REVIEW: The World of Little House

By: Carolyn Strom Collins and Christina Wyss Eriksson

When my girls were working on the unit study Prairie Primer, I happened to find a great book: The World of Little House. This book is a “must have” when working on the Prairie Primer. This is the most complete history of the Ingalls family other than the Little House books, themselves.

Mrs. Collins and Mrs. Eriksson actually visited many of the places where the Ingalls and Wilders traveled and lived. There are many family pictures, not only of the Ingalls’ but of Almonzo’s family and Rose Wilder Lane, as well. There is a U.S. map that notes all the places the Ingalls’ and Wilders’ lived; a family tree with pictures of the Ingalls, Quiner (Ma’s family) and Wilder families; a very detailed timeline from February 1, 1860 when Charles (Pa) and Caroline (Ma) were married to February 10, 1957 when Laura died and all the many historical things in between. Seeing all the history that happened during Laura’s lifetime is staggering. There’s even a section for all the tourist spots around the country where Laura lived that can be visited.

You can make the same crafts and cook the same foods (recipes modified for today’s methods) that the Ingalls and Wilder families enjoyed…along with Laura’s famous gingerbread and Almonzo’s favorite dish: fried apples ‘n’ onions!

My favorite part of the book is that there are scale floor plans of EVERY home that the Ingalls and Wilders lived in…including the dugout house! There always seemed to be a new home in each of the Little House books and as Laura would describe it we would turn to the page that particular house was on in The World of Little House and find all the little personal, family things that she would mention. Things like: Pa’s what-not shelf and Ma’s red checked table cloth. Even we felt at home finding all those lovely familiar things.

This book is a “must” while you are working through the Prairie Primer, but even if you aren’t, this is a book that any Laura Ingalls Wilder fan should own. It is fascinating reading all by itself!

Blessings from Ohio...Kim<><