Caddie Woodlawn

The book was published in the 1930s and depicts Wisconsin pioneer life during the 1860s. While I found the book somewhat interesting, I think it may best serve nowadays as a historical snapshot of how even 'positive' portrayals of American Indians at the time were cringingly racist. Multiple instances of conversations between Caddie's family and the local American Indian tribe of the 'Ug, me Indian, you Red Hair' variety. Multiple references to 'savages' and 'half breeds.' In one scene that glowed with smug self-satisfaction, Caddie buys treats for three disheveled 'half breed' brothers who attend her school and includes combs and handkerchiefs amongst the treats along with gentle but firm instructions on combing their hair and wiping their noses. The author truly meant well and I'm sure the viewpoint accurately reflects the time it was written; however, I wouldn't recommend it. If readers are interested in pioneer life, I much preferred the 'Sarah Plain and Tall' series.

I mostly enjoyed Caddie Woodlawn. Several things really stuck out to me. Mainly, I liked Caddie. She had spunk and was compassionate and courageous. She doesn’t conform to quite everyone around her, but those around her--her siblings, her parents, her uncle, Indian John--know that she merits respect, and her independent mind and spiritedness make her both a lively friend and sibling and the single person who could stand up to the ignorant frontiersmen who wanted to massacre the local tribe of Indians. This is definitely a book in the mold of Little House on the Prairie, with alternatingly funny, moral, and exciting stories of frontier life.

Only a few small things annoyed me in the book. Mainly, I didn’t like how Caddie seems at the end more willing to change her identity that is so celebrated throughout the book. That seems to undercut the novel’s message a little. Obviously, the novel is sometimes dated in its depictions, particularly, of the Native Americans.

On the whole, Caddie Woodlawn is not, for me, anywhere near the top tear of Newbery Winners, but it is a worthwhile read. People who loved frontier stories like the Little House books or Old Yeller will find a lot to enjoy here.

First things first - Caddie Woodlawn is a fully realized and compelling frontier heroine, with a lot more spunk than her Little House on the Prairie companions. A very strong character for boys and girls, she epitomizes the independent can-do attitude of the first frontiersmen. If your little reader doesn't have the patience or interest to read widely in this area, then Caddie Woodlawn is certainly a good choice to at least give him or her a taste of this kind of literature.

Bear in mind, though, that some of the reviews that emphasize the thrilling adventure and fantastic derring-do of the heroine may be overstating things a bit. This is a quieter book than that would suggest, and while it certainly has its rewards, I don't think "thrilling" does it justice. But, that said, I wouldn't dismiss this as "slow" or "dated". It holds up very well for what it is. And, this may be exactly the kind of book for which a sample chapter reading would be very helpful to a potential purchaser.

I read this historical fiction classic aloud to my children. It takes place in 1864 during the pioneer days, and it won the 1936 Newbery Medal.

Caddie is 11 years old, and she is a tomboy who feels more comfortable roughhousing with her brothers (Tom, age 13 and Warren, age 9) than cooking and sewing with her sisters. Interestingly, the adventurous children in the Woodlawn family were the red-headed ones, and the dark-haired ones were more proper. The family moved from Boston to Wisconsin, and both Caddie and her sister, Mary, were frail and weak. After little Mary died, Father begged Mother to let him try an experiment with Caddie because he was desperate not to lose another child. He wanted Caddie to be allowed to play in the sunshine because he believed it would restore her health. He didn't want her to be keep indoors being raised as a proper young lady. He was right. Caddie thrived, and she was the apple of her father's eye.

Across the Menomonie River, there lived a local Native American tribe. Caddie struck up a friendship with the Chief, whom the kids called Indian John, and the natives were fascinated with the red-haired children. They did not mind when the kids crossed the river to come for a visit.

A rumour runs rampant among the white settlers that the natives are planning a massacre, which was what happened two years before when the Minnesota Natives killed over one thousand white settlers. Because of this, most of the settlers are apprehensive about the natives. Father does not believe that the rumour is true because he trusts the honour of Indian John and his tribe. The settlers are afraid, and they band together so that they can be united in the event that a massacre does occur. Father assures his neighbours that there is nothing to fear, but he still invites them to stay at the Woodlawn farm. Caddie overhears some of the men discussing the situation, and they want to take the offensive position and attack the natives instead of waiting to see what will happen. She is horrified, and she feels she must go and warn Indian John before it is too late.

Wow, what a fantastic story! Caddie is such an excellent role model for young girls. She is courageous, thoughtful, and fiercely loyal to those she loves. She refuses to be swayed by the opinions of others, and she is not afraid to be the one in the crowd who is different. She stands up for what she believes in, even when she is in the minority. She has more character than many adults.

We loved this book, and I highly recommend it! We have already bought the companion story, Caddie Woodlawn's Family.

Caddie Woodlawn is a delightful book that Carol Ryie Banks wrote based on stories her grandmother had told her about her childhood. To say that Caddie is a tomboy is putting it mildly! She is one little girl who has been allowed to run wild during a time in our history that girl children were traditionally taught to act prim and proper. Her adventures with the local Indian tribe among others make for facinating reading for people of any age. I enjoyed this book just as much when I read it as a child of nine or ten as I did as an adult when I read it to my third and fourth grade students. I highly recommend Caddie Woodlawn and her companion novel Magical Melons as novels to teach today's children what life was like for those living during the 1800s, the settling of our gre at nation.

