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Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books have been cherished by generations of readers. Now for the first time, the youngest readers can share her adventure in these very special picture books adapted from Laura Ingalls Wilder's beloved story-books. Renee Graef's warm paintings, inspired by Garth Williams' classic Little House illustrations, bring Laura and her family lovingly to life.
Renée Graef recieved her bachelor's degree in art from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. She is the illustrator of teh paper dolls and the Kirsten books in the American Girls Collection. She is also an avid hat collector, with over 150 hats at last count. She lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with her huisband, Tim, and thier children, Maggie and Maxfeild.Join the Ingalls family as they pick a special spot on the prairie and build their snug log cabin home. Their new neighbor, Mr. Edwards, comes by to help, and after the hard work is through, everyone sings and dances to the joyful music of Pa's fiddle. Renee Graef's enchanting full-color illustrations, inspired by Garth William's classic artwork, bring Laura and her family lovingly to life in this eleventh title in the My First Little House Books series, adapted from Laura IngallsWilder's beloved storybooks.
Author Biography: Laura Ingalls Wilder was born in 1867 in the log cabin described in Little House in the Big Woods. As her classic Little House books tell us, she and her family traveled by covered wagon across the Midwest. She and her husband, Almanzo Wilder, made their own covered-wagon trip with their daughter, Rose, to Mansfield, Missouri. There Laura wrote her story in the Little House books, and lived until she was ninety years old. For millions of readers, however, she lives forever as the little pioneer girl in the beloved Little House books.
Originally published in 1935, Little House on the Prairie is the third book in the Little House Series.
Laura Ingalls Wilder was born in 1867 in the log cabin described in Little House in the Big Woods. She and her family traveled by covered wagon across the Midwest. Later, Laura and her husband, Almanzo Wilder, made their own covered-wagon trip with their daughter, Rose, to Mansfield, Missouri. There, believing in the importance of knowing where you began in order to appreciate how far you've come, Laura wrote about her childhood growing up on the American frontier. For millions of readers Laura lives on forever as the little pioneer girl in the beloved Little House books.
Garth Williams began his work on the pictures for the Little House books by meeting Laura Ingalls Wilder at her home in Missouri, and then he traveled to the sites of all the little houses. His charming art caused Laura to remark that she and her family "live again in these illustrations."
Early pictures of Laura Ingalls show a young woman in a buttoned, stiff-collared dress, but there's nothing prim or quaint about the childhood she memorialized in her Little House books. Along with the expected privations of prairie life, the Ingalls family faced droughts, fires, blizzards, bears and grasshopper plagues. Although she didn't graduate from high school, Wilder had enough schooling to get a teaching license, and took her first teaching job at the age of 15.
Later, Wilder and her husband settled on a farm in the Missouri Ozarks, where Wilder began writing about farm life for newspapers and magazines. She didn't try her hand at books until 1930, when she started chronicling her childhood at the urging of her daughter Rose. Her first effort at an autobiography, Pioneer Girl, failed to find a publisher, but it spurred a second effort, a set of eight "historical novels," as Wilder called them, based on her own life.
Little House in the Big Woods (1932) was an instant hit. It was followed by a new volume every two years or so, and the series' success snowballed until thousands of fans were waiting eagerly for each new installment. "Ms. Wilder has caught the very essence of pioneer life, the satisfaction of hard work, the thrill of accomplishment, safety and comfort made possible through resourcefulness and exertion," said the New York Times review of Little House on the Prairie (1935).
In 1954, the American Library Association established the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award to honor the lifetime achievement of a children's author or illustrator; Wilder herself was the first recipient. After Wilder's death in 1957, historical societies sprang up to preserve what they could of her childhood homes, and her manuscripts and journals provided the material for several more books. A TV series based on the books, Little House on the Prairie, ran from 1974 to 1984 and renewed interest in Wilder's work and life. More recently, fictionalized biographies of her daughter, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother have appeared.
Wilder's books have now been translated into over 40 languages, and still provide an engrossing history lesson for young readers, as well as insight into the frontier values that Wilder once catalogued as "courage, self-reliance, independence, integrity and helpfulness" -- values, in her words, worth "as much today as they ever were to help us over the rough places."
After her books were published, fan mail for Wilder poured in; among more than a thousand cards and gifts she received for her birthday in 1951 was a cablegram of congratulations from General Douglas MacArthur.
Wilder, who had grown up making long journeys by covered wagon, took her first airplane ride at the age of 87, on a visit to Rose in Danbury, Connecticut.
