Oh, I remember all the details about the food! But the pig's bladder as balloon is still my single clearest memory of ... whichever of the first two books it was in. That just astounded me.

My very favorite YA novel, which I still reread joyfully, is Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones. So much love. The tone, the voice, the story -- it all works, even forty-some years later.

I think Laura had such vivid memories of food because the family had so many times of near starvation. Remember when she had her first orange?

I recently reread Roller Skates for the umpteenth time and realized that Lucinda Wyman is probably the most vivid fictional character in my head. I can close my eyes and see her swooping through old New York in her dress and pinafore, with her hat held on by elastic and her cropped black hair.

but the meals (and sheer amount that they eat) in Farmer Boy are truly incredible.

Definitely true. I also love the way she writes Almanzo as being such a typical little boy, always hungry, full of high spirits, but also more than a little thoughtful and very clever (the way he wins his bet during the sheep shearing is simply brilliant).

Rather sad to think that, later in his life, he came to view himself as a failure, from his inability to maintain a profitable farm due to his weakened leg from diptheria and the lack of sons to help him run the farm. (Pa had similar problems due to the lack of male progeny.)

Oh, I remember all the details about the food! But the pig's bladder as balloon is still my single clearest memory of ... whichever of the first two books it was in. That just astounded me.

That's Big Woods, where they also fry the pig's tale and make the snow syrup.

Roald Dahl has some delumpcious (BFG) eating scenes - the best of which are in Danny The Champion of the World. The description of Toad-in-the-Hole in that book made it sound like the most delectable foodstuff ever invented.

My friend M and I have this theory that all Almanzo could remember about his childhood with clarity was the food, and that is why there is so much of it. This is borne out by an interview I read with Rose interviewing him on the past and Almanzo giving all these terse one word answers.

I just got the info about the CTY class I will be teaching online this summer to 4th and 5th graders: [link]

This is going to be so much fun!

You people are making me want to re-read the Little House books.

Maybe I'll take them on vacation later this month.

This is going to be so much fun!

It sure looks like it. I've been wanting to read Inkheart. Maybe I should pick that up when I'm done with Poisonwood.

It sure looks like it. I've been wanting to read Inkheart. Maybe I should pick that up when I'm done with Poisonwood.