Customer Reviews

Little House 9 Book Box Set

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I got these books for my daughter and have been reading them to her before bed. I am disappointed that they do not have the illustrations I remember from the editions I read as a girl. The pictures really helped explain some of the unfamiliar objects from pioneer days. I was also surprised that the chapters are not numbered, but that's not really a big deal. The stories are as wonderful as I remember, I just wish they had included the illustrations from past editions.

I had this set when I was a little girl. My 6 year old asked Santa for chapter books, and I thought this would be perfect! We're only on the first book, and so far, I haven't seen any of the Garth Williams illustrations I loved so much. I'm a little sad they're not in this set.

A classic series as many know but the decision to ditch Williams' illustrations is baffling. Harper Collins has been using them from the beginning edition and no doubt still has the rights. Then again, this is the same publisher that chronologically reshuffled the Narnia series despite the fact that the author himself was against it when he was alive.

Amazon: post a note upfront that these books are not illustrated, if you want to avoid upset customers. My 7yr old received a set for xmas and noticed it right away. I'll be looking for an illustrated set next.

I received this box set as a Christmas gift, and while the stories are as wonderful as I remember them I was sad to realize that they do not have the Garth Williams illustrations in them. In lieu of the illustrations each book features some "extras" at the end such as recipes of foods mentioned, some historical context and / or instructions for games that Mary and Laura played. And while many new readers won't miss Mr. William's work, as someone who grew up with that version of Mrs. Wilder's novellas, I've found the lack of drawings distracting and irritating.

Several reviewer's have pointed out Mrs. Wilder's lack of sensitivity dealing with the relocation of the Native American populations in several of the books; while that is definitely a dark period of American hisotory, the writing reflects the commonly held views of the average pioneer family. While this is upsetting to many of today's sensiblities, I think it can be a great historical lesson and talking point for parents to use with their children to broach conversations on the dangers of racism, intolerance and how the past actions of settlers / American government were not always in the best interests of all parties of the US population.

With a set of books that carries such a timeless and unforgettable charm, you had to figure that the redesigning of the cover art was not too far behind. Updated with photographic front covers that depict a dark-haired, smiling pioneer girl through the years, this new set contains the same 9 books, yet they are completely devoid of the original Garth Williams illustrations that longtime fans of these stories remember so well. There's no doubt that this decision will infuriate some people, but the good news is that there is still a chance to grab copies of the old editions if you would prefer them. The release of this collection has provided a red flag for the original publishers to go out of print whenever they wish, so if you would like to get the old, Garth Williams versions, be sure to get them while you can, either on Amazon, Ebay, or a local bookstore.

Setting all that aside, the beautiful quality of Laura Ingalls Wilder's writing remains exactly the same, and this new release simply represents an opportunity for a whole new generation to discover and enjoy some stories that will never, ever go out of style. It is amazing to think that these books are still adorning the shelves of public libraries across the country, and children continue to pick them up for in-school reading or pure pleasure, or perhaps a combination of both. There are very few among us who don't recognize what these books mean for people of all ages, but it really is something special. Literary sensations like "Harry Potter" may come and go, but Laura's message is something that people can't seem to let go of. No matter what generation we come from, these are vibrant, refreshing, and altogether unforgettable tales of a real-life prairie girl who wasn't perfect, but was just a normal kid who happened to grow up in an era that is very, very different from the one we know today. Her stories were basic, but they left a significant mark on the world. Best of all, there was no need to resort to high-power adventure, gore, or violence to carry the plot. Laura's sweet, innocent, and youthful voice said it all, and she got it down just right.

If you haven't read these books yet, you really shouldn't let yourself go any longer without doing so. The opportunity is right here to buy a set of all 9 stories, and believe me, once you have them, you'll be revisiting them more than once. The simplistic lifestyle of Laura and her family is really something, and perhaps what is most incredible is the excitement that 5-year-old Laura feels when she receives a tin cup, a candy cane, a cookie, and a penny on Christmas morning. "There had never been such a Christmas," Laura wrote in her third book, "Little House on the Prairie," and those simple words are bound to reach the hearts of countless readers as they reflect on what an average Christmas morning looks like for today's youngsters. Many children would feel cheated if they got what the Ingalls children got on this memorable Christmas in her life, but for Laura, it was an absolute blessing that was not to be taken for granted. Who knows? Maybe our kids really were better off back then. Of course, the main idea here is to recognize the hardships that people previously faced and find some gratitude in the little things, and that is just one of the many, many important messages in Laura's books.
Whether you purchase these new editions or hunt around for a full collection of the old ones, there is something truly valuable in these stories that will be every bit as important ten, twenty, fifty, one hundred, and one thousand years down the road. No matter what time period it is, people are still going to be reading these and reflecting on a time period that doesn't seem that far away when told through Laura's eyes. "Now is now," she once wrote, "and it can never be a long time ago."

What can I say? For me, that pretty much sums it all up.

I purchased these books for my eight year old daughter. We read all of them already. She loved them, and so did I. I was a little disappointed that there were no pictures at all. In the older version, there were some very beautiful pictures that helped bring understanding to some of the concepts of being a pioneer. Overall, this was a great purchase.

The books have always been favorites for our girls (ages 33,42,44)so we got them each a set when it was our 45th wedding anniversary, they were all surprised and pleased with the gift. Recipes were found in a separate section of each book. Thanks for having them and for us receiving them in time. The only disappointment was the covers, we wanted the original covers since those are the ones they remembered, but that set only had 5 of the books, this set was complete. I would have liked this set with the original covers, instead.

I bought this series for my wife (at her request) for Christmas
last year. She & I were both familiar with the tv series based
on Laura's writings. They might seem a little "old fashioned" in
todays busy world, but if you're like me, I enjoy setting a slower
pace for the life I live. A really great series about life and living
in the 1800's. This series in NOT fiction, they describe real life
challenges that were faced during her family's expedition.

Our daughters have enjoyed this set of books many times over. A wonderful addition to a childs library of books.

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder is a whole series of books about a girl named Laura Ingalls Wilder. The books talk about some of the hardships Laura and her family faced. These books also tell about every thing that happened in her life from Wisconsin all the way to Kansas. The story of her life starts as a young girl and talks about her getting married as a young lady. The books tell how she changed and some of the places she went and even some of the people she met.
I like these books because the way these books were written because they were written so you fell like you are actually there. I also like these books because they tell what people had to go through in the 1800's. I read all these books and I liked them. If you read them you will like them too.