As this book opens in 1864, Caddie Woodlawn is eleven and a tomboy living with her parents, brothers Tom, Warren, and baby Joe, and sisters Clara, Hetty, and Minnie in the woods of western Wisconsin. She would rather hunt, plow, and play with her brothers in the forest than sew, bake, or learn to keep house. Caddie and her family have adventures involving the circuit riding preacher, pigeons, a battle in the schoolroom, Indians, a "massacree" scare, a scalp belt, and poor cousin Annabelle. Historically, they experience the end of the Civil War and the assassination of President Lincoln. Caddie's father, who had emigrated from England, even gets a letter telling him that he has inherited the family estate back in England. Will the Woodlawns go or stay in Wisconsin?
Based on the true stories which the author's grandmother told her when Brink was little about her own childhood on the Wisconsin frontier, Caddie Woodlawn is great historical fiction which will help young people understand what life was like for children growing up in the wilderness during the middle 1860s. In fact, Caddie was still alive, at age 82, when the book was published in 1935. It won the Newbery Medal the following year. Brink says that she added a few incidents for the purposes of plot but kept the real background and the characters of the real story in mind. I guess the theme of the book can be summed up by Caddie's thoughts at the end. "Folks keep growing from one person into another all their lives, and life is just a lot of everyday adventures." The euphemism "golly" appears rather frequently. Most people will have no problem with that, but some parents might want to know. Otherwise, this is a thoroughly enjoyable chronicle about the simple joys of family and community in an earlier time. There is a sequel, originally named Magical Melons but now sold under the title Caddie Woodlawn's Family.

I read this book aloud to several of my children. The little ones lost interest, but my 9-year old loved it. She had recently devoured the Little House on the Prairie series, and this appealed to her in the same way.

For myself, I found Caddie Woodlawn a pleasant story with likable characters, humor, adventure, and even some heart-tugging moments as Caddie matures and things come full circle.

A lovely book that families can share and enjoy!

All right, Jim Trelease (some obscure author quoted on back of my copy) I believe I WILL take "Little House!"
While I didn't dislike "Caddie Woodlawn" I found too many similarities between the two stories that distracted me from my reading experience.
1) A visiting uncle
2) Lost dog
3) Largest, meanest boy in the schoolhouse disciplined by Teacher
4) Indians and prairie fires
5) Stories and songs sprinkled throughout the narrative

Don't mistake me, this is still a worthwhile read. Caddie may be a tomboy and class leader like Laura Ingalls, but Caddie also came from (in those days) a prosperous "Farmer Boy" family who never had to worry their pretty red heads about money for slate pencils on the first day of school.

Despite shared sequences of pioneer life between "Little House" and "Caddie," there is still much to take away from reading this entertaining, heartwarming story-such as lessons in family dynamics. Or how about the old pioneer adage, "Fix it up-wear it out-make it do-or do without!"

We lost more than human rights for the "original settlers" of this land when white men came. The abundance and security of the traditional family unit and the presence of kind, strong, loving fathers are painfully absent from the lives of so many of today's children. A return to such "old-fashioned values" are why everyone needs to read this Newberry Award winning book.

In Civil War era Wisconsin, the Woodlawn family lives on what's still very much the U.S. frontier. 11-year-old Caddie and her brothers, Tom and Warren, love their farm and the woods and fields surrounding it. Caddie's friends include Indian John, a member of the tribe that often camps nearby. Caddie's father decided to allow this daughter to run wild with the boys, and to let her put off turning into a "lady" for as long as possible, when she was a small and sickly child; and his prescription has certainly worked, for Caddie is as strong and healthy now as a girl could be. She is also the despair of both her proper Bostonian mother and her ladylike big sister, Clara. What does the future hold for a tomboy like Caddie, in this time when adult roles for women and men are so clearly defined?

I vaguely remember reading this classic novel of childhood when I was not very old myself, but I found it fresh and new when read now from an adult's viewpoint. First published in 1935, it's anything else but dated because it captures its young protagonist and the people around her so vividly that the reader is pulled into their time and place and held there until the story ends. A classic for good reason!

--Reviewed by Nina M. Osier, author of "Tabitha June Is a Shoulder Cat"

CADDIE WOODLAWN was published the year I was born and it won the Newbery Medal the following year (1936). I first read it in seventh or eighth grade, around 1947-48. It became one of my three favorite books from my pre-high school years. I have read it several times since then, most recently last week. I still love it. It’s great for painting riveting pictures of life on the prairie as well as depicting a loving family with mischievous, fun-loving kids who respect and obey their parents--most of the time.

_Hope Irvin Marston, author of SACKETS HARBOR POWDER MONKEY: THE WAR OF 1812.

Fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder will enjoy Caddie Woodlawn as well. It's filled with childhood adventures in Wisconsin at a time when Indian attacks were still feared. Based on the real life adventures told to the author by her grandmother, the tales summon up a hardy pioneer family and their daily activities with sad times and humorous events too.
Children will relate to Caddie's prank of sending a city-slicker cousin into the sheep pen with some salt. The cousin gets thoroughly frightened by the flock and loses all the decorative buttons she took such pride in. Caddie gets punished and ponders running away from home. A talk with her father soothes the hurt feelings and turns it into a learning and growth experience.
Enjoy the spelling bees and berry picking in a wholesome story that will remind readers of stories like Anne of Green Gables and television shows like The Waltons.

Caddie Woodlawn is an 11-year-old pioneeer girl livng in America during the Civil War. Caddie likes to run wild with her brothers and do very un-lady-like things like turning sommersaults in the haymow and plowing, rather than sewing and working around the house like her mother wishes her to do. Caddie has many adventures outdoors with her brothers, like going to Chimney Bluffs to pick berries and seeing a live rattlesnade only a few feet away from them! Caddie is friends with the Indians that live nearby, and she once saved them from being attacked by white settlers! A lot later in the book, Caddie and her family are given the chance to return to England, the place where Mr. Woodlawn emmigrated from, and live richly and fancily. They decide to stay in America and live as they are, free Americans. Caddie doesn't want to grow up to be a lady, but her father talks to her about how important ladies are and that she doesn't have to be a "silly,affected person with fine clothes and manners whom folks sometimes call a lady", as he says in the book, but a wise, understanding, and strong woman. This changes Caddie's mind and helps her be happy about growing up.

