Laura Ingalls Wilder

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 4--Wilder's life is documented in an accurate, concise beginning biography. The good times and the bad are depicted with honesty and feeling. In a brief text, Wallner relates the importance of Pa's storytelling during the family's travels; followers of the nine books that chronicle her growing-up years will recognize events that inspired some of the venerable author's titles (for example, Laura fishes in nearby Plum Creek and Pa finds a job in Silver Lake, Dakota Territory). Wallner also describes Laura "learning to make pictures with words" when Mary loses her eyesight. The artist's inviting pen-and-ink illustrations in a folk-art style range from panel vignettes that depict the patterned fabrics of pioneer clothing to a panoramic view of a sea of prairie grass. The picture book format is a charming way to introduce the famous author to young children or for use as a research guide for comparing the novels to the author's real life.--Pamela K. Bomboy, Chesterfield County Public Schools, VA

Kirkus Reviews

A picture-book biography, in the format of Wallner's Beatrix Potter (1995), that includes naive, highly patterned scenes of the pioneer girl many readers will already know from the Little House books, if not the television show. The fairly straightforward recapitulation of the ups and downs of Wilder's life pales next to the charming, decorative illustrations. Softly colored pen-and-ink illustrations, done in a flat primitive style, use repeated designs to create the prairie grasses, wood floors, and fabrics of the times. After this visual overview, readers are certain to turn to the list Wallner thoughtfully includes of Wilder's books, for a more adventure-filled version of her life.