The Early Years Collection

by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Garth Williams (Illustrator)

The set includes: Little House in the Big Woods, Little House on the Prairie, On the Banks of Plum Creek, By the Shores of Silver Lake, and The Long Winter. Little House in the Big Woods

Wolves and panthers and bears roam the deep Wisconsin woods in the late 1870's. In those same woods, Laura lives with Pa and Ma, and her sisters, Mary and Baby Carrie, in a snug little house built of logs. Pa hunts and traps. Ma makes her own cheese and butter. All night long, the wind howls lonesomely, but Pa plays the fiddle and sings, keeping the family safe and cozy.Little House on the Prairie

Pa Ingalls decides to sell the little log house, and the family sets out for Indian country They travel from Wisconsin to Kansas, and there, finally, Pa builds their little house on the prairie. Sometimes farm life is difficult, even dangerous, but Laura and her family are kept busy and are happy with the promise of their new life on the prairie. On the Banks of Plum Creek

Laura's family's first home in Minnesota is made of sod, but Pa builds a clean new house made of sawed lumber beside Plum Creek. The money for materials will come from their first wheat crop. Then, just before the wheat is ready to harvest, a strange glittering cloud fills the sky, blocking out the sun. Soon millions of grasshoppers cover the field and everything on the farm. In a week's time, there is no wheat crop left at all.By the Shores of Silver Lake

Pa Ingalls heads west to the unsettled wilderness of the Dakota Territory. When Ma, Mary, Laura, Carrie, and baby Grace join him, they become the first settlers in the town of De Smet. And Pa begins work on the first building in what will soon be a brand-new town on the shoresof Silver Lake.The Long Winter

The first terrible storm comes to the barren prairie in October. Then it snows almost without stopping until April. Snow has reached the rooftops, and no trains can get through with food or coal. The people of De Smet are starving, including Laura's family, who wonder how they're going to make it through this terrible winter. It is young Almanzo Wilder who finally understands what needs to be done. He must save the town, even if it means risking his own life.

Genres: Childrens, Classics, Historical Fiction, Young Readers, Young Adult, Fiction

1648 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 1993

About the author

Laura Ingalls Wilder was an American author, journalist, and educator whose "Little House" series transformed the arduous reality of the American frontier into a foundational pillar of children's literature. Born in the "Big Woods" of Wisconsin to Charles and Caroline Ingalls, Laura’s childhood was a nomadic journey through the heart of a shifting nation. Her family moved across Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Iowa, and the Dakota Territory—often staying just ahead of legal evictions or chasing the promise of fertile soil. These years were marked by extreme hardship, including the "Hard Winter" of 1880–81 in De Smet, South Dakota, where the family survived near-starvation. Despite the struggle, these experiences provided the raw material for her eight-volume record of pioneer life, a series that has since been translated into over forty languages.
Before becoming a world-renowned novelist in her sixties, Wilder lived several distinct lives. At fifteen, she became a teacher in one-room prairie schools, a job she took primarily to support her family financially. In 1885, she married Almanzo Wilder, beginning a partnership that endured fire, paralysis from diphtheria, and the heartbreaking loss of an infant son. These trials eventually led them to Mansfield, Missouri, where they established Rocky Ridge Farm. It was here that Laura developed her voice as a professional writer, serving as a columnist and editor for the Missouri Ruralist for over a decade.
The Great Depression and the 1929 stock market crash wiped out the Wilders’ savings, providing the ultimate catalyst for Laura to pen her memoirs. Her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane—a successful author in her own right—encouraged her mother to adapt her autobiography, Pioneer Girl, into a format more suitable for children. This resulted in a complex and often rocky literary collaboration; while Lane provided the professional "style," Wilder provided the "substance" and narrative heart. The first book, Little House in the Big Woods, was published in 1932 when Laura was sixty-five.
Wilder’s legacy is a blend of immense literary success and modern historical scrutiny. While her books remain staples in classrooms for their vivid descriptions of 19th-century domestic life, her portrayals of Native Americans and African Americans have led to recent reevaluations. In 2018, the American Library Association renamed the "Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal" to the "Children's Literature Legacy Award" to reflect these evolving cultural sensitivities. Nonetheless, Wilder remains a monumental figure in American letters, a woman who successfully "saved the American soul" by documenting the grit, faith, and unyielding persistence of the pioneer spirit.

Reviews

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't find the exact version, but we read a hardcover version with the first 3 books of Little House on the Prairie.
These were our "naptime/quiet time" books that I would read every afternoon wit the girls. They really loved this series. And the fact that these were true stories made them all the more intriguing for us. We love Laura and all her adventures. The only thing I was a little surprised at was that she didn't talk a whole lot about how their faith brought them through their trials. I suppose it's because she saw all this as a little girl.
I think we'll read a few more of the series when the girls are a couple years older. I think we'll look at a fantasy/ficion series again. Any suggestions?

[Collette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't read these books in over 15 years, and I am stuuned to find as much racism (against African Americans and Native Americans) as I have. I would be very careful before I allow an impressionable child to read these books, and the content (both good and bad) should certainly be discussed with the reader.

[Laurie &quot]

I adore the little house series! Laura Ingalls writings are amazing! you feel as if you were there with her, as she writes of hardships survived, even the frightening experiances, no child would be frightened, but rather inspired to overcome adversity!

[Hari · Rating 4 out of 5]

amazing!

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll never stop loving these books!

[Cstance · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THESE AS A LITTLE GIRL!

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I loved these books as a kid. When my daughter was old enough I bought the set for her and we read them together. I recommend these books to all childrend and adults alike.

[Georgia Kaye Roberts]

how to make yummy stuff!

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite stories. I have all of the books in this set edition except the 1st.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter learned to read on these books. They're great!

[Caitlin Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love it!