Caddie Woodlawn is a wonderful Newbery Medal winning book. The story is set in Wisconsin at the same time that the American Civil War is being fought in the East. It was a time when everyone had fireplaces instead of heaters, paper and pencils instead of computer typing programs and outhouses instead of indoor plumbing. News and letters from the East come every few months on a steamer boat.

Caddie comes from a large family. She has 6 brothers and sisters. They have plenty to do to keep them busy on the farm. In summer and winter they all go to school. In the off months, the neighboring town uses the school.

Caddie is an 11-year old girl who is a real tomboy. She always takes on her brother's challenges and tries to beat them at everything. She'd much rather work in the fields than stay inside and sew. The neighbors think of her as odd. Not only is Caddie a tomboy, she also befriends the local Native Americans. But Caddie doesn't care, she is a free spirit. I liked that she was true to her self. She's a good role model.

What I found most interesting about this book is that it's based on real people. The author, Carol Ryrie Brink, based the whole story on her own grandmother, Caddie Woodhouse. I recommend it very much to people who liked Little House on The Prairie, but those who prefer books with a fast pace should steer clear. This is one story I'll always remember!

(This book was read and reviewed by CookieBooky kid.)

This story takes place in Wisconsin. Most of the story takes place in the summer and the events happen in the late 1800's. In this story the main character is Caddie a 12-year girl who likes to berry pick, ride bare back and is friends with Indians. Caddie's mother (Harriet) does not approve of Caddie's wild behavior and constantly tries to persuade her to learn how to sew and cook. After playing a trick on cousin Annabelle, Caddie finally under stands why acting like a lady matters.

The other main characters are Hetty, a girl who can't help being a tattletale. Warren is an extremely adventurous boy who gets stage fright, and Tom the oldest and tallest of all the children. Caddie's father runs a farm, and is friendly towards Indians and can tap dance. Mother is a woman who is frightened of Indians and sells turkeys. Nero the Wood lawns family dog enjoys hunting, playing and is a loyal dutiful dog.

My favorite part of the story was when Nero kept trying to stand on his hind paws. The problem in this story is people think the Indians are going to Massacre but the Indians are not going to attack. Some of the white men are going to instead.

I give this book a five star rating because the author really put a lot of detail into the story. My opinion about this book would have to be that it was very well written. I would recommend this book because it was very adventurous and exciting. If you would like to find out more about this book you should read it.

I have seen Caddie Woodlawn at various bookstores and libraries and sales for years. Yet, for some reason, I have always chosen to leave the book on the shelf or completely ignore its existence. As I have been forced to admit in similar cases in the past, this was another oversight and mistake on my part. Unfortunately, I picked this book up too late. Reading it as an adult was not a bad experience at all, but I know that I would have loved and even cherished the story had I only read it when I was a child. I highly recommend the version of the book with the Author's Note in which she confides that the character of Caddie was based on stories of her grandmother's childhood (that the author loved to hear).

Caddie Woodlawn basically follows the adventures of Caddie and her family over the course of a short period of time. Allowed to grow up as a tomboy (to her mother's dismay) because of her own father's reasoning, Caddie spends more time being one of the boys and playing with her brothers than anything else. This character is definitely one that younger readers can admire, but she also has her faults, and for any parents out there, she always learns her lesson. She is a character with a big heart, actively seeks adventure, has a generous if not playful nature, and possesses a wisdom that seems to surpass her years.

While I thought this book was quite light in tone, I very much enjoyed the read. More than anything, I think this book is best suited for young children (I would say the ideal age is 8-10; though this is not saying older readers, such as myself, will not enjoy it). This would also make an excellent read-aloud for parents or siblings who like to read to their children or brothers and sisters (especially if you throw in some accents).

Of the stories told by her grandmother and on her reason for using them as the inspiration for this book, Carol Ryrie Brink had this to say, "If I loved them so much, perhaps other children would love them, too" (Author's Note, vii). While I am no longer a child and found this book too late, I will say that in this reader's case, and in many others, the author is right. I very much enjoyed hearing Caddie Woodlawn's story.

If readers enjoy this story and want something similar, I recommend the Little House series or Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen.

Caddie Woodlawn is a spectacular book. Caddie Woodlawn was the dream of her father and the dread of her mother. She was a tomboy who played with her bothers and helped her father mend clocks. She's also friends with the Indians that live across the river. When Uncle Edmund comes, he picks Caddie to come hunting with him because she is good at spotting things. When her family gets news that the Indians are going to massacre, all of the neighbors come to stay at the Woodlawn's house. Caddie over hears some of the neighbor men saying that they are going to attack before the Indians do, so Caddie gets on one of the horses and goes off to tell the Indians to leave. Caddie Woodlawn is a fast paced and exciting book. Read the book to find out if the Indians or the Woodlawn's neighbors ever do attack or massacre.

In 1864, Caddie Woodlawn was eleven, and as a wild little tomboy as ever ran the woods of western Wisconsin. A girl who would rather hunt than sew, rather plow than bake. She was the despair of her mother and of her elder sister Clara. But her father watched her with a little shine of pride in his eyes, and her brother's accepted her as one of them without a question. Caddie and her six brothers and sisters went through many adventures together.
This prize-winning book about Caddie's adventures on the frontier a century agao seem like just today, and most of them really happened to the auther, the granddaughter of the real Caddie Woodlawn. She based the book on true stories of pioneer days, that she heard her grandmother tell.
Caddie Woodlawn is a book you would want to take home for the whole family. This is perfect for any kind of tomboy ever teased.Adventurous kind of people will really enjoy the mischief these kids can really make. Everyone should own a copy of Caddie Woodlawn. This is ONE book that you will be able to read over and over again. No matter what age you are, you will never get tired of Caddie Woodlawn.

