Laura Ingalls Wilder Books

Laura's Rose is a really great overview of the life of Rose Wilder Lane. Of course it is more of a booklet, so you don't get a great wealth of information, but still it brings up lots of details things that dedicated Little House fans will find interesting.

I am disappointed. This book didn't (first) come out until WELL after I had read the entire series as a child! 8-) I would have loved to have had access to this book (and others like it) when I first read the Wilder books. I wanted to visit where Laura grew up but was unable to do so. With this photo guide you can, without having to make the physical trip. And now there is a new edition (which I haven't seen). Lucky, lucky new readers!

Despite the fact that I grew up not far from Pepin, where the Ingalls family does their trading, as a child I never read the Little House series. I was familiar with them from watching the TV show, but never got around to the written word. Recently I was reminded of them when reading "Stealing Buddha's Dinner," a memoir about the immigrant experience. Curious, I got a copy.

What I found is a book that is both familiar and refreshingly new. The characters -- Pa and Ma, Laura and her sisters Mary and Carrie -- were known to me, as well as their domestic life, circa 1880. What was new was all the detail about that type of life -- the seasons, hunting, domestic work, family life. The novel is full of specific detail about how people lived then, including details about living off the land and enduring the harshness of the natural world.

There were also things about it that forced my modern mind to look askance. Pa represents a sentimental ideal that seems kind of hokey at times; the scene where he takes a belt to Laura (after lecturing her against violence) points to a greater hypocrisy of these ideals. Also some of the songs he sings to the kids are quite racist by today's standards. Anyone tempted to romanticize the past might consider the ways in which we've improved since then.

That said, I enjoyed the book and will plan to read a few more in the series.

Again, William Anderson (who would have to be considered one of the premier authorities on Laura Ingalls Wilder) outdoes himself with this unique collection. This features not only Laura's pre-Little House writings from the Missouri Ruralist and other publications, but a real treat for Ingalls fans - writings from the other Ingalls family members - poetry by young Laura, Carrie and Mary; young Grace's diary, and more. All of this is tied together by Mr. Anderson's editorial commentary and photos. Very nicely done and a good read!

I picked up this book at a public library sale because I'm a Little House on the Prairie fan. I've read the Little House series and watched the TV series. This book takes place in Missouri and is an extended story in the time period after Laura marries Manly. The story is about a hermit woman named Josie, and how she and Laura help stop an evil religious maniac named Rutherford. Although Laura is part of the story, the main stars of this book focuses on the expliots of the Younguns kids. I really enjoyed reading about their adventures. It was humourous and witty, and I hope to read more about them in other books.

At first I was dissapointed in this story since it didn't have the same flavor as the Little House series, however, the Younguns have stuck in my memory so I will be looking for other books by this author. I understand there is a series of books about the Younguns.

My daughter was given this book when she was about eighteen months old. She is now almost six years old and the book is still fun! At first we would just look at the pictures of the animals and make the animal sounds. Later on we would look at the animals and I would read their name and the sentence using the animal name from the original Little House books. Now I can read the animal name, the sentence, and the citation to which book the line came from. All the animals are fairly common.

My girls ages range from 9 to 3 and they all loved the little house stories, but the best thing was I loved being able to get the three books all in one set and then to get the paperdoll and the poster was just an added bonus. Thanks please make more of these box sets available.

Cynthia Rylant does an excellent job of filling in the gaps for us in the little written about time of late 1875 through 1877. Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote very little about those years when she would have been about 8 - 10 years old. They were years of some strife and hardship on the Ingalls household, and this is probably an important time and book to add to your Little House Collection, a time that probably shaped and had quite an influence on her life.
This story looks like it would be read before "By The Shores of Silver Lake"

Due to hardships and events beyond their control Ma and Pa Ingalls had to pack up their wagon and their family several times during those years, and we learn of other people that touched their lives in some way. Selling the farm and deep in debt, moving to the city and working their fingers to the bone before they could settle down once again. Some of the stories, you will no doubt know from the Little House TV series, and although this book takes nothing away from that wonderful show, you will learn that they happened just a little differently and in different places. The birth and too short life of baby Charles Frederick, the coming of baby Grace, working at the hotel, and meeting another branch of the Ingalls family.

