Little Town at the Crossroads (Little House)
Grade 3-6.  Fans of "The Little House on the Prairie" books (HarperCollins) will probably enjoy this new series based on the notebooks of Caroline Quiner, who later became the mother of Laura Ingalls. The stories are centered in Brookfield, WI, and spill over with details of life there in the 1800s. Wilkes's descriptive prose style sets an appropriate tone for this episodic tale in which chapters are strung together like a series of vignettes. The hard work of farming, family life, and the ongoing struggle to support the family from the land are vividly conveyed. Throughout, the underlying strength and importance of a loving family is emphasized. Characters are somewhat two-dimensional. Caroline is sensitive and wise for her years. Her mother, a widow, is a strong, understanding woman who struggles to raise her four children and run the household alone. The Quiner children get into mischief at times, but it's all very tame. Caroline's mother demonstrates her determination and courage at the end of the book when she announces that she will find land of her own after learning that she must leave her present home. This seems to set the stage for a sequel. The book offers extensive historical information and presents the possibility for interdisciplinary teaching.?Renee Steinberg, Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.