Chapter 3, "Shadows on a Cabin Wall" Summary

That winter, Little Tree and his grandparents spend their evenings by the stone fireplace, watching the flames cast shadows on the walls. Every Saturday and Sunday evening Granma reads to them. Only on these nights do they light the coal oil lamp, as it costs a nickel to fill the coal oil can at the nearest settlement. Little Tree joins Granpa on the trips to the settlement to collect supplies and books at the library for Granma. Granpa can't read, so has a difficult time knowing if he's getting the right books for Granma. They keep a dictionary checked out all the time; as Little Tree has to learn five words a week, beginning from letter A. Granma's favorite books to read on winter evenings are Shakespeare plays, which often confuse Granpa. They...