Undercover Prepper Book: Little House in the Big Woods
You won’t go too long in the Preparedness Community before you hear about prepper fiction or prepper books that you should read. Besides reading a good story, most preppers like to read apocalyptic books because it intertwines survival and preparedness topics, tips and tricks in the story. But sometimes, there are stories that you might not even consider to be in the prepper genre that fits in perfectly. One such book is the children’s book, Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
The book recently came to mind after Mic Roland mentioned it recently. It brought back memories of my 5th grade teacher reading the series to the class all those years ago. Of course, back then I wasn’t into preparedness. But Mic’s mention of it brought back a desire to review it again. And what I found is that the book has plenty of ideas and insights that many in preparedness would consider to be worthwhile.
Synopsis of Little House in the Big Woods
For those of you who aren’t familiar with Little House in the Big Woods, here is a synopsis.
“Little House in the Big Woods” is a classic children’s novel by Laura Ingalls Wilder that tells the story of the Ingalls family who live in a log cabin in the Wisconsin woods in the 1870s. The book follows the life of the main character, Laura, as she grows up and experiences the joys and challenges of living in the wilderness.
Throughout the book, we see the Ingalls family working hard to survive and thrive in their remote setting. They hunt for their own food, grow their own vegetables, and make their own clothes and household items. They also have to deal with various challenges such as harsh weather and illness, but they always find a way to overcome them.
One of the things that makes this book so special is the close-knit relationship between the family members. They are always there for each other and support each other through thick and thin. The book also highlights the importance of education and the role that reading and learning play in Laura’s life.
Overall, “Little House in the Big Woods” is a heartwarming and inspiring story about a family’s journey to survive and thrive in the wilderness. It’s a must-read for anyone who loves adventure and stories about strong, resilient families.
Food Storage Preps
The thing that really caught my attention in the first chapter is the food storage preparation for winter. The chapter, written from Laura Ingles Wilder point of view, talks about how the family prepared vegetables to store over winter. These were placed in the attic. The chapter also discusses Pa Ingles fishing trip and how they salted the fish to eat later in the winter. Laura also writes about Pa’s smoke house and how they preserved deer meat.
One food prep in particular took up a good portion of the first chapter. It was how the family pig was raised, slaughtered and prepared for food storage.
I thought it was kind of curious that the pig was released to just eat out in the wild, in the forest. And when the time came to fatten it off, Pa went to go grab it and bring it back to the pen. When they were ready, they slaughtered it.
One of the things I remember about being read this book the very first time is how gross it was to hear that Pa blew the pig bladder up for them and they used it like a ball or balloon. But I mean, if you think about it, back in those days in the 1800s,you didn’t have balloons.
So to them it was a treat! I also remember being grossed out about Laura and her sister Mary eating the pig’s tail. They roasted the pig’s tail on the fire and they ate it and it was so good to them. Yeah, no!
But they didn’t let any part of the pig go to waste, including the head. The first chapter talks about how Ma used the head to make pig cheese.
But a Prepper Book?
“Little House in the Big Woods” is a great book to read for preparedness because it shows how a family can survive and thrive in a self-sufficient manner. The Ingalls family, who are the main characters in the book, live in a log cabin in the Wisconsin woods in the 1870s and have to rely on their own resources for everything from food and shelter to entertainment and education. They hunt for their own food, grow their own vegetables, and make their own clothes and household items. They also have to deal with various challenges such as harsh weather and illness, but they always find a way to overcome them.
One of the things that makes this book so great for preparedness is that it illustrates how important it is to be resourceful and adaptable. The Ingalls family has to think on their feet and come up with creative solutions to problems that arise. For example, when they run out of sugar, they use honey instead. When they can’t find a doctor, they use herbal remedies. They also have to be prepared for anything, such as making sure they have enough firewood to last the winter or packing a bag with essentials in case they have to leave their home in a hurry.
Overall, “Little House in the Big Woods” is a great read for anyone interested in preparedness because it shows how a family can live a simple yet fulfilling life with very little in terms of modern conveniences. It’s a reminder that we can be self-sufficient and independent if we put our minds to it and that we don’t need to rely on others for everything. Plus, it’s a heartwarming and entertaining story that will keep you engaged from start to finish!
Get the Book
Since I mostly listen to Audible books nowadays. I was happy to learn that Little House in the Big Woods was on Audible. In fact, the whole series is on Audible and the books are very affordable. But if you want a hard copy, you can easily find them on Amazon.
Have you read the Little House in the Prairie series? If so, what was your favorite scene?