What do you think?
Rate this book
My First Little House Books
Sugar Snow
Laura is delighted when a soft, thick snow falls in late spring in the Big Woods of Wisconsin. A late snow helps the trees make more sap for maple syrup, and maple syrup means sweet sugar cakes and sticky fingers for Laura! Doris Ettlinger's enchanting full-color illustrations, inspired by Garth Williams's artwork, perfectly capture Laura and her family in this My First Little House Book, adapted from Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House in the Big Woods.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
About the author
Laura Ingalls Wilder
459 books5,506 followersLaura 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.
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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
April 19, 2026
"Once upon a time, a little girl named Laura lived in the Big Woods of Wisconsin in a little house made of logs."Laura is so excited because after a long winter, spring is coming soon! And with the warmer weather, her Pa has a surprise.
Laura tastes a little snow but it isn't sweet! But then Pa explains, when the weather freezes at night but warms in the morning, the maple sap starts flowing and it's time to harvest it to make maple syrup!
Pa came in, stamping the soft snow from his boots. "It's a sugar snow," he said.
I know, I keep saying that I love these Little House Picture Books...and this one is no exception. Another 5-star read!
One thing that I adore about these books is the way that Laura Ingalls Wilder blends teaching with storytelling.
I remember being a little girl when I first read this book and I asked my own dad if we could start making maple syrup...and we have done that every year since!
We don't make fancy maple cakes like Laura's Pa brought home for her to nibble on but we do have a few cups of syrup every year from our own maple tree!
September 12, 2024
Lovely illustrations.
It answers the question of what a Sugar Snow is! And how they harvest Maple Sugar. I just wish Laura had experienced it, instead of just hearing about it from Pa.
It answers the question of what a Sugar Snow is! And how they harvest Maple Sugar. I just wish Laura had experienced it, instead of just hearing about it from Pa.
December 5, 2008
Much to my delight, my boys who are five and two absolutely love these books! The "My First Little House" series takes stories out of the original little house books and illustrates them beautifully. My boys love to point out each family member and my five year old asks lots of questions. These books have become a wonderful way to introduce history and "the simple life" to my little ones. These books have great family values. :)
March 8, 2018
I liked the pattern in the inside cover, it resembles a picnic blanket, and I think it fits the time period of the book.
The illustrations were cute, with the bird on the tree, singing.
Like the last book I read in this series, Winter Days in the Big Woods, the dog doesn’t look like a real dog at all.
It was word-for-word how the other one was: ‘Laura lived in the little house with her Pa, her Ma, her big sister Mary, her baby sister Carrie, and their good old bulldog Jack.’
Carrie’s hair made her look like a boy. It wasn’t the right hairstyle for a kid of that age.
The page where Laura is looking out the window, and the ground and roof is covered in snow, with the evergreen trees near the house was pretty.
Spring was on the way, and the icicles were melting off the house. They speared into the ground.
To get warm, Ma told her to snuggle against Mary. I don’t know how in the world people kept warm back then with no heating. My room feels frigid during the winter when the heat isn’t on.
There was suddenly a cat in here, and I didn't know they had a pet cat, and it wasn't in the last book, if I remember correctly.
Laura had wanted to go play outside, but the next day there was more snow on the ground. Pa comes in saying the soft snow is a sugar snow.
The last snow here at my house was so soft, I forgot snow could be like that, because it’s always hard and icy here. But this was a powdery, soft snow, so I knew exactly what kind of snow is described in the book.
It looked a little funny when Laura tasted a snowflake off Pa’s sleeve.
Their table clotch was blue with paw prints on it, and I don’t think they had tablecloths like that back then.
When Pa said he was going to Grandpas, I was surprised that they lived near them.
Their grandpa made buckets when it was warm out and put them by the trees, to collect sap.
When the buckets were full, he boiled the sap in an iron kettle until it turned into maple syrup. Then he cooled some of the syrup into cakes of hard, brown maple sugar. I was glad that this was explained, because when Pa gave them the maple sugar cakes, I was confused as to how maple sugar could be made into cakes.
It’s called sugar snow because snow at that time of the year helped the trees make more sap for syrup. Beforehand, I wouldn't have guessed that sugar snow had anything to do with tree sap.
‘Then it was time for bed. By the time Laura and Mary had washed their sticky fingers and were snug in their beds, Pa and his fiddle were both singing them off to sleep.’
The ending just sounds abrupt. You turn the page, and BAM, it's over. It would be nice if it wrapped up a little better, and didn't have such a sudden ending. It's actually a little jarring to read, to go from them talking about sugar snow to it being bed time and they washed up, and got in bed, and Pa played his fiddle until they went to bed.
This was okay.
The illustrations were cute, with the bird on the tree, singing.
Like the last book I read in this series, Winter Days in the Big Woods, the dog doesn’t look like a real dog at all.
It was word-for-word how the other one was: ‘Laura lived in the little house with her Pa, her Ma, her big sister Mary, her baby sister Carrie, and their good old bulldog Jack.’
