Prairie School

By Lois Lenski

Book Overview

It's the worst blizzard in fifty years! Delores is very ill, but there's no way to get through the snow. How long will she be stranded at school? Out on the South Dakota prairie, the winters are fierce. This storm is the worst one yet: It's below freezing outside, and the winds are howling. All of the other kids have gone home, but Delores's family can't get to her, so she has to stay at the school. Between a fuel shortage and having to boil snow for drinking water, it's been hard for both Delores and her teacher, Miss Martin. Now Delores is very ill. How will Miss Martin get her to the doctor in all this snow? Prairie School was inspired by letters from children at a real South Dakota prairie school, which Lenski then visited during the severe blizzards of the winter of 1950. "Miss Lenski's real understanding of her prairie children makes this another distinguished . . . regional story." -The Horn Book Magazine Born in Springfield, Ohio, in 1893, Lois Lenski achieved acclaim as both an author and illustrator of children's literature. For her Regional America series, Lenski traveled to each of the places that became a subject of one of her books. She did meticulous research and spoke with children and adults in the various regions to create stories depicting the lives of the inhabitants of those areas. Her novel of Florida farm life, Strawberry Girl, won the Newbery Award in 1946. She also received a Newbery Honor in 1942 for Indian Captive, a fictionalized account of the life of Mary Jemison. Lenski died in 1974.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1453250115
• ISBN13: 9781453250112
• Release Date: December 2011
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.
• Length: 228 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

An enduring childhood classic

Today's children will enjoy the story of a one-room prairie school in the late 1940's. Delores, Darrell, and their friends love the teacher, Miss Martin, and are fascinated by her city ways. Miss Martin is dedicated to making sure the children have the best education possible, but heavy snows and farm chores cause many absences. Several childen are marooned at the school after a blizzard strikes. At first it is fun spending the night with Miss Martin and eating canned food instead of their mothers' home cooking. After the other children are rescued, Delores falls ill. Miss Martin is forced to flag down the train, hampered by the heavy snow, to get her pupil to a hospital. Lenski's description of the hours the girl and her teacher waited in the deserted depot is truly breathtaking.

Prarie School is great!

I loved the book prarie school. Lois Lenski is a great author. If I had to read this story again I would love it. If you want to read a book that is exciting, and interesting, this is it. I am a lover of history. Read this book!

Prairie School

I really enjoyed this book. The children and their teacher MissMartin have several adventures. Miss Martin flys in an airplane flownby one of her former students. The children are trapped at theschoolhouse by a blizzard and they run out of coal to heat with. During this blizzard one of the children gets sick. Miss Martin has to try to get her to a Doctor. With the help of her former student, who flys an airplane, all turns out well.