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The Long Winter
Last updated Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
Illustrator: Garth Williams
Date of Publication: 1953
ISBN: 0060264608
Grade Level: 4th (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Dec. 2025
Synopsis:
The fledgling town of De Smet in the Dakota Territory is hit hard by the brutal winter of 1880-1881. Laura, Pa, Ma, Mary, Carrie, and little Grace face the winter as best they can, but soon, blizzards have covered the town in snow that piles up to the rooftops, cutting the town off from supplies and trade. Food stores begin to run dangerously low.
To save the town from starvation, young Almanzo Wilder and a friend brave the conditions, set off across the prairie in search of wheat, and return victorious. The town is saved, and the townspeople share in an unusual, but joyful, Christmas celebration.
| Note to readers: |
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This book is based on the author’s own life experiences of surviving the Great Blizzard of 1880 (145 years ago) at
the homesteads of North Dakota. There are TV series and movies based on the series of books- Litle House on The
Prairie.
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| Discussion topics for before reading: |
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If your family decided to move far away and you were limited to taking 5 of your own things with you, what would
you take?
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If you were stuck indoors with your family and some friends for days during a huge storm, what would you do for
fun?
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What food items would you go get if you knew there was a big storm coming?
Vocabulary:
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Pioneer: A person who is the first to settle in a new land.
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Territory: An area of land that is owned by the government. The "Dakota Territory" in this book became North and South Dakota. (Hawaii and Alaska used to be territories. They became states in 1959).
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Blizzard: A huge snowstorm with winds higher than 35 miles an hour and visibility - meaning how far you can see - of less than ¼ of a mile - and it lasts for more than 3 hours.
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Perseverance: The ability to keep going when things are difficult, instead of giving up.
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Weary: Mentally or physically tired.
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| Discussion topics for during/after reading: |
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The Great Blizzard of 1880 in this book happened 145 years ago. What is similar in those days to ours? What things are different?
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If you were in a blizzard like the family in the story and someone was stressing out, what would you do or say to calm them down?
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The government gave the Ingalls family free land if they moved to North Dakota. If you knew that you would be stuck in a horrible blizzard without very much food, would you still try to move and make a homestead like they did?
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| Craft ideas: |
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Make Snowflakes with Paper Coffee Filters or Construction Paper.
1) Start by folding a coffee filter circle in half. (If you don’t have coffee filters, make a large circle on a piece of construction paper.) These can be colored if with pens or crayons if you would like.
2) Then imagine this semi-circle in thirds and then fold the right third over, and then the left third over. Try to get all of the folds to line up as close as possible for the most symmetrical snowflake.
3) Fold the coffee filter in half one last time. You will then have a ‘cone’ shape with one curved edge.
4) Now you can create your snowflake pattern! Start by cutting away from the edges of your folded paper but be careful not to cut all the way across. You can cut some straight or curvy lines, but straight lines are generally easier. If you cut off the tip, you’ll have a snowflake with a hole in the middle. You will find that the more you cut away, the more delicate your snowflake will look.
5) Unfold your cut shape to reveal a snowflake!
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Make holiday cards or draw something from the book.
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| Special activities: |
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Do the Word Search.
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*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions.
You can use them, but you don't have to use them.
You can expand upon them, or add your own twist.
Remember, though, that the focus of your time should
not be on the development and execution of a craft;
the focus should be on the read-aloud and the
enjoyment of the book!
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