Laura's love of traveling West to the wide open country and her love of books and reading become apparent at her young age. And through all the strife, the family never lacks in love and spirit.Her wonderful with relationship with her family, but especially Pa, shines through here. You are taken from smiles to tears and in the end, just like the TV program, you are left with a big grin and maybe even a new outlook on life,

The book is recommended for 3rd through 7th grade, and I agree this would be a great read for that age group.It will certainly leave young readers hungry for more. But I have to say, that all ages will love these stories and for those especially that love the Little House series, "Old Town In The Green Groves" although not written by Wilder herself, will give you the same great feeling and will fill in some of those "lost years" for you.

It's a fairly fast read, not too long, and you will probably wish there was more.

Recommended for all to take another journey of love with Laura, Mary, Carrie, Ma, Pa and Jack the Dog!...Enjoy the read...Laurie

This is a great resource for information on the Wilder family. Anderson does a good job mixing easy readability with lots of info in a nice little booklet.

Needed to find an interesting "historical fiction" selection for daughter's 4th grade book report. She could relate to the main character, a young girl her age.
This captured her attention right away, and made the project much easier on all.

I actually chose this book to read for a graduate level children's literature class. As a school teacher I feel this is a wonderful easy read for children beginning to tackle the longer chapter books.

Ann Hamiltion is the main character, in which girls who are about 10 years old, could relate to. The entire Hamilton family seems to have embraced their new life out west except for Ann. She longs for her friends and old life she has left behind. There are not any girls who are Ann's age for her to spend time with and not many neighbors nearby. Ann is left to tend to her new vegetable garden and help her mother with chores around the home and care for her new baby brother. Ann tries to pass the days by writing in her journal. There are a few travelers that pass through town along with some surprises that make the days more exciting for Ann and her family.

The descriptions of the setting are very vivid and helps the reader to really imagine what is going on. This story would be a terrific read-aloud for children who are being introduced to historical fiction or for children who are interested in the pioneer days. It is a great way to show children what life was like in pioneer days, especially for children in the 8-12 year old age group.

I really liked The Cabin Faced West a lot. The 10 year old girl named Ann was one of the main charters, along with a little boy who lived down the street. The problem they faced was Ann's family moving from the East to the West. I liked the book because she was my age. She also had lots of sibling, but they did not really talk about her siblings in the book. It was a good book because there were many exciting parts of the book. Like a tea party, when George Washington comes and when she meets a boy. That's why you should read it!

The novel I read is an awesome book. The main character in my book is Ann Hamilton, a young English girl trying to live in the West. She had to leave her dearest cousin, Margaret who was living in England. She had to give up being clean, wearing clean clothes, and wearing shoes. She out grew the clothes she wore in England, so Ann and her family had to make all their clothes by hand, because there were no shops, or markets near by. Ann lived in the West on a farm, where they grew beans, corn, and cabbage etc.

I gave this book five stars because it was a very interesting novel. It was interesting because I got to read about how Ann had to live in a totally new place, where she had no church, no school, and no market like the markets she had in England. In this book there was nothing I didn't like, I admired Ann when she moved to a new place, because she dealt with it very well. It was very neat to learn about how she got to meet General Washington. I especially liked this book because it had a very happy ending.

A few years ago, we read this book in class. We had literary circles that we read it in. Our group was assigned this book, The Cabin Faced West, and we despised it with a passion. This book lacks a plot, and is one of the most boring books that I have ever read. I am an avid reader, and this is perhaps one of the few books that I have ever disliked. Not only am I surprized at the number of people who have posted good reviews on this book, I am also surprized at the number of people who actually take their time to read this trash. Whatever you do, DO NOT read this book. It is a waste of your time.