"...but I love to work. And it is a pleasure to write. And, oh, I do just love to play!"
Laura Ingalls Wilder, February 1918
Links are to Amazon.com
The "Little House" books by Laura Ingalls
Wilder... the original series covering Laura's life and travels from age 3 to
23
Books by Laura's daughter, Rose Wilder Lane,
that take place at the same time...
and
"On the Way Home," a series bridging book...
The Rose series by Roger Lea MacBride...
picks up the story of Laura, Almanzo, and their daughter Rose where "On the
Way Home" leaves off, with the family's arrival in Missouri
Books written by Laura that take place after
the "Rose" series... Laura and her
life in the 1910s and 1920s in her own writing
The Caroline Years... starts in the
1840s and tells the tales of the life of Caroline Quiner Ingalls, who became
Laura's mother
The Charlotte Years and the Martha
Years... tells the tales of Charlotte Tucker, who became Laura's
grandmother, and Martha Morse, her great-grandmother
These are the original books
in the Little House phenomena, and are the best of the lot. They contain a
flavor and sense of the era that none of the more recent books can give.
Shining through the hard times, and poverty, is the sheer joy of life, and
the pride and self-worth, that surpass any troubles.
Rose's books are not "Little
House" books, but stand alone and add to the feel of the people and times in
which Laura lived. Rose draws on the experiences of both her parents and
grandparents in writing her books. "On the Way Home" is a bit tersely written, being a diary
account, not a story, but provides an important story bridge and example of
Laura at that time.
Roger Lea MacBride knew Rose
well and had access to her papers, so the content of these stories is
reasonably authentic. The writing isn't as fluid as Laura's originals, but
is okay. The book series starts off a bit slowly and uneventfully,
particularly in the third and fourth books, but
improves and is quite good, though sometimes uneven, in the later books.
"West From Home" and "Little
House in the Ozarks: The Rediscovered Writings" are collections of letters,
articles, and essays Laura wrote in the 1910s and 1920s. Both are very
enjoyable reading and recommended not only as books that continue Laura's
story, but also as shining examples of her writing style and abilities that
pre-date the "Little House series."
The Caroline series is a
recent, and still-growing, addition to the "Little House" saga of stories.
These are the tales of Laura's mother growing up in the wilds of Wisconsin.
Apparently based on stories told in family letters, the books are based in
reality but individual events are heavily fictionalized. Often slow-moving
they nevertheless fill in many story elements.
These two series are sometimes
mockingly referred to by some, myself included, as "Little House in the Ice
Age" as one wonders how far back the publishers are willing to go with these
new book series. I admit I have not read them, so read the Amazon.com reader
reviews to gain a better opinion of their worth as additions to the Little
House saga.
Little House (9 Books, Boxed Set)
by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Garth Williams
(Illustrator)
All the books of the original series together in
a boxed set. Also
available individually.
by Rose Wilder Lane, Laura's daughter,
tells an alternate version of the early years in DeSmet
in a fiction story that combines the experiences of her parents and
grandparents. Many of the incidents in this book are real but were omitted
from Laura's books. "Free Land" is darker and harsher than Laura's books;
more of an adult story. It's well worth reading but don't expect another
"Little House" book out of it. (fiction)
Originally published as "Let the Hurricane
Roar." This book by Laura's daughter, Rose, takes the experiences of
her parents, Laura and Almanzo Wilder, and those of her grandparents,
Charles and Caroline Ingalls, and blends them into the story of a young
couple setting off to pioneer on the prairies. Molly is only 16, and her
new husband David is 18 when they set out alone to make their lives, farm,
and new home. There are shades of Laura's "Little House on the Prairie"
and "On the Banks of Plum Creek" in this short but well-done book. It's
well worth reading but don't expect another "Little House" book out if
it--Rose had her own distinctive writing style and this book, like her
"Free Land," is more of an adult's story than a children's book.
This book was made into two quite good
made-for-tv movies:
This is Laura's diary account of their
trip from DeSmet, South Dakota to Mansfield, Missouri in a covered wagon
and their early days finding and settling at Rocky Ridge farm. This book
serves as the bridge between the original Little House book series by
Laura Ingalls Wilder and the later series by Roger Lea MacBride about her
daughter Rose's life as a child in Missouri.
Laura, Almanzo and young daughter Rose travel to
Mansfield, Missouri to settle on Rock Ridge farm. They face hard times, with
no money, little to eat, and rough land to tame.
Laura spent some time in San Francisco
visiting her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane. These are letters she wrote back
home to Almanzo in Mansfield, Missouri. They are very entertaining reading, showing Laura's
spirit, charm, and witty observations.
Caroline Quiner, who will be
Laura Ingalls Wilder's mother, is a young girl in the woods of Brookfield,
Wisconsin. Her father has died at sea and the family is left penniless,
struggling to survive.
Charlotte Tucker, who becomes
Laura Ingalls Wilder's grandmother (we first met her in "Little House in the
Big Woods", and again in the Caroline series), is born in 1809.
Moving on westward yet again, Laura's family are the first permanent
settlers at DeSmet, Dakota Territory, alone on the prairie during the first
winter.
