The Little House Collection

Little House #1-5

by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Garth Williams (Illustrator)

Set during the pioneer days of the late 1800s and early 1900s, Laura Ingalls Wilder's books chronicle her life growing up on the Western frontier. Come along for the adventure with this collector's set of the first five Little House books, featuring Garth Williams' interior art in vibrant full color.

The Little House books have been cherished by generations of readers as both a unique glimpse into America's frontier history and a heartwarming, unforgettable story.

The story begins in 1871 in a little log cabin on the edge of the Big Woods of Wisconsin. Laura lives in the little house with her Pa, her Ma, her sisters Mary and Carrie, and their trusty dog, Jack. Pioneer life is sometimes hard for the family, since they must grow or catch all their own food as they get ready for the cold winter. But it is also exciting as Laura and her family celebrate Christmas with homemade toys and treats, do the spring planting, bring in the harvest, and make their first trip into town. And every night they are safe and warm in their little house, with the happy sound of Pa's fiddle sending Laura and her sisters off to sleep.

And so begins Laura Ingalls Wilder's beloved story of a pioneer girl and her family.

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts

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

999 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1932

About the author

Ingalls wrote a series of historical fiction books for children based on her childhood growing up in a pioneer family. She also wrote a regular newspaper column and kept a diary as an adult moving from South Dakota to Missouri, the latter of which has been published as a book.

Reviews

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little girls (and perhaps not so little girls!) who desire to experience life like Laura did will enjoy this companion book to the Little House series. Crafts, recipes, and songs accompany biographical information and historical facts in this Little House treasury. Perfect for the young fan seeking more factual information about Laura’s childhood times, teachers planning a unit on pioneer times, or any Laura Ingalls Wilder fanatic.

[Jess the Shelf-Declared Bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out my reviews on each book’s individual page. Loving this series!

[Lesle · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read about the back story of the Ingalls family. How hard it was to build a life on the Prairie and take care of a family and how to make that cabin a home.
In the pages are recipes that were cooked over an open fire and patterns for handmade items for gifts they gave each other out of love.
I am sure some of it's details are a bit fictional. You know how our memories are when growing up. Not knowing any different it was a wonderful life and everything was bigger than real life.
Very readable and enjoyable with illustrations that are wonderful. You can really imagine how life was to what Laura described as her home on the Prairie.

[Melody Schwarting · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inside Laura's Little House is a companion to Little House on the Prairie. It is more of a deep dive into this one book than the authors' The World of Little House. LHOP is simply not my favorite of the series, so I wish this book existed for Farmer Boy or By the Shores of Silver Lake. This book has lots of age-appropriate historical information, crafts and recipes, and maps, pictures, and more (in addition to lovely illustrations).

[Susan in NC · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed my reread of Little House in the Big Woods for the Book For all Seasons challenge to reread the first chapter book we read as a child. Like so many kids of my generation, I loved these books!

What struck me most as an adult rereading this classic (besides the delightful and familiar illustrations by Garth Williams, which were engraved on my brain from so many readings as a girl), was how much work Ma and Pa had to do to survive in the isolated Big Woods of Wisconsin. Everything eaten and worn had to be raised, made or hunted - adults had to have a large skill set, farming, hunting, making tools, furniture, clothing, linens, cheese, baking, cooking, etc. also, everyone, child to adult had to help out if possible, and get by with so much less than we have today. Even for adults, this is a delightful book! I put it aside for several days to dive into a library book I couldn’t renew, but enjoyed diving back into Wilder’s lovely, warm world.

[midnightfaerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder is an exquisite set of books that I cherished growing up. Read until they were dog-eared, this series has to be one of my childhood favorites. A story about a young girl growing up on the frontier, it was so popular they made it into a T.V. series even though the series didn't do it justice. Stories as a young girl I could relate to, the mean girl in town, fights with my sisters, and just the struggles of everyday life of any family. The love Ma and Pa had for each other showed through so much so, that even today I can still see Caroline's eye's sparkling bright blue as Pa whirled her around the dance floor. This series is a perfect example of a story well told. When you're there in Laura's life so much that you can feel her fear when in trouble, or you can taste the penny candy on Christmas, that's a story. I have no doubt this will be a children's classic for years to come. I highly recommend it.

ClassicsDefined.com

[Miranda Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely gorgeous

[Ann Mirmina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The show is better then the book

[gabbyisreadingnow · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75

[Tricia McKenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such marvelous children's stories. Some of the content is definitely from a different understanding of the human person (like the notion that children shouldn't cry) but these books afford glimpses into life before industrialization, globalization, electricity, canned music and the internet.