How any reviewer could call this most well written, totally enjoyable book so so is beyond me. One of the best things about it is that it is a true story about life in rual pioneer Wisconsin. I live in Wisconsin and have visited the now run down house where Caddie grew up. Every young person should be encouraged to read it and it successor "Magical Melons." In my opinion both books should have won the Newberry Award for the best book for any given year in children's literature."Magical Melons" is now called "The Woodlawn Family."
Having been a tomboy myself I love Caddie's spunky tomboy spirit and her wonderful parents letting Caddie be herself. The Woodlawn children certainly knew how to have fun. While the family was obviously Christian, rather than hitting everyone over the head with what they believed they lived their faith for everyone to see. They lived in such a way as to earn the respect of all they knew.

This is a story called Caddie Woodlawn. It's time period is 1864. This story is about a young girl named Caddie. She's got a big family. One day a man called "The Circuit Rider" finds out that Caddie is not being a lady and is being a tomboy so her father does a test and allows her to be a tomboy with her brothers, Tom and Warren. Later in the book people say they were in a war with the Indians so everyone got their guns and got ready. Read the story to find out what happens!
I think the author wrote this book, Caddie Woodlawn to compare a young girls life in 1864 to a young girls life in 2002, now. It also shows what jobs they had to do and how to act.
I like this story because it really shows you what they did. I also really like this story because it's very exciting and if you think some things going to happen then it wont because it's always a surprise so I kept reading because I couldn't stop.

Set in 1864 in the woods of western Wisconsin, Caroline Augusta Woodlawn's story as set forth in the novel is based largely on facts known about the real Caddie Woodlawn. An 11-year-old tomboy, Caddie always manages to get herself out of the scrapes she gets into; she rides alone at night to warn her Indian friends of an attack planned by white settlers; she takes apart the Circuit Rider's clock, etc. She is close with all her siblings ecxept for sister Clara. Tom, Warren, Hetty (Henrietta), Minnie and Little Joe and her parents, John and Harriet, are loving and close-knit as a family can be, and they are happy to be forging a new life in the wilderness--with the exception of Mother and Clara, the eldest, who miss Boston society, fashion and gossip since they left their old home in the East. Father is English and at story's end must decide whether to return to England to claim his fortune, land and title or to remain in America as farmers.
There are certainly Caddie-fans out there! Personally, I found this book only mildly interesting, but I do advocate most any story that gets children to read--and interested in reading more books. In my opinion, historical fiction is preferable to stories without a basis in fact, so "Caddie Woodlawn" is a good book to start with for kids ages 9-12 who have some curiosity about America's past.

Caddie Woodlawn is an oft-overlooked childhood adventure of rural American life (in Wisconsin) during the Civil War. These true stories were told within the family by Caddie herself until her own granddaughter compiled them into a best-selling book around 1930. Don't let the date set you off - this is a real page turner with something in it for everyone. It has stood the test of time remarkably well.
Caddie and her family grew up in Boston, but made the drastic change to rural life a few years before the story begins. While Caddie's mother encourages a high level of civility in the rough wilds of western Wisconsin, her father is permitted to allow Caddie to grow up running around with her brothers because of concerns of a sister who died of consumption. Caddie is quite the tom boy in her pre-teen years, but what a delight to see her world through these eyes... adventures with curious Indians, a mischievous uncle, loyal siblings, school bullies and a simpler life. Especially touching is Caddie's relationship with her understanding father, whose unusual past is revealed in a surprising fashion to the children.
Great for children and adults (like me) who missed it the first time around! By the way, you can visit Caddie Woodlawn's house when you're in the vicinity of Menomonie, Wisconsin. There's not a lot to see, buy our family really enjoyed the experience.

Before you go buying just any old "Caddie Woodlawn" edition, I suggest you seek out and purchase one that has been illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. I'm a Hyman fan to begin with, and in no other version of this story will you find as perfect a melding of picture and text.
That said, this is a fabulous book, creating a historical figure that extends above and beyond that of the better known Laura Ingells Wilder. Both Laura and Caddie's stories were published in the 1930s and both concern pioneer girls living in the Midwest in the 1800's. There all similarities stop and Laura must bow down to the better book. The difference between the two (and the subsequent superiority of Brink's text) comes from the amount of interest children take in the books. While the "Little House" books are historically accurate and will repeat with perfect detail the intricacies of pioneer life, the "Caddie Woodlawn" books show the heart and soul of the people of that time.
"Caddie Woodlawn" was fascinating to me as a child. In what other book could you find a red haired heroine bravely crossing the frozen river on her horse to warn the local Native Americans of imminent danger? The presence of the Indians in this book is a complex one. The book is certainly a product of its times, to some degree. Children with multi-racial parents are referred to as "half-breeds" and Indian John (as the pioneers call him) has a stilted speech not found in more sensitive novels today. Just the same, a children's book that makes the bold assertion that white pioneers were far more likely to go about massacring the natives than vice versa is a bit of fresh air. Say what you will of the Woodlawns's acceptance being "inaccurate", it improves the novel heartily.
Finally, "Caddie Woodlawn" is just a lot of fun. Practical jokes, adventures, and creative methods of amusement fill the pages of this story. You empathize completely with Caddie when she feels the urge to tease her snobbish oh-Boston-is-heaven-on-earth cousin Annabelle.
If asked who the most amusing redhead of children's literature in the English language is, I'd eschew Pippi Longstocking and Anne of Green Gables any day in favor of that fantastic and amusing Caddie Woodlawn.