A long time ago, when all the grandfathers and grandmothers of today were little boys and little girls or very small babies, or perhaps not even born, Pa and Ma and Mary and Laura and Baby Carrie left their little house in the Big Woods of Wisconsin. They drove away and left it lonely and empty in the clearing among the big trees, and they never saw that little house again.They were going to the Indian country.
Pa said there were too many people in the Big Woods now. Quite often Laura heard the ringing thud of an ax which was not Pa's ax, or the echo of a shot that did not come from his gun. The path that went by the little house had become a road. Almost every day Laura and Mary stopped their playing and stared in surprise at a wagon slowly creaking by on that road.
Wild animals would not stay in a country where there were so many people. Pa did not like to stay, either. He liked a country where the wild animals lived without being afraid. He liked to see the little fawns and their mothers looking at him from the shadowy woods, and the fat, lazy bears eating berries in the wild-berry patches.
In the long winter evenings he talked to Ma about the Western country. In the West the land was level, and there were no trees. The grass grew thick and high. There the wild animals wandered and fed as though they were in a pasture that stretched much farther than a man could see, and there were no settlers. Only Indians lived there.
One day in the very last of the winter Pa said to Ma, "Seeing you don't object, I've decided to go see the West. I've had an offer for this place, and we can sell it now for as much as we're ever likely to get,enough to give us a start in a new country."
"Oh, Charles, must we go now?" Ma said. The weather was so cold and the snug house was so comfortable.
"If we are going this year, we must go now," said Pa. "We can't get across the Mississippi after the ice breaks."
So Pa sold the little house. He sold the cow and calf. He made hickory bows and fastened them upright to the wagon box. Ma helped him stretch white canvas over them.
In the thin dark before morning Ma gently shook Mary and Laura till they got up. In firelight and candlelight she washed and combed them and dressed them warmly. Over their long red-flannel underwear she put wool petticoats and wool dresses and long wool stockings. She put their coats on them, and their rabbit-skin hoods and their red yarn mittens.
Everything from the little house was in the wagon, except the beds and tables and chairs. They did not need to take these, because Pa could always make new ones.
There was thin snow on the ground. The air was still and cold and dark. The bare trees stood up against the frosty stars. But in the east the sky was pale and through the gray woods came lanterns with wagons and horses, bringing Grandpa and Grandma and aunts and uncles and cousins.
Mary and Laura clung tight to their rag dolls and did not say anything. The cousins stood around and looked at them. Grandma and all the aunts hugged and kissed them and hugged and kissed them again, saying good-by.
Pa hung his gun to the wagon bows inside the canvas top, where he could reach it quickly from the seat. He hung his bullet-pouch and powder-horn beneath it. He laid the fiddle-box carefully between pillows, where jolting would not hurt the fiddle.
The uncles helped him hitch the horses to the wagon. All the cousins were told to kiss Mary and Laura, so they did. Pa picked up Mary and then Laura, and set them on the bed in the back of the wagon. He helped Ma climb up to the wagon-seat, and Grandma reached up and gave her Baby Carrie. Pa swung up and sat beside Ma, and Jack, the brindle bulldog, went under the wagon.
So they all went away from the little log house. The shutters were over the windows, so the little house could not see them go. It stayed there inside the log fence, behind the two big oak trees that in the summertime had made green roofs for Mary and Laura to play under. And that was the last of the little house.
Pa promised that when they came to the West, Laura should see a papoose."What is a papoose?" she asked him, and he said, "A papoose is a little, brown, Indian baby."
They drove a long way through the snowy woods, till they came to the town of Pepin. Mary and Laura had seen it once before, but it looked different now. The door of the store and the doors of all the houses were shut, the stumps were covered with snow, and no little children were playing outdoors. Big cords of wood stood among the stumps. Only two or three men in boots and fur caps and bright plaid coats were to be seen.
Ma and Laura and Mary ate bread and molasses in the wagon, and the horses ate corn from nose-bags, while inside the store Pa traded his furs for things they would need on the journey. They could not stay long in the town, because they must cross the lake that day.
The enormous lake stretched flat and smooth and white all the way to the edge of the gray sky. Wagon tracks went away across it, so far that you could not see where they went; they ended in nothing at all.
Pa drove the wagon out onto the ice, following those wagon tracks. The horses' hoofs clop-clopped with a dull sound, the wagon wheels went crunching. The town grew smaller and smaller behind, till even the tall store was only a dot. All around the wagon there was nothing but empty and silent space. Laura didn't like it. But Pa was on the wagon-seat and Jack was under the wagon; she knew that nothing could hurt her while Pa and Jack were there.
