance side to side, becomes more pronounced. This is a direct result of air becoming trapped behind obstructed airways.I think all this very much applied to Charles Ingalls. Firstly he smoked a pipe, secondly his carpentry work may have led him to inhale small wood particles and that may have affected his lungs.Pa's death was very moving especially his last words "Caroline - look how Laura's eyes are shining". They were no doubt shining all right, poor Laura was battling to hold back the tears. It really did indicate just how close Pa and Laura were and I wonder whether Pa would have held on for 5 weeks if Laura had not been there to comfort him.Anyhow, on a happier note things do look up for Rose when Aunt Eliza Jane becomes her Fairy Godmother as far as her education is concerned. I am about to read On the Banks of the Bayou, which from the reviews seems very interesting!All in all a very good book.jstevens1

I've recently re-read the entire Little House on the Prairie series and am now reading "The Rose Years" books for the first time. I am struck by the pace both of progress and regression in the U.S. during the 1850s through early 1900s represented in these books. I am fascinated by the technological progress witnessed by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Rose Wilder as it transformed the lives of everyone who lived through them. I am also highly interested to see the regression of the moral underpinnings of our society when comparing the strict but loving upbringing of Laura with the somewhat more permissive (although certainly still strict by today's standards) upbringing of Rose and those who were her compatriots.For those looking to find a glimpse of the history of the U.S., the Little House books are an excellent and enjoyable source. For those looking purely for entertainment or a good story to read to your children or grandchildren, these books are nearly as enjoyable as the original "Little House" series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Wasn't thrilled when I got the book. Now I know what prebound means. It's smaller than the normal size books and there is no dust cover. I bought all 8 books, but three are the prebound ones so it looks a bit off seeing them on the bookcase.

This is a really great book. It talks about Almonzo and Laura Wilder's only daughter, Rose, who is 13 at the turn of the 19th century!Very exciting, happy, full of joy and sorrow book! If you don't love it, you should get your head examined!

Loved Laura’s books so had to get the Rose books. While I’m enjoying them, the print in this particular book is awful!

my kids love to read this series

Love this book. Read it to my homeschoolers as a great view into our history.

Just love the Rose books.

Dear God, they’ve made Rose into a brat.I went into this, expecting much the same as the earlier books and was shocked at how different the description of Rose was. She’s hit her teenage years and given Laura and Almanzo a few grey hairs between them.In this, Rose decides she’s more in love with Paul than ever, but also possibly in love with a travelling man (not what I was originally thinking, a travelling salesman I would have called him) and being a bit “fresh”, if that’s the correct terminology from those days! She became “bosom buddies” with Elsa, who she meets the travelling salesman through, but nothing ever happens. Apart from Rose getting jealous all over again. She’s just desperate to get into long skirts and desperate to go this fancy finishing school, which is a mere $180 a year.Yes, she has become a brat, desperate to be like the other “cool kiddos” in her school. The book is littered with so much early 1900s slang, it’s unreal. Apparently it was the epitome of coolness to call people “kiddos” and Rose becomes “Buster” and Elsa becomes “Snookums”. It gets a bit too “try hard” with these hip and cool phrases littering the pages.What was interesting about this particular book, was Laura/Mama has a whole two chapters, solely told from her point of view. I won’t ruin it for anyone, but you can probably guess as to why she has two chapters dedicated to her. Although the language was a bit confusing, as she kept being referred to as Laura and then Mama.“EJ” ... sorry, Eliza Jane Wilder also turns up towards the end of the book. I best knew her from the wonderful portrayal that Lucy Lee Flippin gave in the TV series, rather than the books, as it was such a brilliant and memorable performance.After the earlier books, this feels a little different, in the way Rose is described. I can’t decide if this is how Rose actually was or if it’s the author/his daughter/ghostwriter/publisher trying to make her more hip and cool. (Bearing in mind, the author had left 4 unfinished manuscripts at the time of his death in 1995, so they could have been expanded and it potentially shows.) could Rose have described herself as a selfish and uncaring brat? I’m not sure but certainly for me, that’s the way she came across. One of the more enjoyable books of the series, if just to see the crazy change in Rose’s character.

good

Great book. Meant a lot to me growing up. Bought for my nieces. Bought a bunch so the reviews are going to repeat themselves

My g-daughter enjoyed the book

love this series.