Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Biography (Little House) [Paperback]

William Anderson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 30, 1995 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Little House

The authoritative expert of the Little House series ‘chronicles the life of author Wilder in a readable biography that is easily accessible to [readers of] the Little House books. Particularly interesting are the sections that fill in the gaps in Wilder's stories'including the time spent in Burr Oak, Iowa, and the years following her marriage to Almanzo Wilder.' 'BL.

1990 Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Award for Nonfiction

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

According to PW, this straightforward chronology "simply shadows and underscores" Wilder's tuniversally acclaimed writings. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7-- This biography of the quintessential pioneer girl who lived the ``Little House'' stories and later captured them for posterity in her books is substantial in length and content. Like the subject's enduring series, it not only chronicles growing up on the frontier, but also pictures a way of life that has long since vanished. Many more people and events from Wilder's childhood and mature years appear here than in other juvenile accounts. Quotations from her works are woven into the text. Anderson brings credentials to the work, yet falters when discussing Wilder's awards. He states that Little House in the Big Woods (1932) became a Newbery Honor Book, when, in fact, On the Banks of Plum Creek (1937, both HarperCollins) was the first of the series so named. Compounding the error, he describes an Honor Book as ``the most outstanding children's book of the year.'' These inaccuracies aside, Anderson's colorful and detailed biography should prove popular with ``Little House'' devotees and students reporting on notable women or authors. Two sections of black-and-white photographs are included. --Pat Katka, San Diego Public Library
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: HarperTrophy (May 30, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064461033
• ISBN-13: 978-0064461030
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,207,386 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #98 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Biographies > Literary

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Laura's life painted rosy, June 15, 2000

By 

yarden "yarden" (portland, or) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Biography (Little House) (Paperback)

After reading through the entire LITTLE HOUSE series (again), I became interesting in learning more about Laura Ingalls Wilder. I began with this book, and read some additional books as well. I found that LAURA INGALLS WILDER: A BIOGRAPHY was very informative, but that it was written in a very positive light. It glossed over some traumatic moments in Laura's life, and made her look like a perfect person instead of a normal person with some faults.

This book is designed to fit in with the current LITTLE HOUSE paperback design, which is handy. It is an easy read (written for the 9-12 set), but will interest those who want to know more about "the real Laura." I would recommend it over the other biographies I have read about Laura Ingalls Wilder because it is written to be interesting, not to be historically detailed. However, Laura's life was painted a lot rosier than it was in real life.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Become a Little House Expert!, December 4, 2002

By 

Alice Bright (Kansas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Biography (Little House) (Paperback)

Historian William Anderson did a great job with this little book in rounding out the life and times of the Ingalls family. He fills in the gaps with historic details for those parts of her life that Laura ommitted, for reasons of her own. The final chapters of the book are especially fascinating as we travel to Rocky Ridge Farm in Missouri to see how Laura, Almanzo and Rose lived after "West From Home." Also included is the fascinating story of how the "Little House" books came to be. Anderson also provides some embellishment from Laura herself on stories told in the "Little House" series. It's heartwarming to hear another version from Laura of Almanzo's surprise Christmas visit. This book is full of little tidbits just like that - which are irresistible to Little House fans!

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very informative, full of surprises, December 26, 2001

By 

Anna M. Vandenhazel (West Valley City, UT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Biography (Little House) (Paperback)

If you've read the "Little House" books, you'll find that some things in the stories weren't quite the same in real life - for example, the Ingalls family's time spent in Burr Oak, Iowa, isn't mentioned in any of Laura's stories, nor the fact that they actually lived in the Big Woods twice in Laura's lifetime - the events of "Little House on the Prairie" actually took place when Laura was too young to remember, so of course she relied on her parents'memories of Indian Territory. Also of note are a couple of name changes - the "Oleson" family was actually the Owens family, and the quarrelsome people she stayed with on her first teaching job were named Bouchie, not Brewster. Many more surprises await you when you read the story, but I don't want to give everything away!