The Frontier Landscapes that Inspired the Little House Books
May 15, 2017
McDowell (Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life) commemorates the 150th birthday of Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867–1957) with a captivating look at the beloved Little House on the Prairie author’s relationship with nature. Mining her subject’s novels and memoir for insights, McDowell traces Wilder’s interest in wildlife to the beginning of her childhood in the Wisconsin woods—the setting for her first novel, Little House in the Big Woods—and then follows the chronology of the autobiographical Little House novels, providing a historical account of each book’s setting. In describing the ecosystems along the prairies, McDowell catalogues the various wildflowers that Wilder likely encountered when her family traveled across country. Maps, illustrations (including the beloved Garth Williams drawings from Wilder’s books), and photographs add a touch of nostalgia and aid readers in identifying the plants and geography described. McDowell’s warm descriptions of the author, her times, and the plants she loved provide a wonderful companion to Wilder’s books, while instructions on growing a Little House–inspired garden add an interactive component. Gardeners, botanists, and fans of Wilder will love this book. Color illus.