Little House in the Big Woods

Wilder, L. I. (1932). Little house in the big woods. New York: Harper.

Imagine: ringing phones, the blare of the television, sirens outside your window, and the roar of an old car's exhaust as they zoom by.  Now imagine a quite cabin nestled into a forest where winter evenings bring only the smell of a fireplace and the sound of “Pa’s” fiddle.  No six o’clock news discussing rising prices and falling salaries, not phone ringing with a bill collector or pesky neighbor on the other end needing a favor.  Sounds, SIMPLE, if you really think about it.  Our adult minds tell us that this really isn’t possible but to a child this reality can be very real and I think that is the mindset we all need. 
That is the mindset I like to use when reading Little House in the Big Woods.  Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote this wonderful novel about the experiences of her childhood.  As a young girl growing up in 19-th century Wisconsin Laura was able to experience a life that some would find difficult and unappealing but she was able to see the true beauty in her raising.  Along with her mother Caroline, her father Charles, and older sister Mary, Laura’s is able to live life in its’ simplest form with a joy and passion we all should experience. 
The Little House in the Big Woods is an excellent story that will open you as reader up to a whole new world seen through the author’s eyes.

Laura's Parents: