Thursday, May 6, 2010

Caddie Woodlawn, by Carol Ryrie Brink


I did love this book during my tween years, and now rereading it as an adult, all I can think of is how very much like the Little House books it is. But this story takes place at least 15 years before Laura Ingalls Wilder's birth. And interestingly enough, I counted at least two stories in this book that I also remember having read in the Little House series. I think perhaps they simply became Wisconsin urban legend. I did my google maps homework and found that Laura was born less than 40 miles from where this book takes place, which explains the common themes- Caddie Woodlawn is based on the true story of the author's grandmother.

Caddie takes place during the Civil War. Caddie's father, who runs the local mill, is affluent enough that he was able to pay to have a man sent in his place. The family also has hired men living full-time on the property. Caddie is the middle child of five. There used to be six, however, when the family moved west from Boston the youngest girl, Mary, was ill and died. Because Caddie was weak and sickly also, Mr. Woodlawn convinced his wife to allow her to run wild with the boys to regain her health, convinced that she would take up more feminine behavior when she became ready.

In addition to their own small family, the Woodlawns are on very good terms with the Indians that live locally, especially Indian John (who has the advantage of command of the English language, although it's unfortunately depicted as the stereotypical pidgin English common in books from this period). The book follows a year in Caddie's life- picking nuts, riding horses, going to school, and worrying about rumors of Indian massacre, eagerly awaiting the mail after a long winter, and eating entirely too much turkey. Over the course of events, Caddie does mature and become ready to at least consider that a lady's skills have some merit.

Also impressive for the time the book was written in is the way the Woodlawn family is scornful of a man in the community who had taken an Indian wife in the days when the town was not yet settled. Not because he took an Indian wife, but because he is clearly ashamed of her and their three children, and because he sends his wife away to rejoin her people when rumors of massacre have made her uncomfortable to keep. Stereotypes notwithstanding, it's a perspective that you don't often see represented. As their mother tells the Woodlawn children, "Sam Hankinson hasn't a very strong character. Now if your father had married an Indian. . . you may be sure that he would never have sent her off because he was ashamed of her."

I did love my paperback copy of this book with Trina Schart Hyman illustrations; they have so much more character than the airbrushed bland ones that are in the 1958 edition I borrowed from my library this week (see right). Who makes a better-looking tomboy, I ask you?

Cross-posted from http://oldnewberries.blogspot.com/ in which Melanie and Sue have made it a personal mission to read all Newbery Award and Honor books.

9 comments:

Amanda said...

So the illustration you posted is by Hyman, right, not from the 1958 edition?

Great post - really makes me want to read this book. Can you tag it with "Caddie Woodlawn" so it will come up with all the other reviews of the book? Thanks!

Bybee said...

I must have read the 1958 version as well.

Ms. Yingling said...

I liked this one, but both Brink and Wilder have gone out of favor with my students.

IttyBittyLiddy said...

I love this book its one of my favs!

Clara said...

Love this book! I got such a kick out of Caddie and all their gorgeous red hair--and what a great ending! Great review. But I think there were more than 5 children--I remember Clara, Tom, Caddie, Warren (?), Hetty and the baby (Joe?). And isn't there another young one?

Amanda said...

Here is a list I found of Caddie's siblings:
Clara Woodlawn, Caddie's older sister
Warren Woodlawn, Caddie's adventurous younger brother; age 9
Tom Woodlawn, Caddie's adventurous older brother; age 13
Hetty Woodlawn, Caddie's younger sister, age 7; a tattletale
Minnie Woodlawn, Caddie's younger sister
Joe Woodlawn, Caddie's baby brother
Mary Woodlawn, Caddie's younger sister who died in childhood

So, it looks like there were 8 children in all, with one dying young.

Jeannettekmr said...

I took the book one step further I located all of the Children in the book that is based on a real family

Caddie Woodlawn AKA Caroline Augusta Woodhouse

The Main Family of Caddie Woodlawn John Vipond Woodhouse and Harriett Jane White By Carol Ryrie Brink.
Source:
http://jeannettestakeonlife.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-family-group-sheet-of-john-vipond.html

Sincerely
Jeannette K. Rook

I was homeschooling my son and this was one the books we read. I learned it was based on real family.

Anonymous said...

Jeannette, I am seriously anxious about your children if they are being homeschooled. Have you bothered to proofread your post? I have rarely seen such execrable grammar. You are the one who should be in school!

Jeannettekmr said...

Dear anonymous who has no guts I paid for English teacher. Stop hiding I bet my last dollar all you do is find fault instead of good in people. Oh I am still the person behind all the genealogy work