Caddie Woodlawn

This is a story called Caddie Woodlawn. It's time period is 1864. This story is about a young girl named Caddie. She's got a big family. One day a man called "The Circuit Rider" finds out that Caddie is not being a lady and is being a tomboy so her father does a test and allows her to be a tomboy with her brothers, Tom and Warren. Later in the book people say they were in a war with the Indians so everyone got their guns and got ready. Read the story to find out what happens!!!
I think the author wrote this book, Caddie Woodlawn to compare a young girls life in 1864 to a young girls life in 2002, now. It also shows what jobs they had to do and how to act.
I like this story because it really shows you what they did. I also really like this story because it's very exciting and if you think some things going to happen then it wont because it's always a surprise so I kept reading because I couldn't stop.

Winner of a Newbery Award, Caddie Woodlawn is the true story of Caddie, an adventurous little girl living in the 1880's. Her life is documented in this book, by the author and granddaughter of Caddie, Carol Ryrie Brink.

It's a hard life during the pioneer times, and as a tomboy, it's even harder for Caddie. Her mother does not approve of her playing with her brothers, racing across rivers, and making friends with the local Indians. She would rather Caddie stay home, learn to be a proper young lady, and practice sewing.

As you read this book, you'll experience the fun of her adventues, and the joy of her heart warming moments.

Imagine that you live on a farm with your family. Tom, Clara, Mother, Father, Warren, Hetty and Baby Joe. Your name is Caroline Augusta Woodlawn but people call you Caddie. Everyone in the small town of Dunnville knows that Caddie is a tomboy who whould prefer plowing to sewing, cooking or cleaning any day of the year. Mother wants Caddie to become a lady,like all the other girls in Dunnville. Soon Father ghets a letter from England saying he is to be the next Lord Woodlawn but will they go? Find out in this book in which you will laugh, cry and rejoice. Check out Caddie Woodlawn, by Carol Ryrie Brink today and you'll know why this book is a winner!

Caddie Woodlawn, written by Carol Ryrie Brink, is my favorite book this year because Caddie was a tomboy like me, having adventures I would like to have.
Caddie was a pioneer girl who lived in Wisconsin on a farm. This state was part of the “Wild West” back in 1864. Caddie was not a regular “lady” like her mother and older sister; her adventures came with her brothers Tom and Warren.
Caddie’s greatest fear was becoming a lady “with fine airs and a mincing walk”. On her darkest night, her father explained what a lady really is: a woman with gentleness, kindness, and love.
I like this book because it is full of adventure, patriotic spirit, and best of all, it is completely true!

The author's hymn of praise to her grandmother, in the tradition of the Little House on the Prairie books. Brink tells the story of her grandmother's idyllic childhood in 19th-century rural Wisconsin around the time of the Civil War. She pieced the story together from family memories, and the novel retains this patchwork feel. But a central thread concerning Caddie's tomboyish ways ties the lot together well, and the story has a satisfying resolution. The author herself was orphaned at age eight and raised by her grandmother, so she had plenty of time to absorb the stories.

Caddie's rural community lives in uneasy détente with an Indian tribe. Their only connection with civilization is a lumber company steamer that comes up the Mississippi several times a year; the steamer brings them the news of General Lee's surrender and subsequent assassination of Lincoln. Caddie (real name = Caroline) runs wild and free with her older brothers despite her mother's misgivings. Long ago, when Caddie was a baby, her father made an unusual request of his wife: give him charge of the girl. So while her younger sisters stay tidy at home learning feminine skills from Mother, Caddie learns her father's trade (mending clocks) and how to do farm chores. She spends most of her time outdoors, and by age 12 is ruddy and energetic, though rather ill-mannered.

One of the nearby Indians speaks some English, and Caddie befriends him. I must point out that the author's grasp of how Native Americans were forced to communicate is rather tenuous. For example, when Caddie expresses affection for Indian John's dog, he says, "You like him dog." It is highly unlikely that a pidgin English speaker such as Indian John would have used the objective case of the pronoun. Non-native speakers master the objective case late in the game; Indian John should more correctly have been made to say, "You like dog." In other words, a simple subject-verb-object syntax makes more sense. But I quibble.

The book is strewn with moral lessons that echo years of hindsight. In one scene, people slaughter passenger pigeons by the thousands, and the narrator says, "The pigeons, like the Indians, were fighting a losing battle with the white man." On the whole, the book is like a moving photo album, and one can almost hear the author's grandmother saying things like, "Did I ever tell you about the time when my Uncle Edmund played a trick on me with the wooden raft? Well..." It's clear the author is trying hard to be faithful to the details of her grandmother's memories; she explains in the preface that her grandmother reviewed the text for accuracy before it was published. Perhaps a better story would have resulted if the author felt freer to invent.

The book's imagery creates a strong impression. The Woodlawn children carry "foaming buckets of freshly drawn milk," and some poor, half-caste Indian children bring "buckets of parched corn" to school for their lunch. Some details, apparently clear even by 1935, need an explanatory footnote ("There's a young man in the back sprouting potatoes"). Readers of Johanna Spyri's Heidi (1880) would enjoy this book, both for the imagery and the message. Near the end, Caddie's father does a wonderful thing for her. He tells her that being a woman and practicing the traditional womanly arts takes as much "nerve and courage" as men need to "build bridges and roads in the wilderness." By doing so, he allows her to choose with dignity intact her inevitable future as a wife and mother.

Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman.