[Charlotte]

Having read and enjoyed “Little House in the Big Woods,” I bought a box set of the next five books in the series. While I did experience the pleasurable and comforting experience that reading a good series of books always brings me, I can’t say that I’m all too eager to seek out the remaining four books in the series (although if I came across some copies in a used bookstore, I’d probably buy them and read them happily enough). After the third book or so, I started to feel that the world of these books was a little too static for me. I realize that consistency is part of the charm of any good children’s book series, one does not want too much variation or complication, but I got tired of reading about the same blameless thrifty pioneer life, page after page after page. Also, while Laura Ingalls Wilder writes with great tenderness about food and animals and the changing of the seasons, she’s not much of a creator of strong, juicy characters. There’s something a little blank and pat about everyone except Laura herself. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t be surprised if I didn’t reach for these books again during some snowy weekend, if only to read about venison and mashed turnips and cornbread and maple candy and apple turn-overs and all the other lovely caloric things they’re forever eating.

[Smaug]

7/1/15
So I just finished Little House in the Big Woods. I can't say I've read all the books (I had a book of some of them when I was a little kid but I don't remember what they were) or really remember the TV series well but I think this book might have been my favorite... I don't know what it is about it but I just really liked it. I will continue in the series after I've finished The Raven Boys (for the Traveling Book Project).

7/12/15
I just finished Farmer Boy this morning. I really enjoyed it and I'm pretty sure this was the one book that I hadn't read when I was little or seen in TV form (if there is a TV version of it). I think I might actually like Almonzo's side of it all more than Laura and Mary's. I'll have to read further to decide but I really liked how Farmer Boy explained how they did things (I'm really into knowing how exactly things work so it was just AWESOME) and all the animals involved and such. I'll probably be forced into taking a break from the rest of the books since I'm moving in a few days and then I'm going camping for a week and a half but hopefully I'll finish it all soon!

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book contains authentic pictures of the Ingalls family and provides a wealth of factual information that will clarify, enhance, and inform the experience of reading this historical fiction classic. It provides a synopsis of Little House on the Prairie, and then focuses on the Ingalls' real life on the prairie by providing chapters on the historical context of the times, maps, timelines, information on the Osage Indians referenced in the book, how holidays were actually celebrated, recipes, crafts, and songs.

This is the perfect complement to Little House on the Prairie as it offers factual information that was often fictionalized in the novel. More importantly, its value is in demonstratimg to children who may just be introduced to historical fiction how this genre is inspired by actual events, and how authors fictionalize aspects of these events in order to craft a compelling story. The recipes, crafts, and songs offer students an opportunity to gain an appreciation for the era through multidimensional experiences.

[Bookworman · Rating 4 out of 5]

So delightful to re-read this wonderful series as an adult! We just visited the Ingalls' Museum and homes in De Smet, SD which inspired me to read the books again.

Very entertaining and very inspiring.

[G Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Told you we are obsessed. After reading this and learning more about pioneer life, my 7 year surprised her grandparents by asking how many acres of land they owned... :)

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I read these stories as a young girl. I had never read Farmer Boy or By the Shores of Silver Lake. This was my first time reading these as an adult. I can say that I enjoyed reading those 2 books for the first time. I can also say I enjoyed re-reading the other three books.

I will say that while I understand that these books are a reminiscence of childhood memories and growing up, that a lot details may be overlooked. As I can say for my own experiences there are things that stand out from my childhood that remember clear as day. I believe this is what is captured in the books and though they are partially fictionalized it is based on the stand out memories of Laura. So of course the stories and skipping between books from say the age of 8 or 9 in one book to the age of 12 or 13 in another book is understandable. Though from reading On the Banks of Plum Creek to By the Shores of Silver Lake, I understand that death is a hard topic but found it odd that Laura left out the birth and death of her brother. Death though hard is something that is part of life. It would have been unique to see her viewpoint of it from memory. It also skipped, though it was mentioned when the family got Scarlet Fever, how Mary lost her eye sight. There just seem to be so many missed opportunities within these books to explain how things were back in the 1870s to the 1890s (only mentioning young years of like 5 to the teenage years/early adult years). I understand wanting to keep things toned down for children, but I think children need to understand topics that may arise.

