One night, when Dad was in the family room with the television on, I was positive I’d caught Nanny playing a dead woman on an episode of CSI. I left the room without scrutinizing the face. On my laptop, I looked up the old Honda commercial starring Prudence-Sarah and a surfboard. There she was, barely covered by a pink bikini, her sandy blond hair blowing in the wind. And on a self-inflicted dare, I Googled Wendell. I used the IMDB as a guide, and what do you know, Wendell was his real first name…but his real last name was Burns. Anyway, that was as much sleuthing as I cared to do. The show was over. The curtains had closed. I had left more than just the backcountry behind me.
But now Wendell had called. And our family was moving to Germany.
My life was in flux—a new phrase learned this week in Lit that meant “constant change.” I liked the word. Planned to use it in my next essay, as a matter of fact.
“In flux.”
“I’m sorry?” Dad asked.
“No. Don’t erase it.”
“You’re sure…”
The bell rang telling me that our break was over, and it was time for class. I shoved my notebook into my backpack and stood up on the bleacher. Kids gathered up their books and packs and headed toward the doors. Like a disorganized army, the herd grew louder as tennis shoes and winter boots stomped across the gym floor. Just before Libby got swallowed up by the crowd, she turned around and waved goodbye by putting two fingers up, forming a peace sign. I peace-signed her back.
“I’m not sure of anything,” I said into the phone.
But then, I thought, as a confident smile crawled across my face, Who really is?
Dear Reader:
I can not thank you enough for reading Upside Down in a Laura Ingalls Town. Although it took many years from first draft to publication, and finally into your hands, you are the one who has made the true investment. Not everyone has the desire to buy a book based on the cover or a friend’s recommendation, let alone read the whole thing. So kudos to you!
Since we already know you are special, I’d like to request an itty bitty favor. Could you please leave an honest review for Upside Down on Amazon? You may also leave one on any site you feel would be valuable in supporting this book. Even if the book was not your style, leave a review. The only way for a writer to continue writing, and continue to get better, is for readers to leave reviews. Good or bad, they all count!
Love to you all,
Leslie
Acknowledgements:
First and foremost, I must thank my beloved husband, Jay—my personal “Almonzo”—for without his unyielding support of my perpetual writing habit, this book would never have been written. He also designs my book covers (with me looking over his shoulder as he makes the constant changes I so greedily demand), so double thanks, babe!
A mammoth thank you goes to Uwe Stender at the TriadaUS Literary Agency for reading the manuscript over and over again, and for getting this book into the hands of top editors. Without the perfect combination of expert eyes and precious advice, Upside Down in a Laura Ingalls Town would still be in its fetal stage. Also, Uwe, a blessed thank you for always believing in me. When the clouds remain a perpetual shade of gray, you manage to poke a hole through the gloom to let in a little sun. We make a great team, even if things aren’t moving as quickly as we’d hoped. All good things…
Thanks to Mary Corning, Claire Kirby, Ashley Silver, and Mattie Keenhold—my incredible students, avid readers, and creative writers—for their invaluable guidance regarding this book’s cover. Keep reading, for the journeys are boundless; keep writing, for you never know where your stories will lead you!
My gratitude goes to Marina and Jason Anderson at Polgarus Studio for their formatting expertise. You always know exactly what my novels need…sometimes before I do!
This book would not have been written if it weren’t for a handful of organizations and websites to keep facts straight, so to the following I am indebted: Museum of Menstruation (Yes, this is a REAL museum!) www.mum.org; Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home and Museum www.lauraingallswilderhome.com; Ladies Treasury of Costume and Fashion www.tudorlinks.com; Country Doctor Museum www.countrydoctormuseum.org; Contemplations from the Marianas Trench www.contemplator.com/america/; The Prairie Homestead www.theprairiehomestead.com; North Carolina State Cooperative Extension www.craven.ces.ncsu.edu; and Bennett Place State Historic Site www.bennettplacehistoricsite.com.
Special recognition goes to Mr. C. Foy at C. Foy’s Tonsorial Parlor & Barber Studio in New Bern, North Carolina, for showing me—via my husband’s super smooth face—how to shave with a straight razor without causing too much injury.
Finally, thank you to all the daring pioneers, past, present, and future, for without you, the world would still be flat.
Study Guide Questions for
Upside Down in a Laura Ingalls Town
SPOILER ALERT!
DO NOT READ THESE QUESTIONS BEFORE READING THE BOOK!
1. Discuss a time when you were thrust into a situation in which you had little control. How did you manage? Did you find it easier to buck the system, or did you try your best to acclimate?
2. Have you ever read any of the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder? If so, which one was your favorite? How did the book(s) make you feel?
3. Have you ever watched episodes of Little House on the Prairie? If so, do you think the producers depicted the time period realistically? Explain.
4. Why do you think Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books are still popular after all these years?
5. Has an adult ever placed you in a situation you disagreed with at first, but when all was said and done you realized he or she was right?
6. In Upside Down in a Laura Ingalls Town, do you believe Brooke truly falls in love with Wendell? Or do you think she settles for him because he is the only boy in town her age?
7. One of the themes of the novel is open-mindedness. Discuss how keeping an open mind can affect a person’s life.
8. I conducted three years of research for this novel, uncovering amazing facts about country living in the 1860s. Have you ever had to conduct research on a particular person or event from the past? What did you learn that surprised you?
9. Do you have what it takes to live in another time and place for four months like the Decker Family? What would be the most difficult for you to leave behind? What would you learn from the experience?
10. Discuss the ways in which Brooke Decker changes from the beginning to the end of the novel.
11. Who is your favorite minor character of the story? Who is your least favorite? Why?
12. If Brooke is the story’s protagonist, who is the antagonist? Explain your reasons for choosing this person.
13. The Decker Family spends much of their time performing chores in order to survive. Compare and contrast the chores of today with the ones of yesteryear. How is life easier today? How is it more difficult?
14. What would have frightened you most about living in the backcountry over a century ago?
15. If you could write a letter to Laura Ingalls today, what questions would you ask her? What would you want her to know about yourself?
16. A pig dies in the story, just as many pigs died in the 1860s. How would you have handled this situation? Were you offended that I added the scene to the book? Explain your answer.
17. At the end of the story, Brooke discovers that Wendell has called. If you could write an additional chapter, how would you have Brooke handle this discovery? What decisions could she make that would change her life forever?
18. In what ways does Brooke use her creativity and critical thinking skills to make life in the backcountry more enjoyable? Had you been Brooke, are there things you would have done differently?
19. Colonists originally settled in the North Carolina backcountry in the mid-1700s. How do you think the landscape changed between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War? How do you think it has changed from the Civil War until now?
20. If you wr
ote a novel that took place in another time, which era would you choose? Why?
About the Author
Leslie Tall Manning is a Theatre Arts graduate from California State University Long Beach, where she wrote and directed her first play (soon to be a published novel). In 2003, she left the Wild West for the Sleepy South for artistic inspiration, and proudly calls North Carolina her home. As a private English tutor and writing specialist, Leslie spends her evenings working with students of all ages, and her days juggling a multitude of writing projects, including editing screenplays and working on a musical. When she isn’t clacking away at the computer keys or conducting research for her adult and young adult novels, she spends quality time with her artist husband.
Feel free to visit Leslie’s website where she answers readers’ questions, reveals chapters of upcoming books, and offers an event calendar for book signings and guest-speaking engagements. www.leslietallmanning.com
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Acknowledgements:
Study Guide Questions for Upside Down in a Laura Ingalls Town
About the Author
Upside Down in a Laura Ingalls Town Page 28