Carrie’s hair made her look like a boy. It wasn’t the right hairstyle for a kid of that age.
The page where Laura is looking out the window, and the ground and roof is covered in snow, with the evergreen trees near the house was pretty.
Spring was on the way, and the icicles were melting off the house. They speared into the ground.
To get warm, Ma told her to snuggle against Mary. I don’t know how in the world people kept warm back then with no heating. My room feels frigid during the winter when the heat isn’t on.
There was suddenly a cat in here, and I didn't know they had a pet cat, and it wasn't in the last book, if I remember correctly.
Laura had wanted to go play outside, but the next day there was more snow on the ground. Pa comes in saying the soft snow is a sugar snow.
The last snow here at my house was so soft, I forgot snow could be like that, because it’s always hard and icy here. But this was a powdery, soft snow, so I knew exactly what kind of snow is described in the book.
It looked a little funny when Laura tasted a snowflake off Pa’s sleeve.
Their table clotch was blue with paw prints on it, and I don’t think they had tablecloths like that back then.
When Pa said he was going to Grandpas, I was surprised that they lived near them.
Their grandpa made buckets when it was warm out and put them by the trees, to collect sap.
When the buckets were full, he boiled the sap in an iron kettle until it turned into maple syrup. Then he cooled some of the syrup into cakes of hard, brown maple sugar. I was glad that this was explained, because when Pa gave them the maple sugar cakes, I was confused as to how maple sugar could be made into cakes.
It’s called sugar snow because snow at that time of the year helped the trees make more sap for syrup. Beforehand, I wouldn't have guessed that sugar snow had anything to do with tree sap.
‘Then it was time for bed. By the time Laura and Mary had washed their sticky fingers and were snug in their beds, Pa and his fiddle were both singing them off to sleep.’
The ending just sounds abrupt. You turn the page, and BAM, it's over. It would be nice if it wrapped up a little better, and didn't have such a sudden ending. It's actually a little jarring to read, to go from them talking about sugar snow to it being bed time and they washed up, and got in bed, and Pa played his fiddle until they went to bed.
This was okay.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2023
Jadi cara bikin sirop mapel di zaman Laura tuh ternyata begono... Dari getah pohon mapel yang disadap lalu dimasak :D
July 29, 2011
Sugar Snow starts out like all of the My First Little House books we've read so far. The story centers around Pa calling the recent snow "sugar snow" and Laura not understanding. Nearing the end of the book the illustrations show Grandpa tapping the maple trees for syrup and then boiling the sap to turn it to syrup. Julia's like most kids I suspect when it comes to this as she never knew, or cared, where syrup came from or how is was made. (This could be partly because she'd always refused to even taste syrup until this past week. Could this book be responsible for her finally trying it? Because she saw little Laura try it in cookie form? I'll always wonder.)
January 12, 2017
This is my first introduction to My Little House series. I found it sweet and charming - just like the little house books. The pictures are lively and bright and my kids seemed engaged. What a pleasant book to introduce this winter.
January 4, 2017
Very informative.
February 6, 2018
I liked the blue checkered pattern on the insides of the book. It really brought that country theme.
Having just read Winter in the Big Woods, I remembered how it started and I didn't like that the same sentence was the same. Laura lived with Ma and Pa, and Mary and Carrie, and their bulldog Jack. That only needs to be in the first book in the series, not every single one. We know who Laura and her family are by now.
I noticed this seemed aimless and didn't have much of a clear story. I didn't know where it was going. Spring was on the way and the snow was melting, Ma said Laura could go out tomorrow, but then the next day Pa came in from the snow. Wasn't the snow melting?
It was cute how he said it was a sugar snow, something I've never heard of, and she tasted some off of Pa's sleeve. The page with the close-up of her face, with her holding a pinch of snow between her fingers, with her little tongue out was so cute! It was adorable, especially since she expected the snow to taste like sugar.
I liked learning about the maple syrup they put on their bread, and the maple sugar cakes. Their grandpa drilled sap out of maple trees, then boiled it and it turned into maple syrup. The syrup cooled and turned into brown maple sugar to make the cakes.
The supper scene showed a cat, but no one mentioned they had a cat!
I was starting to see at this point that sugar snow wasn't going to be actual sugar snow like I expected. I thought sugar snow was their version of snow cream. Pa explained it's called sugar snow because the snow at this time of year helps the trees make more sap for syrup.
I was disappointed with this one too because even though it's a picture book, I expected more of a story. The sugar snow was such a small part and the story had no clear direction. They washed their sticky hands and then went to bed, with Pa playing the fiddle. I want more!
Having just read Winter in the Big Woods, I remembered how it started and I didn't like that the same sentence was the same. Laura lived with Ma and Pa, and Mary and Carrie, and their bulldog Jack. That only needs to be in the first book in the series, not every single one. We know who Laura and her family are by now.
