Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 07/01/2014 Gr 2–4—Anyone who has read the "Little House" series (HarperCollins) already knows a lot about its author, because she used her own life as the inspiration for those books. In fact, as readers learn here, when Wilder's autobiography was rejected by potential publishers, she rewrote it as a fictional book for children, thus launching her career as an author. This biography draws parallels between Wilder's life and writing, featuring both the hardships and joys of her experiences as a pioneer in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The narrative is simple and straightforward, and the illustrations are innocent and cozy, calling to mind the original illustrations in the "Little House" books themselves. There is no bibliography, and while there is a list of "Further Reading," there is no explicit indication as to whether the author gathered her information from these sources or others. Overall, "Little House" fans will find a lot to love here, including supplements such as recipes and craft ideas from Wilder's life. Those who are less familiar with the series will find themselves well introduced to its timeless stories and to the independent, adventurous woman who created them.—Jenna Lanterman, formerly at The Calhoun School and Mary McDowell Friends School, New York City - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Bulletin for the Center... - 01/01/2015 This appealingly accessible biography starts with family background and goes on to cover the periods of Laura’s life featured in the “Little House” novels as well as some family information absent from the books. Additionally, McDonough explores the controversy over how much influence Rose Wilder Lane had on the Little House manuscripts and chronicles Wilder’s later years after the books’ publication. The smooth-flowing prose is easy to follow, and short sentences, a large typeface, and Thermes’ softly textured monochromatic art (slightly reminiscent of Lois Lenski’s work) make this an attractive choice for newly independent readers. Unfortunately, some of the book’s claims are questionable (for instance, there’s a suggestion that there were no other series of books for children before the Little House books) or unclear, and McDonough too easily glosses over the books’ contemporarily problematic treatment of race and colonialism. Despite those flaws, though, this definitely fills a niche, and younger Laura Ingalls Wilder fans or readers of Anderson’s Pioneer Girl: The Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder (BCCB 4/04) may find this both informative and engaging. The book closes with recipes, a glossary, a bibliography, and source notes. JH - Copyright 2015 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.