This is the third book in a wonderful children’s series about a family of pioneers who help settle the American west. It’s based on true stories from the life of the author who is the central figure along with Pa, Ma, sister Mary and baby Carrie. In 1869, Pa Ingalls decides to sell their log cabin in the Wisconsin woods and move the family via covered wagon to Indian Territory near Independence, Kansas. There are rumors the land, still under Osage ownership, will be opened to settlement by homesteaders. A theme running through the book is Ma’s prejudice against the Indians compared to Pa’s more egalitarian view. In the end, the family leaves before being forced to by the Army as the land is not yet legally available, and they are off on their next adventure. There are few books that give such vivid flavor of the pioneering experience. Using a rare technique, they increase in complexity as Laura ages. I loved following this heart-warming intrepid family as they face the hardships and joys of life on the frontier.
Vivian Copeland's Best Books Of All Time 