The Little House Book of Wisdom: An Illustrated Collection of Timeless Frontier Quotes for Children

by Laura Ingalls Wilder

In this timeless collection of quotes, readers can revisit their favorite moments from all nine original Little House books, alongside beautiful black-and-white illustrations. A thoughtful graduation gift for the Little House fan in your family.

Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved Little House series captured her childhood adventures growing up on the American frontier. This illustrated collection of thoughtful words and wisdom showcases her poignant wit and enduring spirit and is the perfect gift for any Little House fan.

“Now is now. It can never be a long time ago,” wrote Laura Ingalls Wilder in Little House in the Big Woods.

Genres: Nonfiction, Childrens, Inspirational

64 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 21, 2017

About the author

Laura Ingalls Wilder was an American author, journalist, and educator whose "Little House" series transformed the arduous reality of the American frontier into a foundational pillar of children's literature. Born in the "Big Woods" of Wisconsin to Charles and Caroline Ingalls, Laura’s childhood was a nomadic journey through the heart of a shifting nation. Her family moved across Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Iowa, and the Dakota Territory—often staying just ahead of legal evictions or chasing the promise of fertile soil. These years were marked by extreme hardship, including the "Hard Winter" of 1880–81 in De Smet, South Dakota, where the family survived near-starvation. Despite the struggle, these experiences provided the raw material for her eight-volume record of pioneer life, a series that has since been translated into over forty languages.
Before becoming a world-renowned novelist in her sixties, Wilder lived several distinct lives. At fifteen, she became a teacher in one-room prairie schools, a job she took primarily to support her family financially. In 1885, she married Almanzo Wilder, beginning a partnership that endured fire, paralysis from diphtheria, and the heartbreaking loss of an infant son. These trials eventually led them to Mansfield, Missouri, where they established Rocky Ridge Farm. It was here that Laura developed her voice as a professional writer, serving as a columnist and editor for the Missouri Ruralist for over a decade.
The Great Depression and the 1929 stock market crash wiped out the Wilders’ savings, providing the ultimate catalyst for Laura to pen her memoirs. Her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane—a successful author in her own right—encouraged her mother to adapt her autobiography, Pioneer Girl, into a format more suitable for children. This resulted in a complex and often rocky literary collaboration; while Lane provided the professional "style," Wilder provided the "substance" and narrative heart. The first book, Little House in the Big Woods, was published in 1932 when Laura was sixty-five.
Wilder’s legacy is a blend of immense literary success and modern historical scrutiny. While her books remain staples in classrooms for their vivid descriptions of 19th-century domestic life, her portrayals of Native Americans and African Americans have led to recent reevaluations. In 2018, the American Library Association renamed the "Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal" to the "Children's Literature Legacy Award" to reflect these evolving cultural sensitivities. Nonetheless, Wilder remains a monumental figure in American letters, a woman who successfully "saved the American soul" by documenting the grit, faith, and unyielding persistence of the pioneer spirit.

Reviews

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short collection of wise words from Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie series. A brief biography of her life is also included.

This compact little book would make a great gift for adult Little House fans, but I doubt it would appeal to younger fans. A super quick read that showcases Laura's insightfulness and determined spirit.

[Kulwinder Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute collection of quotes!

“The last time always seems sad, but it isn’t really. The end of one thing is only the beginning of another.”

The quotes are really good and have profound meaning. I loved this concise collection of wisdom based on Laura's Little House on the Prairie series. This book is perfect for Little House fans out there. A very quick read which you can breeze through in a matter of minutes.

[Angela Holland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being as big of a fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder as I am when I found there was a new book out about/by her I had to have it. One thing I did not do was to see how large this book was so I was a little disappointed when I picked it up. Of course the reason being is because I wanted a bigger book - not only in size but in pages. Now on to what I liked about the book. I thought the illustrations were very cute and added to the book. Then the sayings they picked were on point for me. A few really hit home for me. Here are a couple that I liked: A storm outdoors is no reason for gloom in the house - The Long Winter and If you don't want trouble don't go looking for it - On the Banks of Plum Creek. If you are a collector of all things Laura related then you should get this right away. Oh I almost forgot there is a short biography of Laura at the back of the book that I enjoyed reading as well - even if I did already know all about her.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually dislike quote books, and knew in picking it up I would not rate it more than two stars, but I love Laura Ingalls Wilder and her stories so I did anyways. I was pleasantly surprised that with how few quotes there were, a majority of them were very good. I also really liked the simplicity of the cute little modern-colored doodles on the pages.

[Jim · Rating 1 out of 5]

i paid a dollar for this and felt ripped off. and the retail is $13, somebody spent more time finding these books than they did looking for quotes from them. these cliches aren't an intro to Wilder's work, they would be a reason to avoid it. a wonderful writer reduced.