At last the wagon was pulling up a slope of earth again, and again there were trees. There was a little log house, too, among the trees. So Laura felt better.
Nobody lived in the little house; it was a place to camp in. It was a tiny house, and strange, with a big fireplace and rough bunks against all the walls. But it was warm when Pa had built a fire in the fireplace. That night Mary and Laura and Baby Carrie slept with Ma in a bed made on the floor before the fire, while Pa slept outside in the wagon, to guard it and the horses.
In the night a strange noise wakened Laura. It sounded like a shot, but it was sharper and longer than a shot. Again and again she heard it. Mary and Carrie were asleep, but Laura couldn't sleep until Ma's voice came softly through the dark. "Go to sleep, Laura," Ma said. "It's only the ice cracking."Next morning Pa said, "It's lucky we crossed yesterday, Caroline. Wouldn't wonder if the ice broke up today. We made a late crossing, and we're lucky it didn't start breaking up while we were out in the middle of it."
"I thought about that yesterday, Charles," Ma replied, gently.
Laura hadn't thought about it before, but now she thought what would have happened if the ice had cracked under the wagon wheels and they had all gone down into the cold water in the middle of that vast lake.
"You're frightening somebody, Charles," Ma said, and Pa caught Laura up in his safe, big hug.
"We're across the Mississippi!" he said, hugging her joyously. "How do you like that, little half-pint of sweet cider half drunk up? Do you like going out west where Indians live?"
Laura said she liked it, and she asked if they were in the Indian country now. But they were not; they were in Minnesota. Little House on the Prairie. Copyright © by Laura Wilder. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Available now wherever books are sold.
gallagherKH
Posted November 2, 2010
This is a great series. A must-read for children of all ages. A classic series, that is unforgettable! I remember reading this series when I was about 8 or 9 years old.....I didnt put the books down until I was completley finished with the entire series and as soon as I was done reading them, I started all over again. Now that I am an adult, I am finding myself buying the series again and cant wait to open the first book, and continue reading until the 9th book is finished. Once I am done with that, I am going to start reading the series with my 8 year old twin daughters. Cant wait to get started!!!!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 7, 2006
This is a book this sounds fake but it is true. The Ingalls family lived in the vast woods. One day Pa Ingalls decides to move becase he thinks it is too crowded. While they are moving they have to make a new house. They lived on the Prarie.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 20, 2006
Roughing it out on the wide open prairie. The title of the book is Little House on the Prairie, and the author is Laura Ingalls Wilder. There are many major characters in the book, Pa, Ma, Mary, Laura, and baby Carrie. Pa is also known as Charles he, is the father of the family and Ma also known as Caroline, is the mother. The oldest child is Mary, the second oldest is Laura and the youngest is baby Carrie. The family is heading south, during the colonial period. They end up staying on a dry prairie which just happens to have wolves near by. After they find out there are wolves they find out there are Indians near by also. Will the wolves attack or will the Indians invade, who knows? My first impression of this book was, ¿Oh it will be ok,¿ but, now that I have started reading the book, I think it is rather interesting. The book is exciting and wonderful. I liked the book because it is so lively and vibrant, with lots of details. For example, Laura Ingalls Wilder described the prairie to have tall, long, dry, grass. And a wide blue sky with no clouds in site, just a blazing sun over the prairie. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes the colonial period. The author uses great transitioning words, which makes the book flow really well. She has inspired me with her writing. For example she would not say the bird is blue. She would say the little bird is a shaded of blue, and in the far away distance you can hear the sweet song echoing over the hills and valleys. If you are into long detailed books this is not the book for you!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 27, 2011
I Also Recommend:
This particular book is about when the Ingalls move from the The Big Woods and into the Prairie. Pa builds a house while everyone else lives outside in tents. The roof at one point catches on fire and everyone has to run to put it out. The prairie also catches on fire too. Ma and Pa manage to keep it away from the house though. This is the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder, filled with hope tragedy, and eventually, happiness. Laura, the writer manages to keep your attention riveted on the story because of her vivid detail and talent at painting you the best picture possible. I felt like I was experiencing it all with her. The only problem I have encountered in this series is the last book, "The First Four Years", which wasn't written by her at all. It lacked all the detail she gave and she even seemed like a completely different person. Everybody should read this because most people only romanticize about the lives of the settler's. They don't know how horrible their lives actually were. Only one out of three families actually survived. The rest died or moved back east. ""They are in the house," Mary whispered. "They are in the house with Ma an Carrie." Then Laura began to shake all over. She new she must do something. She did not know what those Indians were doing to Ma and Baby Carrie. There was no sound at all from the house." This passage is important as it underlines what dangers can be found in the life of a settler. Indians were a constant problem. What I imagine as their values are honest hard work and never give up hope. This family had to overcome fire, financial problems, and Indians...to name but a few of their problems. Many people don't know that this book is not fiction. It is completely true. It even sounds like it is fiction because of Laura's imagination.
