Likely Stories - Laura Ingalls is Ruining My Life

“Laura Ingalls is Ruining My Life,” by Shelley Tougas, tells the story of

Charlotte, a middle school girl with a twin brother, a step sister, and a mom who has her head in the clouds. Her mom has moved the family from Florida to the brutal winters of Walnut Grove, Minnesota, known as the childhood home of the pioneer author. Her mom feels Laura’s spirit has called her to the plains to help her write a best selling book. Charlotte feels their move is just another place where her mom can avoid responsibility, like so many times before.

Charlotte and her siblings have been moved frequently by their mom. Charlotte is fed up with adjusting to prairie life and all things Laura. It only gets worse when out of no where her twin brother becomes Mr. Cool at school. How is this happening? This is not Little House on the Prairie for Charlotte, it’s the exact opposite.

Charlotte fakes being dumb even though she is obviously quite bright, and stays in the classroom with her teacher during lunch to avoid middle school hierarchy. Her teacher takes this opportunity to assign Charlotte topics on westward expansion. Charlotte is more enlightened, but her mom’s lack of making any progress on the next great American novel spurs Charlotte’s angst, and so she writes for class a paper titled, “Laura Ingalls is Ruining My Life.” To Charlotte’s surprise, it comes in second in a contest, and her prize is working at the local Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum. Through the work, Charlotte’s mind is opened to the arduous life for the prairie pioneers, and the plight of the Native Americans.

One night, the museum is vandalized, and Charlotte is blamed. How does she prove to her family and new community that she didn’t commit this crime? That she would never commit such a crime?

 This is a darling Young Adult book of middle school coming of age, filled with the anxiety and victory only those ages can reveal. I laughed several times picturing a middle school moment so well written. The book has a great deal of substance talking about poverty, prejudice, and an impossibly idyllic world. As a retired teacher, one of the things I enjoyed about the book was how Laura’s time and the losses of the Native Americans are presented side by side. I would recommend this book for anyone. For a middle school girl this would be a great weekend read, and for you teachers out there, this book would be a good companion to your lessons on Westward Expansion.

“Laura Ingalls is Ruining My Life,” by Shelley Tougas. You will cheer for Charlotte as she muddles through another new school, and you may learn a thing or two along the way about our country.

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