By the Shores of Silver Lake

By the Shores of Silver Lake, the fifth book in the beloved Little House series, follows the Ingalls family as they leave Plum Creek, Minnesota, for the Dakota Territory. Facing debt and Mary's recent blindness, Pa takes a job at a railroad camp, eventually sending for his family to join him as they become early settlers in the town of De Smet. Laura, at 12 years old, steps into a more mature role, becoming Mary's eyes and developing a strong sense of purpose, including a resolve to teach to help fund Mary's education. This book beautifully portrays themes of family resilience, the challenges of pioneer life, and Laura's personal growth amidst significant change and hardship.

The Ingalls family had fared badly in Plum Creek, Minnesota. They were in debt. Mary was blind now. So Pa went West to work at a railroad camp in Dakota Territory where he could make as much as fifty dollars a month! Then he sent for his wife and four children, and they became the first settlers in the new town of De Smet. But the railroad brought hordes of land-hungry people from the East. Had Pa waited too long to file his homestead claim? - Back cover.