My fifth grade teacher read Caddie Woodlawn to our class in 1962. I read it 14 times after that, mostly to myself, but also to my younger sister and to my daughter. I am on here today to get a copy for one of my granddaughters. Yes, you can have Little House on the Prairie. I'll take Caddie Woodlawn, as I have for the last 55 years. Caddie is wonderfully special and endearing, feisty and inspiring. I am happy to have carried her with me all these years.

I just finished reading Caddie Woodlawn to my ten year old daughter for school. My daughter really enjoyed the book. It reminded me of Laura Ingall's books somewhat, because it is the story of a pioneer family. Caddie is a tomboy but she has brother sand sisters. She saves the settlement by warning a group of indians nearby when some of the white men plan a massacre. Many things take place in the book, but the ending is probably the best. When the family faces a tough decision about moving to England and being wealthy, their mutual choice makes for a satisfying ending to the book. I recommend this book to be read to your children.

I came across "Caddie Woodlawn" as I was making my way through all the old Newbery books. I was pleasantly surprised at the gentle style of storytelling, and the author's knack for telling a good tale. The book reminds me a lot of the Laura Ingalls Wilder series both in style and content.

The author is writing a semi-biographical account of her grandmother's life in the end of the 19th century on the midwestern frontier. There are a few tales within the tale that are interesting as well. The reader will not be disappointed. It is definitely a must have for the young adult library.

Caddie Woodlawn lives in Wisconsin in pioneer days with her family. Tom and Warren, who are her brothers, are two of her best buddies. Caddie's life is very adventurous, including friendships with Indians, protecting her friends from a rumored massacre, taking dangerous risks, and being dunked in the river by her uncle Edmund. Caddie is a very enthusiastic tomboy. This story made me feel like I was actually there. Sadly, there are no sequels to this story.

-Ella, age 11

Caddie Woodlawn was the best book I read in fourth grade. It is a Newbery medalist written by Carol Ryrie Brink. Caddie, an 11 year'old girl who is brave, trustworthy, and kindhearted, goes on countless adventures with her rambunctuous brothers Tom and Warren. Tom is older than Caddie and Warren is younger than she is, and they both treat her like another boy. Through this book you will find yourself laughing, sobbing, and jumping out of your seat in fright. When you finish Caddie Woodlawn you will feel a note of God's music touch your soul.

I first thought the book looked amusing and it was. I liked this book after the first chapter. It started out with much information, then it built with a lot of action. This is a story about a young girl who had gotton sick when she was a child. She was made to play with the boys and become like a boy. My favorite part was when Caddie set off to tell her Indian friends to go away for a while or they would get hurt. It is a very climatic part in the book. I liked the ending of this book because it leaves you to wonder. It makes you think, "What happened after that?"

Irrepressible Caddie--a tomboy by temperament and with paternal permision--is growing up in the wild woods of Wisconsin in the 1860's. The despair of her Boston-bred mother and her proper older sister, Caddie is secretly admired by her other siblings. Brave to the point of being foolhardy, loyal to her friends and dogs, this spunky little gal of 11 revels in the company of her two closest brothers, some fairly tame Indians and that scamp, Uncle Edmond.
Author Brink has woven the girlhood memories of her grandmother, Caroline, into a year-long family portrait, which is reminiscent of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House
in the Big Woods. The plot is sometimes hard to discern as the story is spread out over 12 plus months, but the themes ring out with frontier clarity and timelss poignancy: the dignity of womanhood--despite the limited role of girls; the danger of fear-bred ignorance, rumor and racial prejudice; knowning how to value the present and not dwell in a painful past or seek a purloined future.
Although the book consists of 24 chapters with 270 pages, there is much dialogue which makes for fast reading. Of less interest to boys who prefer male protagonists and much physical action, CADDIE WOODLAWN is the natural literary successor to the LITTLE HOUSE series, with more depth and a pleasing balance between scenes of comic relief, crisis and tenderness. The author's personal note is a nice touch, but I was most impressed by her father's beautiful validation for woman's role in civilized society; it was sheer poetry and long-overdue praise for the distaff wing. It reminds me of an old sampler I once saw in my grandmother's attic: "The Hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." Sentimental--yes, but a
delightful read all the same!

Caddie Woodlawn was who was 11 years in 1864, she was despair of her mother and elder sister Clara. she was a tomboy running wild in the woods of Winsconsin. I thought it was a good idea for writer to base the story from real life.This book was very interesting because it shows how to share between brothers and sisters, it also shows ow to be friendly. The book shows how she helps her Indian friends,from the attack of the white people, Thats why I think the book was greate !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Adriana Risso.

Caddie Woodlawn who was 11 years in 1864, she was despair of her mother and elder sister Clara. she was a tomboy running wild in the woods of Winsconsin. I thought it was a good idea for writer to base the story from real life.This book was very interesting because it shows how to share between brothers and sisters, it also shows ow to be friendly. The book shows how she helps her Indian friends,from the attack of the white people, Thats why I think the book was great !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Adriana Risso.

This book is great. I love caddie and think Carol did a wonderful job of describing her. This book is to good to explain. I recommend it to people between the age of 8~13 but this book is for all ages. If you are thinking of buying it DO NOT NOT BUY IT, you'll never look back, I swear. My dad got me this book with a few other pioner books(hattie big sky and linsay on the oregon trail) I loved all of them but this was one of the best out of the three. This book makes you laugh and cry and worry all at the same time. I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!!!!!!! If you like olden day storys you'll lve this:) BUY THIS BOOK NOW

This fiery red-headed tomboy has many adventures during her eleven-year-old life. She is afraid of nothing and plays all day with her brothers Tom and Warren. Caddie is always being pestered by her mother to become and lady. Caddie loves being able to run free and wild but she discovers a little longing to be like her sisters, who sew and cook all day. Her father just encourages and loves her being a tomboy. This story is set in Wisconsin in 1864 where many things happen. The little steamer comes in with the news, the circuit rider comes about once a year, cousin Annabelle visits, and a letter with a foreign letter comes for Caddie's father.

