This was one of my favorites of the series when I was a kid. Now that I'm listening to it as an adult, I can see why it stood out as a stronger story. There's a bit more going on narratively, with Laura and Mary going to school and interacting with other kids (including Mean Girl Nellie Olson). And as a kid I loved every detail about living next to the creek--swimming, minnows, leeches, you name it.) Now my stomach twisted every single time Pa would buy something on credit and assure Ma that it's fine because they're going to have that wheat crop that's going to make them super rich. (With the follow-up: "So apparently the Norwegians call this "grasshopper weather.'" "What do you suppose that means?" "I dunno. Norwegians are just weird, I guess.")