The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder: The Frontier Landscapes That Inspired the Little House Books - Hardcover

by Marta McDowell (Author)

"If you loved Wilder's books, or if you garden with a child who loves her books, you will enjoy the read." --San Francisco Chronicle

In this revealing exploration of Laura Ingalls Wilder's deep connection with the natural world, Marta McDowell follows the wagon trail of the beloved Little House series. You'll learn details about Wilder's life and inspirations, pinpoint the Ingalls and Wilder homestead claims on authentic archival maps, and learn how to grow the plants and vegetables featured in the series. Excerpts from Wilder's books, letters, and diaries bring to light her profound appreciation for the landscapes at the heart of her world.

Featuring the beloved illustrations by Helen Sewell and Garth Williams, plus hundreds of historic and contemporary photographs, The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder is a treasure that honors Laura's wild and beautiful life.

Front Jacket

This well-researched, sweeping book details the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder and those who came before her. It is clear that the different landscapes--Wisconsin, Kansas, the Ozarks--shaped them, particularly Laura and 'Pa.' The original art of Garth Williams and Helen Sewell deepens the poignancy and power of Laura's prairie, since today only one percent of it survives. Laura's work has preserved it for us. This book preserves it for us. --Patricia MacLachlan, author of Sarah, Plain and Tall, winner of the Newbery Medal

"One morning the whole world was delicately silvered. Every blade of grass was silvery and the path had a thin sheen. . . . When the sun came up, the whole prairie sparkled. Millions of tiny, tiny sparks of color blazed on the grasses." --from On The Banks of Plum Creek, by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Author Biography

Marta McDowell lives, gardens, and writes in Chatham, New Jersey. She consults for public gardens and private clients, writes and lectures on gardening topics, and teaches landscape history and horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden, where she studied landscape design. Her particular interest is in authors and their gardens, the connection between the pen and the trowel.