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Posted January 14, 2011
We read this book in our class when we were studying Pioneers. We thought it was an interesting book that shows life long back then. It gave a good description of what traveling was like in a covered wagon. It had a lot of good details about the adventures like when the Indians came to their house. It even helped us understand why it was dangerous out there. We would recommend this book to all ages. If you can read chapter books this will be a good book for you.
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Posted October 2, 2010
I would reccomend tis book to anyone. I loved it and hope you will too!:)
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Posted May 31, 2010
What a classic. Everyone should have to read this story. I love historical fiction and enjoyed reading this story when I was a girl and I also enjoyed reading this story to my kids and to my class room too. It is the story of Laura and her famous adventures. I enjoyed reading and teaching about the one roomed school house and the struggles with staying warm at night without electricity. This was a teaching tool as well as entertaining. You will really enjoy these stories if you have never read them.
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Posted April 17, 2010
My mother read these books to me when I was the age of my daughter in the 1970's, and I wanted to read them to my kids when they were old enough. My daughter (6 years old), husband, and I started with Little House in the Big Woods, which she said was "good" and she enjoys this one even more. It has led to more family time and some really interesting discussions comparing today and 100 years in the past! Still a timely classic! Enjoy!
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Posted March 30, 2010
I Also Recommend:
I think this book was an absorbing and creative book about a family who travels from Wisconsin to Kansas. This book literally turns it's own pages. I recommend this to kids ages 9-13.
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Posted March 20, 2010
Great book. My 8year old loves it...and I find it interesting from a historical standpoint.
Tried to buy it online with the SPECIAL no postage offer...couldn't make it happen...Now I'm not an IT guy, but I was frustrated.
Anonymous
Posted January 16, 2010
The story and reader are very good. My kids do have some of the books. This 'book on tape' series is great for one of my kids who cannot read in the car due to car sickness.
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Posted December 19, 2009
This book was the first in the series that my seven-year-old daughter has read, and she loved it. It is a timeless series, and appeals to young girls now just as it did when I was little.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.For me the Little House series taught me to be grateful for what I have.
The Ingalls family had so little and they treasured the things I take for granted like a warm house or food. I read the Little House series in 5th grade and I know now as a 6th grader going to 7th they are not for my age group. But I still love them and once and a while a read one or two because they are very enjoyable.
this book would be a good read for a 4th grader. I think girls would like it more than boys becauses it is mainly about a girl named laura who lived in the 1800's.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 18, 2007
I LOVE LITTLE HOUSE!!!! If you do not like little house, to bad succa! Little House is a great glimpse in to America's Frontier past. I only read pioneer books, and when i discovered Little House, I fainted it was so WONDERFUL! i complained when i had to give it back to the library.
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Posted July 12, 2006
this book is a very good book. it tells about a small girl and her family. they are not very fourcanit but they love each other and are happy with what they have.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 10, 2006
this is a great book. I LOVE IT. it is just about a family having fun and going through life.
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Posted March 24, 2006
The Little House on the Prarie by Laura Ingalls Wilder has many stregths and weaknesses also. This story is attention grabbing with the not knowing of the wild prarie. It alos is a original storyline due to the fact that Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote this herself. One of the strengths of the book is that its easy to follow and the chapters don't go on forever. Another strength is that you excalty know what the charaters are doing and thinking in some more the stressful parts of the book. One of weaknesses of this book is that Pa Ingalls just decides to leave the Big Woods and the really don't give a clear reason to why he wantes to leave, other than the woods are just too crowded. Another weakness is at the very the very end you are felt guessing if the Ingalls famliy run in to any more indians or anyother dangers of the Prarie. This book really does end with a twist, so til' i read the next book in the series the mystery remians.
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Posted January 23, 2006
I love the little house on the prairie sets!!! Every time I read one of her books I smile. If you also love Little House on the Prairie I suggest maybe you get some of the Little House on the Prairie DVD sets or watch them at 2:00pm central and 3:00pm central on the Hall mark channel or at 7:00pm central on TVland [only weekdays for both channels.]
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Posted May 22, 2005
The book is just not very interesting for me. Wilder describes things very well, but in an awfully boring way. There's no real excitement. If you want to write a book, don't make it so boring that readers will fall fast asleep while reading it. Thank you!
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Overview
Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books have ...