Overall I give these books an average altogether 4 stars. Think my interest gets heightened as Laura gets older is able to remember more.
Little House in the Big Woods 3.5
Farmer Boy 4
Little House on the Prairie 4
On the Banks of Plum Creek 4
By the Shores of Silver Lake 4.5

[Jordan Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Little House on the Prairie was a childhood favorite of mine since I wan young. I originally got turned on to this storyline from watching the show on television, but then found out that it was a book series as well. This story being told from the perspective of Laura Ingalls is very powerful and eye opening. It takes you back to a time and era much different than today.
This is family is so loving to one another not matter the circumstance. They live in the plains and are all very hard working. Whether it is farming on their lands, building things for survival, or cooking, cleaning, and maintaining the house, every family member has a role. Something that was very common for this class of family (especially during this time) was their home size and design. All the kids share a "room" which is really like a loft space. Then there is really only one room for the parents to sleep, but even that is small and not even fully closed off. However, to them, even though they have a small house and not a lot of things, they have each other and that is all they really need. They find joy and happiness in family!

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here we have the first five books of the Little House series. No doubt to say that they are well written, simple, easy and a joy to read.

However, unlike other books of the time period and genre (such as The Wizard of Oz, Pollyanna, Anne of Green Gables and Little Lord Fauntleroy), there are NO TRIALS. They are full of bliss, joy, plenty, happy families. There is nothing amiss, awry no real trial, no learning lesson. They are stories that start in book one and stop at the end of each where the next book continues. No book has a start, middle or end, they start and flow through. They are............ they are very cutesy American. All happy families, full of plenty that everything is perfect and nothing to worry about, even for the time period no issues at all.

A fun children's book and read, most definitely, BUT, unlike the other books mentioned, there isn't much for the reader or child to pick up and learn. No moments of "will she won't she" kind of situation. All very superficial with little substance.

[Octavia Cade · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read and reviewed each of the five books collected here separately, so this is basically just for my own records. I liked them all, but Plum Creek was my favourite, I think, for the grasslands imagery. Farmer Boy would be the runner-up.

I never read these books as a kid, and I wonder sometimes what I would have thought of them if I had. I very much enjoyed the Willow Tree and Cherry Tree Farm books of Enid Blyton, which have a similar sort of nostalgic glow over what must have been a very hard life - harder in the case of Wilder's books than in Blyton's, admittedly - so I probably would have liked them just as well. As an adult, though, that nostalgia is counterbalanced by an awareness of the cost of this sort of settler colonialism. The displacement of the original people, the impoverishment of the affected ecosystems with the loss of animals such as the buffalo and the wolf... it makes them sadder reads, in a way, than they would have been if I'd read them when I were younger.

[Lauren Sancer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for every little girl

Laura Ingalls was my childhood hero. Every little girl should read this series. Laura and her family were strong and independent in a changing time. I am now 28 and I thought I would reread her series and I am glad I am. The dynamics feel different the story is much deeper than I had originally seen as a young girl. Ma and Pa’s strength shines so well through these books it feel like a whole new story. But these for your daughters. I read the first one when I was 7. They are wonderful in every way! I am moving on to her later books now and am excited to read her teen years and marriage.

[Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm just in love with this book series! I love this type of writing, which brings me back to the old times in USA when their lives were much simpler but more fun! By 3/21/2019, we finished reading book 1, and we are eager to read the next book in this collection. I love every story that Laura wrote in such detailed manner. I wish I could ever once in my life live in "the Big Woods" and enjoy God-created nature.

[Angela Hedworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading "By the Shores of Silver Lake," with my girls and it was so nice to see the Ingalls family have a little bit of success after all of the devastation of "On the Banks of Plum Creek." Of course, the deadly winter when they almost starve to death is coming up next but we've read that already and are moving on to Little Town on the Prairie. I love sharing these books that I loved so much as a child with my girls. Next up: Showing them the TV show.

[Bernadette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this series as a young adult and they taught me what a real family was all about. This was also my first introduction to racism and tolerance. Charles Ingalls reminded me so much of my own father and Caroline was what a perfect wife and mother should be. I purchased two volumes years later hoping to share them with my granddaughters one day.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve only read Little House in the Big woods and the Farmer’s boy. This print contains the first 5 books.

I remember I enjoyed both but I don’t remember much. I suppose the grounds for a reread eventually. I want to move on to Little House on the Prairie but haven’t in over a year, so I am going to say we will get back to it eventually.

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thực sự đối với một đứa thích nước Mỹ của 'những năm đã xưa'thì đây quả là một bộ sách tuyệt vời.Nếu bạn đang mong đợi một lối hành văn hay banh nóc thì ở bộ này không có đâu,chủ yếu là tập trung vào bối cảnh.Cho 5 stars bởi bộ này thường dành cho trẻ em(tất nhiên người lớn đọc cũng được)

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like a warm blanket

I’ve read this book set so many times, I was so glad to get it in a kindle format. I love it!

[Todd Moen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these books they are really worth it to get them

[Kerri Jenkins (Waterstradt) · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favorite series.

[Solveig Singleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best.

[Chanin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read these to each of my 4 children.