[Lindsay Bray · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The last time always seems sad, but it isn’t really. The end of one thing is only the beginning of another.” - These Happy Golden Years

4 stars.The perfect little coffee table book for every Little House fan.
Some of my most cherished childhood memories are of me sitting and reading my “Little House On The Prairie” books. These quotes took me right back to those carefree days that I so fondly look back on. They reminded me why I loved them so much and a lot had to do with Laura Ingalls Wilder’s writing. All of her books hold a special place in my heart and I’m glad to add this beautiful little book to my collection. The illustrations are simple but yet complimented the quotes taken from the Little House series perfectly. I can see myself flipping through this often.

[Zan Porter · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Little House in the Big Woods, Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote: "Now is now. It can never be a long time ago." And in this timeless collection of quotes, readers can revisit their favorite moments from all nine original Little House books, alongside beautiful black-and-white illustrations. Laura Ingalls Wilder's beloved Little House series captured her childhood adventures growing up on the American frontier. This illustrated collection of thoughtful words and wisdom showcases her poignant wit and enduring spirit and is the perfect gift for any Little House fan.

[Rosie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute little collection of memorable quotes about family, friendship, hard work, and appreciating the little things in life taken from the Little House on the Prairie books written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. This would be a great gift idea for LHOTP fans.

My favorite quotes:
"The pleasures of youth pass away, but friendship will last forever." -from Little Town on the Prairie
"Have confidence in yourself, that's the only way to make folks have confidence in you." -from These Happy Golden Years

[Karie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and concise. A nice side table gift book. Includes a brief biography of Laura’s life.

“The trouble with organizing a thing is that pretty soon folks get to paying more attention to the organization than to what they’re organized for.”

“The last time always seems sad, but it isn’t really. The end of one thing is only the beginning of another.”

[Mimona Masarwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of short quotes from Laura's previous works that were able to resonate with my soul and thoughts and felt relatable and could be achieved in our daily lives ❤️
These are true wise words! impressive.

Cant wait to read some of her books, discovered they were in my TBR for years!!
I loved the accompanying illustrations too.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a sweet little book with little bits of wisdom from the series. If you are a fan, this is a nice little book to have. Recommended.

[Wolfdreamer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I thought it was going to be, which is actual stories from Laura's life, perhaps as a mother. But instead, little quotes from her novels. Which were fine, but unexpected.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the life of me, I cannot get my kids to read The Little House series!? Hoping this small, endearing book of quotes from the series and short summary of Laura's life will tempt them.

[June Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of Author Laura Ingalls Wilder's 'Little House' books, I really enjoyed this book of quotes. Includes a brief bio of Wilder in the 'Meet Laura' section at the end of the book.

[Lupe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I might have liked this better in sequential order. Or maybe not...

[Ashley Stark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shorter than I thought it was gonna be but it was cute.

[Ida Wilcox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the cuties ever.

The little gems of wisdom though was written a long time ago are still on point today.

Love it

[Kristi Heck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little book of Laura Ingalls Wilder's best quotes from all her little house adventures! A great souvenir from the Ingalls homestead in De Smet, SD.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

One fave, “Now is now. It can never be a long time ago.” Little House in the Big Woods

[Tania MacDonald]

So simple. Maybe too simple? It had some good quotes but it’s hard to believe those were the best tidbits available. I wish it had just a little more.

[Renata Shura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great gems from Laura’s other works.

[Margie · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is nothing inherently wrong with this book however it seems to be more of a gift book than a title which belongs in a library, regardless of public or school. Children, most likely girls, who are fans of the Little House books will like and enjoy this short selection of quotes and maybe even adults who continue to be fans of the series would also appreciate this collection. A short biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder is also included. The illustrations are quite nice. Also included after each quote is the title of the book it is from which would be appreciated for those who wish to go back to revisit an old favorite.

[Reading with Cats · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute. Loved the illustrations.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read some of Laura Ingalls Wilder's books when I was a kid and I really enjoyed them. This little book has quotes from her Little House on the Prairie book series. I wrote down some of the quotes in my journal because I felt they would be good to look back on.

[Grapeseed22 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! I would give it all the stars in the sky!! 😂😇 it can make you cry tears of joy! Its a book about beautiful and inspiring quotes by Laura Ingalls Wilder! I could read books like this all day! There so amazing and inspiring. I recommend this book to anybody!

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always loved the "Little House Books". As a child I read and re-read them and acted them out, making a covered wagon out of my canopy bed to the point of my Grandpa and Dad making us a real life sized covered wagon to play in and that we also took camping.

Love the quotes in the book of course. They are wise. I just wish it had had more content. But I'm glad I read it. And own it.

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several of the quotes were timely for me. So, I was really thankful for that. Also, when reading all the places Laura had lived in such a short period time was new to me. Wow!