4/13/2013

Growing Up With History #2



When I first began planning this feature I knew I wanted to take some time to showcase some of the novels that got me into reading and loving historical fiction in the first place. So here goes.

Growing Up With Laura Ingalls Wilder: The Little House on the Prairie Books

Laura and her family were the American family for me when I was growing up. Set in 1870 in the American mid-west, the novels follow "America's Original Pioneer Girl."


I fell in love with Laura and her diary-stories because she gave me an intimate view of the daily life of a young girl around my age in that time. I felt like I could plant myself there and be part of her life. I became convinced I could live just like her. I even made a club with my little brother and modelled parts of it on the way Laura lived. I played out her life with my Playmobil figures. I LOVED her story.

I read these books countless times and wished I could be Laura. I remember reading about her family's simple but oh so country Christmas celebrations and their move from Wisconsin to Kansas in a carriage and longing to experience something like that. Sometimes part of me still thinks that I belong in that life (and then I think about everything I'd miss about today and think maybe not). Either way, these books were a huge influence on my life and I still reread them now... which reminds me, I'm actually due for a series reread soon!

Have you read these books? Did you love them as much as I did? Did you wish you could be Laura like I did? I'd love to know!

8 comments:

  1. I have all of these books and all of the spin off series as well! Totally a HUGE part of growing up and learning to love books for me as well! Gosh this post brings back so many memories for me!

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    1. I'm so glad to hear that these books meant so much to someone else as well! They really are full of memories :)

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  2. I have read all these books and I'm pretty sure I still have them. Although, they are very worn from reading them multiple times. There was just something about these books that made me fall in love. This would be a great series to go back and read. Thanks for the idea!

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    1. I still have mine too and I always love rereading them. They definitely made me fall in love as well!

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  3. I think I did read a few of these book. It is funny to look back on books I read as a kid. Thanks for reminding me.

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    1. No problem :) I like looking back on those books as well, it's a great reminder of what you grew up on.

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  4. I LOVED the books growing up! I wanted to be Laura and live out in the prairie too. LOL! One reason why I love these books so much is because we no longer have "biography" novels written in the sense of writing about your family and life (like Laura, Louisa May Alcott). The books truly bring the life of the American West to life and details the hardships. It's also a great book to introduce children to history in a fun manner.

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    1. I totally agree. I think that format does so much for bringing the time and the people alive, and that total immersion in everything is part of the reason I love it so much! And yes, as a kid I loved these books and, clearly, they contributed to not only my history love but also my knowledge. I'm so glad someone else loved them as much as I did! :)

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I'd love to hear what you think!