When the circuit rider came again, Caddie saw him far down the road as she had seen him in the spring, and she and Nero went to meet him. They stood at the gate and waited for him to come up, and a great many things went quickly through Caddie’s mind.
“What a lot has happened since last year when I dropped the nuts all over the dining-room floor. 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 late afternoon sun flooded her face with golden light. Looking toward the approaching rider, her face was turned to the west. It was always to be turned westward now, for Caddie Woodlawn was a pioneer and an American.
Caddie Woodlawn
By Carol Ryrie Brink
Reader’s Guide
About the Book
Caddie Woodlawn is a real adventurer. She’d rather hunt than sew and plow than bake, and tries to beat her brother’s dares every chance she gets. Caddie is friends with Indians, who scare most of her neighbors–neighbors who, like her mother and sisters, don’t understand her at all.
Caddie is brave, and her story is special because it’s true, based on the life and memories of Carol Ryrie Brink’s grandmother, the real Caddie Woodlawn.
Discussion Topics
1. Describe Caddie Woodlawn. What kind of person is she? Give examples from the story that illustrate her personality.
2. In chapter one, the author writes that Caddie “was the despair of her mother and of her elder sister Clara.” What does this mean? What is the reason for this? What were the roles of men, women, boys, and girls in early American society? How were children raised? How are the expectations of men, women, boys, and girls the same or different today?
3. Why did the Woodlawn family move from Boston to Wisconsin? What hardships did they and other pioneers face on their westward migration? Describe frontier life. How does the family adapt to life on the prairie? Compare it to the life they left behind.
4. Compare Caddie and Cousin Annabelle. In what ways are they the same? How are they different? What life lessons do the girls learn from each other?
5. What is the relationship between white settlers and Native Americans on the frontier? How do the two groups interact with each other? What stereotypes and prejudices exist? How are friendships and alliances formed? Support your answers with examples from the text.
6. Describe the frontier school system. Where do the Woodlawn children go to school? In what ways is their school different from your school? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the frontier school?
7. How would life be different for the Woodlawn family if they had decided to move to England? List the pros and cons of making the move. Why did the family ultimately decide to stay in the U.S.? What would you have done if you were presented with a similar situation?
8. In the book’s final chapter Caddie remarks upon the changes of the past year. “How far I’ve come!” she says. “I’m the same girl and yet not the same.” Explain what Caddie means. What experiences have contributed to her self-development?
9. Caddie Woodlawn is a work of historical fiction. What does this mean? How is the genre the same as or different from other fiction? How does it compare to nonfiction? In her author’s note, Carol Ryrie Brink writes that Caddie Woodlawn is based on real events, but that she has added to it “a few imaginary incidences.” Select an incident that you believe to be imaginary and explain how it enhances the plot.
10. Carol Ryrie Brink was awarded the 1936 Newbery Medal for Caddie Woodlawn. Since 1922, the Newbery Medal has been presented to the author of the year’s outstanding achievement in children’s literature. What do you think makes the book a winner? Why do you think the book remains popular today?
Research & Activities
1. Research the historical time period in which Caddie Woodlawn is set. Think about what was happening in the U.S. at this time. Who was president? How many states were in the Union? What were the important issues of the period?
2. Write a series of diary entries from the perspective of one of the book’s main characters. In your entries, incorporate information about the character’s daily life and his or her hopes, dreams, and struggles, as well as his or her response to a particular event or situation that takes place in the book.
3. Read a map. Trace the Woodlawn family’s route from Boston, Massachusetts, to western Wisconsin. What cities and states did they pass through on their journey? Were there any mountain ranges or rivers they had to cross? If so, what were they? On a Wisconsin state map, locate the places mentioned in the book, including the Menomonie (Red Cedar) River, Dunnville, Eau Galle, and Durand, Wisconsin.
4. Create a diorama to show the setting in which Caddie Woodlawn takes place. In your diorama, pay close attention to the natural and built environment. This includes the plants and animals found in the area, as well as human-made structures such as homes and schools.
5. Design a book jacket for Caddie Woodlawn. Choose a cover image that will attract readers and give them a hint as to what the story is about. On the front and back flaps, include a summary of the book and information about the author. You can also highlight short quotes about the book from classmates who have read and enjoyed the book.
6. Make a glossary of new and different vocabulary words in Caddie Woodlawn. Include the word, its pronunciation, its part of speech, and a definition. Select words to illustrate.
7. Illustrate Caddie Woodlawn. Draw or paint pictures of the book’s main characters and important scenes. Write a description to display alongside each of the images.
8. Design a poster meant to encourage westward migration. Think about what images or information might attract easterners to life on the western frontier. Search the Internet and visit your local library or bookstore to get ideas for your poster.
9. Write a book review to convince others to read Caddie Woodlawn. Before you begin, read book reviews online or in the newspaper to get a feel for the kind of information to include, such as a general plot summary, your opinion about the book, and highlights from the book. With help from an adult, you may wish to post your review online at a bookseller’s website.
10. Learn more about the oral tradition. As Carol Ryrie Brink explains in her author’s note, Caddie Woodlawn is based on stories told to her by her grandmother. What stories have been passed down in your family? If you can’t think of any, ask an adult family member to share with you a story from his or her childhood. Compose your own short story based on this information.
About the Author
Born in Moscow, Idaho, in 1895, Carol Ryrie Brink grew up hearing her grandmother’s stories of frontier life in rural Wisconsin. She is the author of many books for young readers, including Baby Island and Caddie Woodlawn’s Family.
CAROL RYRIE BRINK was the author of many books for young readers, including Caddie Woodlawn’s Family, the companion volume to Caddie Woodlawn, and Baby Island.
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