Going to Town (My First Little House) [Paperback]

Laura Ingalls Wilder (Author), Renee Graef (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: My First Little House

Long, long ago, a little girl named Laura Ingalls lived in a little house in the Big Woods of Wisconsin with her Pa, her Ma, her sisters, Mary and Carrie, and their good old bulldog, Jack. One spring day Pa has a wonderful surprise--he is taking the family on a trip into town! Laura is very excited, for she has never been to a town, and this special visit is everything she imagined and more.

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 storybooks. RenÉe Graef's warm paintings, inspired by Garth Williams' classic Little House illustrations, bring Laura and her family lovingly to life.

Laura and Mary get ready for their very first trip from the little house in the Big Woods into town, where a visit to the general store and a picnic by the lake await.

1995 ‘Pick of the Lists’ (ABA)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1?A picture-book adaptation of a chapter from Wilder's Little House in the Big Woods. Readers meet Laura Ingalls and her family as they carefully prepare for her first trip to town. The night before, Mary and Laura have their hair wound up in rags so they will have curls. On the big day, they wear their best dresses, and Ma packs a picnic lunch. Laura is impressed with the many houses in town and the wide selection of store items. The more active part of the original chapter, in which Laura tears her pocket because she greedily picks up too many beach stones, has been omitted. Graef's full-color, double-page illustrations carry the text. From the gingham-check endpapers to the warm green and gold tones of the outdoor and interior scenes, she captures a glimpse of the characters' way of life while maintaining the style of Garth Williams's original illustrations. While there is little action in this book, it may be a good discussion-starter on pioneer life. For a livelier account, stick with the original.?Janet M. Bair, Trumbull Library, CT
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

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.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (April 26, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064434524
• ISBN-13: 978-0064434522
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #90,214 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #18 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Series > Historical > Little House
  • #18 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( W ) > Wilder, Laura Ingalls
  • #53 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Where We Live > Farm Life

More About the Author

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.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great series of books, June 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Going to Town (My First Little House Books) (Paperback)

When I was a kid my dad got me the whole Little House series of books. I loved them and read them for years. Now I have 2 daughters of my own and I'm thrilled to be able to introduce them to the Little House books at a younger age. The illustrations are great and the stories are well written. As I'm reading them to my daughters I remember the stories when I read them as a kid. Fun for all of us!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars enchanting book for all youngsters, April 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Going to Town (My First Little House) (Paperback)

THIS INTRODUCTION TO THE LAURA INGALLS' BOOKS IS EASY TO READ, DELIGHTFUL TO LOOK AT AND AN ENCHANTMENT, IN MY OPINION, FOR YOUNGSTERS OF ALL AGES. EVEN OLDER CHILDREN WILL APPRECIATE ITS GENTLE HONESTY AND GORGEOUS ILLUSTRATIONS.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Introduction to the Little House Series..., October 10, 2002

By 

Christine "loves to read" (Setauket, NY, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Going To Town (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) (My First Little House Books (Prebound)) (School & Library Binding)

Adapted deftly from the Little House series made famous by Laura Ingalls Wilder, this gorgeous picture book tells of Laura's first day trip with her family from the Big Woods to the nearby town of Pepin Wisconsin. The writing is charming and warm, the typeface perfect for reading aloud or independently. The illustrations, inspired by Garth Williams' originals, are extraordinary...absolutely beautiful! I would not consider this adaptation to be a "dumbed down" version of the originals, nor it is too juvenile for older readers. Rather it is a perfect transition piece which lends itself to wonderful cuddling and conversation, both of which are important for developing strong readers no matter how old they may be.

I would also recommend the hardcover editions. They last longer through many readings and make reading aloud feel like a real treat.

Enjoy.