My favorite part in this book is when cousin Annabelle comes to visit and they play many tricks on her, but every time Annabelle just picks herself right back up like a lady. Only one time did Annabelle get bent out of shape was when something "squishy" was put down her dress.

I think the theme of this book is to just be yourself and don't let others try to influence you. Caddie is a tomboy and she will always be one no matter how hard people try to change her.

I think this book was very good. It was well written and had a good vocabulary. Caddie Woodlawn intrigued you and kept you reading because you want to know what happens. This book is all about Caddie Woodlawn and her adventures and they sure are interesting.

I recommend this book to young to middle age teenage girls. They will enjoy this book because it is about a girl. But, it is also about a young girl being who she wants to be. It is a very fun book to read.

Caddie Woodlawn who was 11 years in 1864, she was despair of her mother and elder sister Clara. she was a tomboy running wild in the woods of Winsconsin. I thought it was a good idea for writer to base the story from real life.This book was very interesting because it shows how to share between brothers and sisters, it also shows ow to be friendly. The book shows how she helps her Indian friends,from the attack of the white people, Thats why I think the book was great !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Adriana Risso.

This book is great. I love caddie and think Carol did a wonderful job of describing her. This book is to good to explain. I recommend it to people between the age of 8~13 but this book is for all ages. If you are thinking of buying it DO NOT NOT BUY IT, you'll never look back, I swear. My dad got me this book with a few other pioner books(hattie big sky and linsay on the oregon trail) I loved all of them but this was one of the best out of the three. This book makes you laugh and cry and worry all at the same time. I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!!!!!!! If you like olden day storys you'll lve this:) BUY THIS BOOK NOW

This fiery red-headed tomboy has many adventures during her eleven-year-old life. She is afraid of nothing and plays all day with her brothers Tom and Warren. Caddie is always being pestered by her mother to become and lady. Caddie loves being able to run free and wild but she discovers a little longing to be like her sisters, who sew and cook all day. Her father just encourages and loves her being a tomboy. This story is set in Wisconsin in 1864 where many things happen. The little steamer comes in with the news, the circuit rider comes about once a year, cousin Annabelle visits, and a letter with a foreign letter comes for Caddie's father.

My favorite part in this book is when cousin Annabelle comes to visit and they play many tricks on her, but every time Annabelle just picks herself right back up like a lady. Only one time did Annabelle get bent out of shape was when something "squishy" was put down her dress.

I think the theme of this book is to just be yourself and don't let others try to influence you. Caddie is a tomboy and she will always be one no matter how hard people try to change her.

I think this book was very good. It was well written and had a good vocabulary. Caddie Woodlawn intrigued you and kept you reading because you want to know what happens. This book is all about Caddie Woodlawn and her adventures and they sure are interesting.

I recommend this book to young to middle age teenage girls. They will enjoy this book because it is about a girl. But, it is also about a young girl being who she wants to be. It is a very fun book to read.

This story takes place in 1864, on the Wisconsin frontier.
The book follows the adventures of a certain girl, named Caddie Woodlawn. She is a tomboy, who likes to run around wildly with her two brothers, rather than staying inside and doing the tasks that are expected of her, like sewing, knitting, and cooking, with her mother and her older sister, Clara.

Living in territory where Indians are nearby, excitement is always brewing. There are fish to catch, rafts to paddle, fields to plow, and school lessons to learn.

Caddie's adventures were loosely based on the author's own grandmother. I think that makes the book interesting, to know that some of the events actually happened, and that the characters were based on real people.

I recommend this book for either boys or girls. I think it was quite a fun read, and good for any age.

While I get a little antsy reading frontier stories with their detailed descriptions of prairie life, the Woodlawn children's adventures and loving family provided a fairly interesting read. I enjoy Caddie's determination to be a tomboy, despite her mother's wishes, and I love that her father only encourages it. Caddie's bravery (when warning her Indian friends of a white men's attack), kindness (spending her entire silver dollar to cheer up on her motherless classmates), and eventual understanding (of her pesky little sister's loneliness and her own need to be a mature young lady in her own way) make this an inspiring book. I also like that the bully turns out to be not so bad, and that the Woodlawn boys learn "female" chores like quilting in order to spend time with Caddie when she decides to broaden her interests. I especially like Caddie's final thoughts: "How far I've come! I'm the same girl and yet not the same. I wonder if it's always like that? Folks keep growing from one person into another all their lives, and life is just a lot of everyday adventures. Well, whatever life is, I like it." The backdrop might be different, but the lessons and values portrayed in this book are just as applicable today.

So glad to finally find it available again. Have been searching for a copy for my granddaughters. Could never get one for our daughters, but we lived in very remote areas. I think my love of characters like Caddie so deeply influenced me growing up, I had no reservations about becoming an EMT despite my family's near horror at the thought! I also taught my girls to be ladies, but not wilting violets. I bake, sew, knit, garden, camp, hunt, deep-sea fish, hike, etc... Yes Caddie was a great role model! Hopefully, one for another generation of ours!

The one thing I really enjoyed most about this book is that it is a true story. The real Caddie Woodlawn was 82 when her granddaughter published the book in 1935. Carol Ryrie Brink writes about her grandmother's life as a girl growing up in Wisconsin in the 1860s.
Caddie Woodlawn is a tomboy who loves going on adventures with her brothers Tom and Warren. She is part of a large family of seven. Her older sister, Clara, is much more lady-like than she, and her younger sister, Hetty, is always tattling on her.
We find out what life was like on the frontier as we go with Caddie to school, and on visits to the nearby Indian village. The book portrays tense relations between the Indians and the European settlers, and since Caddie is friends with Indian John, she is able to restore peace to her homeland by taking action before the white settlers attack the Indians.
At the end of the book, Caddie's sophisticated cousin Annabelle comes from Boston, and Caddie learns that maybe some lady-like activities such as quilting aren't so bad after all, and this helps her to enjoy growing up.

