I was interested in reading a biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder, so I put several titles on hold at the library, not really knowing much about them. This was the first to come in, and I didn't realize it was a juvenile book until I started reading it. :) The first half basically provides a chapter-by-chapter synopsis of each book that she wrote, which I found dull and repetative after just having read the books themselves. It wasn't until near the book's end that it became interesting to me - when it described Laura's later life. I learned a lot about her daughter, Rose, that I didn't know previously, as well as some details about Laura's later life that were interesting. For example: she was admired and praised for her skill in raising chickens, her least favorite chore was kneading bread, she had a blue car named Isabelle that she took a lengthy road trip in across the country, and she wrote popular contributions for newspapers about a variety of topics (usually about farm life on Rocky Ridge and geared toward homemakers.)

Too much of the book summarized the Little House stories, and I'm sure what I was looking for in this biography, but it wasn't that.

This was a good overview of the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder. I learned some things that I did not know.

Very interesting!!!

There was a whole lot of recap from the Little House books, but publish something about LIW, and I’m going to read it. I enjoy reading about her, and her family. The stories never get old.

We saw the little china shepherdess (among other memorabilia) in Keystone, SD last June. It was a fan girl moment for my 40 year old self.

I found this book in my local library and decided to read it because I had read the "Little House" series by Laura Ingalls Wilder as a child and wanted to learn more about her. This book was very well written and gave insights into all of the Ingalls family as well as other people readers met in the series. It contained many black and white photographs of Laura Ingalls Wilder, her family, and the land. The book also includes drawings from ther series, illustrators. Since the series ended with the four year period after Laura and Almonzo had met, it was interesting reading about her later life and other people in her life such as her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, who was also an accomplished writer and who was instrumental in her mother's publishing successes. It is writen in about a fifth-sixth grade reading level, but I personally enjoy juvenile non-fiction and biographies better because they seem to give the facts without overwhelming the reader. If you have read the "Little House" series, this is a must read. It will really make you want to read the series again.

Beautiful art!
Really nice telling of Wilder's story, even goes into her vacation in San Francisco w/Rose (and one of my favorite scenes from West From Home, Wilder getting her feet wet in the Pacific Ocean. i would love to go back in time and point her out to the young married couples w/little kids "that lady getting her feet wet, she'll write books you're going to read to your grandchildren.").
Perfect book to read to class before you read Little House to them.
cococo author

Laura Ingalls didn't have an easy life by an stretch of the imagination. She was a pioneer girl,she moved around all the time. Her family worked through the hot summers,mild springs and falls,and harsh winters. They never quit. They had hard times and easy times.

Laura became a school teacher at the age of 15.She got rides to and from her school by Almanzo Wilder,who was much older than her. 4 years later,Laura and Almanzo marry. A few months after that,tradgedy strikes when they lose their infant son. He was unamed. Then,their house burns down,they have to live with Laura's parents. Laura's sister,Mary,who is also blind is being supported to go to Iowa's school for the blind by her school teacher sister,Laura. Mary became blind from meningitis. Laura agreed that she would help pay for Mary to go to school and be able to learn to do things for herself.

Manly,Laura's nickname for Almanzo and Bessie,Almanzo's nickname for Laura(because of her middle name,Beth)keep up the Ingalls family tradition by moving all over the country. Soon after,they both are stricken with diptheria and Almanzo never fully recovers. He is crippled in his feet and legs. The Wilder's daughter,Rose Wilder is sent to live with her grandparents when her parents are sick. She spends two and a half months away from her parents. When they finally recover,their luck starts to turn around a bit. Laura and Almanzo's crops start to look good and start to grow. Almanzo and Laura lead a pretty quiet life. They farm during the week,rest on Saturdays, and then sometimes take quiet rides through town on Sundays.

Then,Almanzo gets a job offer in New Zealand. That means leaving behind everyone. While there,while Almanzo works,Laura and Rose spend time together. Laura tells Rose all the stories she has of when she was younger,and eventually Rose hears them so much,she can recite them by heart. Day after day,Rose and Laura sit on a bed and talk about things that Laura did when she was a kid. How much trouble she used to get in,or how good Pa was at playing his fiddle.

Rose eventually grows up and moves to San Fransisco to become a writer. She writes for the SanFransisco Gazette. Laura takes a train to vist with Rose and realiazes that writing is something she would like to try. When Laura gets home,she starts to write about her life as a young girl,on the praire. She calls her first book,Little House in The Big Woods. It tells about her life in Pepin,Wisconsin.

Her first book is a sucess so she begins to write more. In all,Laura wrote a total of 9 books about her life. She is known all over town and kids send letters to her from all over.

In 1951,Almanzo dies. He had suffered a heart attack and seemed to be getting better,Laura was with him when she died. After Almanzo's death,Laura still continued to keep on writing,and kids continued to keep reading.