Did You Know?
- Although based on Laura Ingalls Wilder's life, the Little House books are not strictly autobiographical? They're usually classified as fiction.
- The second book in the series, Farmer Boy, focused on the childhood of Laura's future husband, Almanzo Wilder?
- In Little House in the Big Woods Laura is five years old, but the events in the book actually took place when she was three? The publisher had her make the age change because it was felt that a three year old wouldn't remember events so clearly.
- There were eight Little House books published during Wilder's lifetime? Four other books were published posthumously between 1962 and 2006.
- Although the TV series depicted the Ingalls living there for most of their lives, Walnut Grove, Minnesota was not mentioned by name in the books? The Ingalls only lived there for a few years.
- Laura's daughter, Rose, was an accomplished writer, and encouraged her mother to begin writing?
- Little House in the Big Woods, the first book in the Little House series, was published when Wilder was 64? Gives all of us late bloomers hope, doesn't it?
- Laura researched her books thoroughly to make them as historically accurate as possible?
- Laura began teaching just before she turned 17, and later admitted that she began teaching only to help support her family?
- The Wilders had no grandchildren, so there are no direct descendants of Laura Ingalls Wilder?
- Laura used to say that she wanted to live to be 90? She died three days after her 90th birthday, in 1957. Almonzo died in 1949 at the age of 92.
I'd like to end this weeks Did You Know? with one of my favorite moments from the Little House on the Prairie television series. Nellie has been faking being paralyzed and making Laura feel guilty. Laura discovers this and takes Nellie out for a spin in her wheelchair. A little extreme, perhaps, but funny!
Love the clip! Mrs. Olsen was such a nasty woman. I was laughing so hard watching this!
ReplyDeleteI never knew that Laura was 64 when she was first published. That is so inspiring! I have gone cross country 3 times and I am hoping the next time I can make it to her house in South Dakota. Something else has come up on each trip preventing me from seeing it. My husband tells me next time- no matter what. :)
I'd love to go on a cross country trip one day. It would be cool to visit literary landmarks along the way. Ah if only there were enough time and money!
DeleteLittle House was the first book I remember carrying proudly to the librarian's desk. There's so much back stories I didn't know about. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Going to the library was such a magical time when I was a child. There was always something new to discover. Some of my earliest memories are of going to the library.
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