Caddie Woodlawn will appeal to both boys and girls. She is lighthearted, brave and has great mechanical ability. She experiences adventures in America in the l860's. Her escapades hold the attention of children and there is something developing in each chapter. A Newbery Medal winner and a book for all children. I have heard many book reports in the classroom on this delightful book.
Evelyn Horan - teacher/author
Jeannie, A Texas Frontier Girl Books One and Two

Jesse liked when Obediah got in trouble. He deserved it! Aaron liked when the kids played tricks on Annabelle. Tyler liked when Caddie fell into the water. Toby liked when Nero came back to Caddie and her family. Mike didn't like when Uncle Edmund lost Nero,because Uncle Edmund shouldn't have taken Nero. Cindy liked when Annabelle fell off the horse. Keaton liked when the boys where putting out the fire, because it sounded really funny to watch. Raelynn liked when they went to the school speaking because it was funny when Warren kept messing up and it was exciting when they went home. Scotti liked the part when Caddie went to tell Indian John that her people where going to kill his tribe. Erin liked when Annabelle got an egg in her dress and she said "squishy." Lacey liked when Annabelle was rolling around and she squashed the egg. BRYANTS FAVOriTe PART WAS THE CHAPTER PEE WEE . THE BOOK WAS FUNNY. I LIKED WARRAN THE BEST. I THINK THE MOVIE BETTER. I RATE IT A 10.CODYS FAVORite PART WAS THE PEEWEE PART THAT TOM TOLD.I THINK IT WAS FUNNY.AND A GOOD STORY.I LIKE THE PART WHERE CADDIE STUCK AN EGG IN THE HEY AND ANNABElle LANDED ON IT.HA HA! TRACI LIKED WHEN CADDIE PUT AN EGG DOWN ANNABLE'S DRESS.I REALlY LIKED THE CHAPTER PEE-WEE BECAUSE IT'S LIKE ONE OF MY FAVORITE STORYS. Kiley's favorite part was when Annabelle fell off the horse and tried to help around the farm!!

The most remarkable thing about the book Caddie Woodlawn is that it is a true story! The real-live person named Caddie Woodlawn was 82 when the book was published by her grand-daughter in 1935. By writing down the stories told to her as a child, Carol Ryrie Brink captures her grandmother's life as a girl growing up on the Wisconsin frontier in the 1860's. Caddie Woodlawn is a tomboy and likes nothing better than to go on adventures with her brothers Tom and Warren. She comes from a large pioneer family of seven children. Her older sister Clara is always acting more lady-like than she, and her younger sister Hetty is always tattling on her. Caddie has a fierce independent streak, and we discover what life was like on the frontier as we accompany her to school, and on visits to the neighboring Indian village. The book reveals the often tense relations between Native Americans and the European settlers. Because of her friendship with Indian John, Caddie alone is able to restore peace to her settlement by taking action before the frightenend white settlers attack the Indians. By the book's end, Caddie's refined cousin Annabelle comes from Boston, and Caddie the tomboy learns that maybe a few lady-like activities such as quilting aren't so bad after all. Any teen today will look up to Caddie for her self-confidence and bravery, and see their own rites of passage reflected in Caddie's experiences.

The Newbery Award committee members seem to love a strong girl and Caddie is among the strongest. She roams and tarries with her ruffian brothers on the wild plains of Wisconsin around the time of the American Civil War. Caddie plays practical jokes on her cousin, runs to the Indians to warn of a massacre, and proudly displays an Indian scalp belt for all the town to see. Caddie finally begins to see that becoming a lady is not just learning to quilt and say the right words and wear fancy clothes.

This is one of my favorite books! Anybody who loves pioneer stories and doesn't have it, get it now! I can't wait till my little sister is old enough to read it!Because everthing is good about it.FUN+EXCITMENT+LAUGHTER=Super De Duper Wonderful book!This Tomboy girl will brighten up your spirt for a lifetime!I'd give this book a million stars if I could! But 5 stars is as high as it goes acording to the store . com. SO,BUY IT!

Imagine a 19th century girl who doesn�t like knitting, who would rather spend time with her brothers swimming and making life an adventure everyday. If you can�t visualize this then you have never met Caroline Augusta Woodlawn. She is the eleven-year old, red-headed, curlyqued, tomboy protagonist whose friend is an Indian.
Caddie lives in the pioneer days on the Wisconsin frontier. There is farmland scattered here and there, the woods to play in and also a rumor that the Indians are going to attack. All the neighbors seek refuge at the Woodlawn�s house. Caddie finally gets brave enough and finds the courage to talk with the Indians especially her friend, Indian John. Will the Indians attack? If you want to find out, read the book entitled Caddie Woodlawn.
I enjoyed reading Caddie Woodlawn because Caddie is always finding some way to have fun. When her cousin comes for a visit, Caddie and her brothers Tom and Warren do all the things their cousin wants to do with her but they add a little twist to things. For example, when their cousin wants to do somersaults in the hay loft, she lands in a bunch of eggs. Caddie gets in trouble, but do Tom and Warren? There are some sad and tragic moments also. There is a prairie fire at the school, who puts it out? Some children at school have to allow their mother to leave them because she is an Indian. Will Caddie help them? If you want to find out read Caddie Woodlawn. I guarantee you that you will really enjoy reading this historical fiction book as much as I did.