Gifts for Laura Fans

Originally published from 1932 to 1943, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books are classics of children’s literature, beloved by millions. But readers who last enjoyed them as children may be astonished at the quiet poetry of Wilder’s prose and the force and poignancy of her portrait of the lives of American pioneers. Now The Library of America and editor Caroline Fraser present a definitive boxed set that affirms Wilder’s place in the American canon, reintroducing these enduring works to readers young and old. Here, for the first time in two collectible hardcover volumes, are all eight Little House novels—brilliant narratives of the early life of Laura Ingalls and her family as they grow up with the country in the woods, on the plains, and finally in the small towns of the advancing American frontier—plus the posthumous novella The First Four Years, which recounts the early years of the author’s marriage to Almanzo Wilder. As a special feature, four rare autobiographical pieces address the need for historical accuracy in children’s literature, reveal real life events not included in the novels, and answer the inevitable question: what happened next?
Contains:

VOLUME ONE

Little House in the Big Woods

Farmer Boy

Little House on the Prairie

On the Banks of Plum Creek

Library of America volume #229

VOLUME TWO

By the Shores of Silver Lake

The Long Winter

Little Town on the Prairie

These Happy Golden Years

The First Four Years

Library of America volume #230

More than 100 recipes introduce the foods and cooking of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s pioneer childhood, chronicled in her classic Little House books.

Notable Children’s Books of 1979 (ALA)
Best Books of 1979 (SLJ)
Notable 1979 Children's Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)
Children's Books of 1979 (Library of Congress)
1980 Western Heritage Award

Laura Ingalls Wilder crossed the country by covered wagon, by train, and by car. Here, Laura's journal entries and letters from three of her most memorable journeys have been collected in one volume. On the Way Home recounts her 1894 move with her daughter, Rose, and her husband, Almanzo, from South Dakota to Mansfield, Missouri, where Laura would live for the rest of her life. In West From Home, Laura wrote letters to Almanzo about her adventures as she traveled to California in 1915 to visit Rose. Finally, The Road Back tells the story of Laura and Almanzo's first trip back to DeSmet in 1931, the town where Laura grew up and where she fell in love with Almanzo.

Laura's candid sense of humor and keen eye for observation shine in this wonderful collection of writings about the many places she called home.

Laura Ingalls Wilder Country takes the millions of fans of the Little House books and the hit TV series on an enchanting tour of the real world of the well-loved author, visiting the people and places who inspired her classic books. With hundreds of photos, many in full color, this memorabilia book makes a beautiful gift.