I noticed this seemed aimless and didn't have much of a clear story. I didn't know where it was going. Spring was on the way and the snow was melting, Ma said Laura could go out tomorrow, but then the next day Pa came in from the snow. Wasn't the snow melting?
It was cute how he said it was a sugar snow, something I've never heard of, and she tasted some off of Pa's sleeve. The page with the close-up of her face, with her holding a pinch of snow between her fingers, with her little tongue out was so cute! It was adorable, especially since she expected the snow to taste like sugar.
I liked learning about the maple syrup they put on their bread, and the maple sugar cakes. Their grandpa drilled sap out of maple trees, then boiled it and it turned into maple syrup. The syrup cooled and turned into brown maple sugar to make the cakes.
The supper scene showed a cat, but no one mentioned they had a cat!
I was starting to see at this point that sugar snow wasn't going to be actual sugar snow like I expected. I thought sugar snow was their version of snow cream. Pa explained it's called sugar snow because the snow at this time of year helps the trees make more sap for syrup.
I was disappointed with this one too because even though it's a picture book, I expected more of a story. The sugar snow was such a small part and the story had no clear direction. They washed their sticky hands and then went to bed, with Pa playing the fiddle. I want more!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2018
Book Level: 3.7
Sugar Snow is about a young girl and her family living in pioneer times that take advantage of the cold and the yummy candy that comes along with it. This story is set in historical times, making it a historical fiction book.
This story would be an ideal mentor text for organization. There are clear and concise transitions that let the reader know that time is passing. Transitions like: that night, tomorrow, then, and once upon a time. The book could be read to students who are working on writing about something that didn't happen all at once, but over a length of time or days.
This book would be a good addition for young students learning about the pioneers and their hobbies.
Sugar Snow is about a young girl and her family living in pioneer times that take advantage of the cold and the yummy candy that comes along with it. This story is set in historical times, making it a historical fiction book.
This story would be an ideal mentor text for organization. There are clear and concise transitions that let the reader know that time is passing. Transitions like: that night, tomorrow, then, and once upon a time. The book could be read to students who are working on writing about something that didn't happen all at once, but over a length of time or days.
This book would be a good addition for young students learning about the pioneers and their hobbies.
December 7, 2017
Sugar Snow by Laura Ingalls Wilder is a book level 3.7.
Summary: In this story Lauras father shares a story of what sugar snow is and how they make molasses out of trees.
Classroom Integration: This story would ideally be read to a younger elementary classroom during the winter time. I would show that they add quotation marks around the sentences that the characters from the book say aloud. I would tell the students that it makes your writing more exciting when you add some dialogue in their writing. I will then teach a lesson on how to do that and then have students go back to a writing piece they have been working on and revise it so they have at least one sentence of dialogue.
Summary: In this story Lauras father shares a story of what sugar snow is and how they make molasses out of trees.
Classroom Integration: This story would ideally be read to a younger elementary classroom during the winter time. I would show that they add quotation marks around the sentences that the characters from the book say aloud. I would tell the students that it makes your writing more exciting when you add some dialogue in their writing. I will then teach a lesson on how to do that and then have students go back to a writing piece they have been working on and revise it so they have at least one sentence of dialogue.
September 11, 2023
One day, Pa comes home covered in snow and he tells his girls that it is sugar snow. But what is sugar snow? Laura tastes it and says it doesn't taste sweet at all! What makes the snow so sugary according to Pa? We absolutely love these books! Follow @bronteandwilder on Instagram for more fun book recommendations!
June 28, 2018
I love these Little House picture books! They work great for reading to little kids until they’re old enough for the full novels. I always liked the sugar snow part of Little House in the Big Woods. Made winter seem so much cozier.
January 29, 2018
I love these sweet picture books, which tell simple stories from the Little House on the Prairie series. I used to read these to Jake a lot! (Library)
March 2, 2018
An easy to read introduction to the Little House on the Prairie series.
March 16, 2018
A wonderful winter story!
November 27, 2018
Pa explains how they make sugar during the "sugar snow"
Good for lower elementary
Good for lower elementary
June 18, 2020
This is my daughters first Little House book! I was so excited for her and she really loved it.
October 4, 2021
Another sweet story with gorgeous illustrations ❤️
January 29, 2022
Sweet picture book of Laura Ingall's life in Wisconsin. A gentle book, a fun revisit to Laura and Mary.
September 5, 2022
Laura and Mary get their first taste of maple sugar cakes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2023
A children’s picture book version of Little House in the Big Woods, focusing on making maple syrup. A gentle intro to the book for preschoolers
May 1, 2023
Made me wish I lived in a place where I could make maple syrup
January 10, 2024
Artwork by Renee Graef (in the style of Garth Williams) enhances these short episodes taken from the Little House books proper.
May 9, 2024
In Sugar Snow Pa and Grampa tap the maples trees to create sweet syrup and tasty treats. As always, these Little House picture books are a delight to read!
July 8, 2024
A great way to introduce young readers to the Little House books.
Want to Read
March 3, 2025SM
August 18, 2025
solid
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews