I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
Little House on the Prairie
by
Laura Ingalls Wilder
autobiography, history in a paperback edition that was published by HarperTrophy on 1994 and has 335 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Illustrator: Garth Williams
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Little House in the Big Woods, Farmer Boy, On the Banks of Plum Creek
Third (per Wilder) in the Little House historical biographical series for middle-grade readers that travels with the Ingalls family from Wisconsin to Indian Territory in Kansas.
My Take
Whoa, it’s definitely scarier living in Kansas…wait’ll you read Pa’s tale of that pack of wolves that surrounded him! Of course, Jack’s adventures are pretty scary too, as are the Ingalls family’s experiences with the Indians.
Wilder uses third person objective point-of-view that relates only what is seen or heard to tell us her tale of family life in the early 1870s on the desolate prairies of Kansas.
It’s a fascinating combination of building one’s house overnight with a neighbor’s help — and without “benefit” of building codes, lol; the simple wealth of building the furniture one needs; and, a primary perspective on settler-Indian interactions — and the hypocrisy which frames them — and ain’t it sad that it’s the children who see it?
And, we experience another Christmas with this one on the prairie.
The Story
Pa has decided to sell their little house in the Big Woods of Wisconsin. He’s heard that there’s good farming land in Indian Territory!
The Characters
Pa (Charles) Ingalls has the wanderlust while his wife, Ma (Caroline), is the practical one. Mary, Laura, and baby Carrie are their children. Pet and Patty are the mustangs for which Pa traded their ponies. Bunny is Pet’s colt. They’re lucky that Jack, their protective brindle bulldog, is still with them.
Mr Edwards is a wildcat from Tennessee and their new, very helpful, neighbor. More neighbors soon include the Scotts. Pure luck brings Dr Tan, a black man, to help.
Soldat du Chène is an Osage Indian.
The Cover and Title
The cover has a country feel with that muted red and cream gingham check framing it on all four sides. An oval badge (intersecting with the border and the center graphic) in a deeper cream with a thin dark brown border provides the series information along with a log cabin graphic. The author’s name in dark brown is below this against the pale summer blue sky. The title is immediately below this in that muted red with a dark brown outline, set against the top of the Conestoga wagon in which Mary and Laura are peeking out the back with Ma and Pa behind them on the driver’s seat. Jack walks beneath the wagon. A round gold badge announces that this book is the 65th anniversary edition. Below Jack and the wagon wheels is the illustrator’s name in the dark brown.
The title finds the Ingalls have moved to another little house, this one is the Little House on the Prairie.
