Rose at Rocky Ridge: Adapted from the Rose Years Books (Little House Chapter Book)

MacBride, Roger Lea

ISBN 10: 0060281561 ISBN 13: 9780060281564

Publisher: Harpercollins, 2000

Synopsis

When Rose Wilder and her parents arrive in Missouri, they must work hard to make a rundown farm into their own home.

About this title

About the Author:

Roger Lea MacBride, a close friend of Rose Wilder Lane's, was the author of the Rose Years novels.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

Chapter OneA New Home

Rose Wilder sat on the wagon seat between Mama and Papa. Her little dog Fido sat on Mama's lap. Rose was excited. They were on their way to their new home.

Rose had spent the whole summer traveling in the covered wagon. Mama and Papa had decided to leave the South Dakota prairie and move to a part of Missouri called The Land of the Big Red Apple.

The Cooleys had traveled with them. Rose had played with her friends, Paul and George Cooley, when the wagons had stopped along the trail. Paul was the oldest, George was eight, and Rose was seven and a half. They were great friends.But now summer was almost over and they were all living in Missouri. Papa had bought a little farm where they would grow apples. Rose couldn't wait to see it.

"Is it far?" Rose asked.

"Just on the other side of town," Mama answered.

Rose grinned happily. They weren't going far away at all.

Papa drove the wagon through town. They passed the hotel where the Cooleys were living. Mr. Cooley had said he'd had enough of farming. He wanted to run a hotel. Paul and George were town boys now. Rose was going to be a country girl.

Outside of town, they passed a tall, square building. It had big windows all around it and a bell tower on top.

"That's the schoolhouse where you'll go to school," Mama said.

"Will Paul and George go there, too?" Rose asked.

"Of course," said Mama. "It's the only school in town."

Rose let out a little sigh of relief. She watched everything with bright eyes as the road dipped into the woods. The wagon went through a leafy tunnel of trees.

Soon Papa turned the horses off the road. Rose could see a faint set of wagon tracks running out in front of them through a little valley. A sparkling stream rippled beside them as they drove.

After a while, Papa stopped the wagon beside the stream. The horses bent their heads down to drink the clear water.

"Here we are!" Mama sang out. "What do you think?"

Rose looked up at the green hills around them. She didn't see a farm, or anything that looked like apple trees.

Papa tightened the reins and whistled to the horses. They raised their heads and leaned forward to pull the wagon across the stream. The wagon rolled up a hill and came to a stop in a clearing.

A little log house sat on one side of the clearing under some tall trees. Dead branches and old leaves covered the roof. Sticks and half-cut logs were piled on the ground.

The little log house looked lonely and run-down. But Rose thought it was the most beautiful house in the world. She scrambled over Mama's lap and climbed down the wagon wheel. She ran right up to the open door and peered inside.

The first room was a lean-to. It was narrow with slanted walls and a slanted roof. There was a hole in the ceiling for a stove pipe. The earth floor was covered with dead leaves.

The next room was bigger. It had a wooden floor and it was very dark. The little house had no windows at all.

Inside, the big room smelled like the woods. Dead leaves had blown into the corners. The floor squeaked as Rose walked.

"Rose!" Mama called from outside. "Come and help unload. It'll be dark soon."

Rose ran back outside. She found Fido sniffing around a pile of brush. His ears and tail stood straight up.

Rose began to carry a chair into the little house, but Mama stopped her.

"We're going to spend one more night in the wagon," Mama said.

"Can't we sleep in the little house, Mama?" Rose asked.

"Not until we scrub it, top to bottom," Mama told her.

As the sun went down, Rose watched the tall trees around them. The woods turned a ghostly gray. Everything became quiet and still. It seemed to Rose like the trees were listening.

In the silence Rose heard the soft sound of water bubbling. The sound came from behind the house. She knew it must be a little creek. It seemed to Rose like the water was laughing.

Rose wanted to go find the creek, but there were so many dark shadows now. She felt a little afraid. She couldn't wait until daylight to explore their new little farm.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harpercollins
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0060281561
• ISBN 13: 9780060281564
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 69
• Illustrator: Ettlinger Doris