Pioneer Girl : Growing Up on the Prairie

by Andrea Warren

Grace McCance was three when her family settled in a one-room sod house on the lonely Nebraska prairie. There was hard work for everyone, the nearest water source was two miles away, and disaster could strike at any time in the form of a tornado, a drought, or a rattlesnake bite. Still, Grace thrived amid the dusty soil of the American heartland -- "I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful life".

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Childrens, Chapter Books, Historical, Coming Of Age

96 pages, Library Binding

First published September 1, 1998

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really good!! It is a short read (I could have finished it in one day if I had not been reading more books. haha). It gives a good insight into the life of the first pioneers in Nebraska(or just pioneers in general). This book was based around one woman and her family, because she had a memoir that the author used as a primary source. It covers her youth to adulthood.
Towards the end of the book there was talk about how the weather got bad and there was struggle with the crops and stock. I thought this was especially poignant "Most pioneer children did not know how hard their lives were. They just did what had to be done. One pioneer child said, "No matter what happened, we always planned on next year being a good year and never quite gave up, for along with all the hard work and worry we had lots of fun and good times" (p88).

[Lacey Losh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pioneer Girl is an engaging biography of one young girl's journey from a comfortable life on an established Missouri farm with her family to living a homestead lifestyle with them in Nebraska. The book focuses on her childhood, growing up on the prairie and facing the hardships and challenges that came with it. It also spends a few pages on her adulthood years and the pursuit of her dreams. The story is full of family photographs from her sod house home and facts about pioneer living, written in a style that will appeal to readers young and old.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful true story of a pioneer woman in the early days of Nebraska. Grace McCance moved to Nebraska at the age of three, and this account follows her all the way to the end of her life and the many changes she encountered during that time. Living in a sod house for most of her life, she and her family endured prairie fires, drought, blizzards and grasshopper plagues. They worked hard from sunup to sundown, every day of the year, even the children barely old enough to walk. It's like a true Little House on the Prairie with no sugar-coating the hardships, but giving a child-eye view of the beauty of this harsh land.

[Joy Kidney · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Grandma Leora's family "went bust" in NE Nebraska during the 1890s drought. The McCance family stuck it out in central Nebraska during the same time. Grace McCance remembered so many dear details, like making horses from tumbleweeds, Indians learning German as a second language, the battle over wearing a bonnet, a pet rooster that liked to visit while feasting on grasshoppers. Grace was the second daughter in a family of seven girls and two boys. She hoped one day to make the most beautiful quilts and to marry a cowboy, which she did. They camped out the first night, then had their wedding portrait taken the next day.

Decades ago, I did a lot of quilting, so was familiar with the remarkable Flower Basket Petit Pointe quilt, which was designated as one of the top 100 quilts of the 20th Century by Quilters Newsletter Magazine in 1999. Grace McCance Snyder made that quilt in 1943!

This little book also has a helpful Afterword, resource suggestions, and an index.

[Dogeared Wanderer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short biography of Grace McCance who lived in Nebraska from three years old until her death at 100. She lived in a sod house and grew up helping her family survive the pioneer days. The story has many interesting facts about her life and personality. Her mother was careful to keep a routine and clean home even with the dirt, bedbugs, and difficulties of home life on the prairie. Her father was a hard worker who provided for their family that grew to nine children!

The book is less than 100 pages and geared for ages 8-12, though I enjoyed it also. It would make a great family read-aloud or nice supplement in history class for Nebraska history, pioneers around the time of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the Great Depression, and sod houses. There are plenty of black and white photos throughout the book.

[B2652 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book based on a memoir and family memories of a hardworking, strong girl and her family. Stories like Grace's are important and should be kept alive so that our current society can understand the value of tenacity, community and a positive attitude. I liked the addition of the experiences of minorities and the cost to Native Americans during this period of pioneering.
Remembering the contribution of women, immigrants, Blacks and Native Americans is an important piece especially now!

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read, interesting facts about life on the prairie, but not really much of a "story." It follows one girl and her family but isn't told in such a way that you're really able to get into their lives.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I learned a lot. This book was very educational and interesting. I learned more about the reality of sod houses. Ugh. But it was amazing to learn about how many of our ancestors lived. I highly recommend this book!

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this in preparation for writing life stories of my grandparents, who homesteaded on the Nebraska prairies. I give it 3 stars for what it was, a source of enrichment to guide my family history writing.

[Ashley Breanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Similar to Laura Ingalls Wilder books, this one is up my alley. It's a very simple, short story involving a real-life family in the pioneer years. I enjoyed learning about their sod houses and the struggles that came with living in one. Fans of the Little House books would enjoy this quick read.

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I have read many books about prairie life, this one was well-paced and kept my interest because there are a lot of details and information and personal reflections to make the book hard to set down. It is definitely a great addition in our school library.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Laura Ingalls Wilder and other Pioneer non-fiction, so this book was a great find! I would totally recommend this book!!

[Mckinley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done.

[Chelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It held my interest from beginning to end. I learned a lot about what life was like for homesteaders in Nebraska and how hard everything was for them.

[Kyra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this book years ago and I was finally able to finish it

I loved it, it was very interesting

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book on pioneer life in a sod house in the late 1800s. It mostly follows one particular family, but has photos from the time period from other people and places.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

favorite type of non fiction book

[Eatcelery · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was ok. Typical prairie story. I would have rather read the real memoir but our local library does not have it. the real one is No Time On My Hands by Grace Snyder

[Gillianne Y · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pioneer Girl: Growing Up on the Prairie is a biography about Grace McCance and her pioneer life. The book is filled with real, short historical events (about her life) in chronological order (her childhood till' about her 20's). It is mostly about the struggles the McCance family have dealt ad conquered with. They have dealt with lots of dreadful conditions: lack of money, lack of clean water, harsh weather conditions, and lots more. The book truly demonstrates how immovable Grace and her family were throughout their pioneer life.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful way to get broad picture of the story of Grace Snyder if you have not read No Time on My Hands. It is also a great little addition to follow the book if you have read No Time on My Hands. It is full of extra photos. If you enjoyed the book you will enjoy this additional biography which although intended for children is a delightful read and a quick brush with the history of homesteading and pioneers.

[Susan Beals · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was interested in the book because both of my Mom's parents were born in Nebraska and were just a little younger than Grace McCance whose story is told in this book.
It's an easy read but has a lot of very interesting details about the lives and experiences of the people who homesteaded the Nebraska prairie.

[Rosa Cline]

4 star

This biography is written very similar to Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House books. But has a 'feel' all it's own as well. A little girl's story about growing up and the things she and her family had to do to survive. But to them it was just living, nothing more. The little girl in the story grew up to be over 100 before her death.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this out thinking I might read it to the grandboys, but the lack of male characters ruled it out. Still, it was an interesting little book, and a true story.

[Timothy Luvs beyblade · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is awesome

[Summer]

i loved it

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can't wait to read the memoir on which this junior edition is based. Grace McCance Snyder (1882-1982) lived an amazing century as a true pioneer woman on the prairie and sand hills of Nebraska.

[Aaryansinghal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is really interesting. It describes the lives of pioneers which lived in the plains in the 1800s-1900s really well. It describes all their traditions, customs, etc.

[Mindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am fascinated by pioneer life, so I liked this book a lot.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love anything about pioneer life. This is a quick read, only 100 pages.