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Dakota Dugout


Dakota Dugout

By Ann Turner & Illustrated by Ronald Himler

Summary: This book is a story about a mother who recounts here prairie days to her child. She tells of how her husband wrote to her to pack up everything and move out to the prairie where he was building a sod dugout for them to live in. She remembers how hard it was to live in that "house". Dirt floors, poor insolation, and lonely except for the animals and her husband, Matt. She talks about all of the seasons and the heartache and joy they each brought. She mentions that the first year they had a harvest, but then the sun scorched it and so they could not reap it. The harvest was much better the second year and they were able to sell their crops and buy dresses and buggies. With the extra money, they built a clapboard house with insolation, clean floors and bright, clean windows. She reflects that she didn't think that she would miss the Dakota dugout, but she did and thinks that, "Sometimes the things we start with are best".

Review: This is a hauntingly beautiful story from a woman who traveled to a Dakota Prairie and is reflecting on "the good old days". The illustrations in this book are all black and white and set the tone for this story. They like more like sketches and they portray the pain and heartache that a woman traveling west would have felt. The writing is almost poetic and contains many instances of the sounds that she experienced. This book makes for a more sobering read aloud and would make a great book for introducing the topic to the prairie days to a classroom. It could also be used to encourage gratefulness in everyday lives.

To order your own copy: https://www.amazon.com/Dakota-Dugout-Ann-Turner/dp/0689712960

 -The Green Eyed Reader
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