Due to the formatting of the file and the technology available to me, I was unable to open the book to read and review. I'm still very interested in the book, and will look for it at my local library.

All the background for you Laura Ingalls Wilder fans. The author does a great job of pulling in what the Little House family really ate, grew and saw during their travels and various homesteads. This would be a great companion piece to anyone who is reading the book series. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

A great school book or a companion book if you just love the Little House of the Praise books or TV series. I really enjoyed this book. There are full color pictures in this book that brings what the author is talking about in a visual form. That is SO helpful for all ages and keeps the reader reading. We enjoyed reading about the “pioneers of our country” and the hardships they faced. The way they lived off the land and made due with what they had. I recommend you pick up a copy of this book for yourself and enjoy.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series will enjoy this beautifully researched and well written book. It explores the landscapes of Laura's life from her birth in Wisconsin to her death on her beloved Rocky Ridge Farm in Missouri. Filled with illustrations from the original Little House Books and photos of Laura and family as well as places she lived, the book provides an armchair journey through Laura's life. The last chapters provide advice for visiting gardens if exploring the landmarks in each of Laura's homes as well as a list of plants that could be included in a "Wilder" garden of one's own. A lovely read.

Absolutely beautiful photographs. A must read for all fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Little House books.

Growing up in Laura Ingalls Wilder's hometown, I was probably spoiled against this book. It was very informative, and had a lot of details for Little House on the Prairie fans. I may have just been a little biased, because of where I came from, and growing up with all things Laura. I really enjoyed the authors writing style, and I am excited to read more of her writing.

A nice addition to my Ingalls Wilder collection but as an enthusiast no new information

Author Marta McDowell takes readers to each location Laura Ingalls Wilder and her husband Almonzo lived, discussing things present and things omitted from the books. The book shows Laura's connection with the land, demonstrating the importance of agriculture in the era in which she lived. The book designed to celebrate the 150th birthday of the author is well-researched but written at a level most fans will enjoy. Its carefully selected illustrations add to the reading experience for the fan. The book would make a great gift for those reading the books for the first time or for a lifelong Laura Ingalls Wilder enthusiast. This review is based on an advance electronic galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder: The Frontier Landscapes that Inspired the Little House Books by Marta McDowell is facinating in that it follows Laura's moves from Wisconsin to Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, and Missouri. Not only do we get to travel along with the Ingalls' and Wilder's, but we learn about pioneering history, American agriculture, animals, native plants, and trees.

Many of us that are familiar with Laura's books are aware she harbored a deep love for her country, and was of strong character. She was active in the community, participating in local fairs. The Wilder's were able to make a substainable living off their land. What they didn't eat, and store, was often fed to their livestock.

This is really the type of book I was waiting for. But, I don't want to give away to much of it. So, I'll just go over a few points that I felt were interesting. Laura was happy to tour 'Muir Woods' while visiting daughter Rose, in California. We know from history that Muir's family emigrated to American, his family settled in Wisconsin the same state Laura was born in.

You also learn that Laura was also known to be drawn to "Tennyson's...Maude". And, if you are familiar with the poem, you might think they were standing together when Tenneyson wrote , "From the lake to the meadow and on to the wood." This, too, was Laura's scenery. And, if you've read any of her books, you'll know she writes about being near water. I thought it very fitting this book includes a photo of an older Laura...near water.

Yes, there were many hardships for Ingalls' and Wilder's. And, I love how Marta McDowell depicts their struggles in a detailed but not depressing manner.

Laura was forty four when her first article appeared in the 'Ruralist' and she lived to see all of her books be reprinted, and in mutiple languages. I love that this story was teamed with photos, illustrations, drawings and clippings from newspapers of Laura's lifetime. My opinion is this book is truly a gem.

What a wonderful resource this volume is, filled with information about plants, geography, history and literature. Not every reader will want to read every word, but there is something for everyone, whether you loved the Little House books or are thinking of taking a tin-can tour of America ( as Alonzo described traveling by car) The photographs and colorful paintings of the Wilder gardens add an extra dimension to your enjoyment. The index and credits are very useful for tracking down a particular plant in a specific garden. All in all, this is a book to savor just as you might meander through a marvelous garden. Consider giving this as a gift to a very special gardening friend.

A treasure trove for the Laura Ingalls Wilder fan that goes above and beyond anything I have seen before. This book will satiate a wide range of readers and those that want to know and experience the maximum!

I was unable to download book to my kindle from netgalley. I'm sure the book is a five star book though.. Anything having to do with Laura Ingalls has always been a classic!

“It is the simple things of life that make living worthwhile, the sweet fundamental things such as love and duty, work and rest, and living close to nature.”
— Laura Ingalls Wilder

You want to make someone smile? Start talking about Laura Ingalls Wilder.

“Once upon a time.” Like many children’s stories, Laura Ingalls Wilder opened Little House in the Big Woods with this quiet invitation to readers to turn their thoughts back in time. Hers was a long story, rooted in her father’s and her husband’s, tales of family and farms and nature – a nature that was sometimes inviting and sometimes ferocious. It began in Wisconsin. (World of Laura Ingalls Wilder, pg 17)

Marta McDowell, a New York Times bestseller in her own right, commemorates Laura’s 150th birthday with this enchanting book filled with flowers, photographs and delightful illustrations of the places, people, flora, fauna and homes that filled Laura and Almanzo’s lives.

Don’t be fooled into thinking this is a childish work. The author has crawled beneath the covers of the Little House books and brought the physical world depicted in Laura’s books alive. No fairy tale here; just hard working pioneers accepting the challenge of working in harmony with nature.

Stand alongside Laura, first as a child, and later as a mother herself, as she gathers berries and nuts from the forest and fields; meticulously documenting what she has found for future reference. Sweat with her as she boils the berries for preserves in a room already sweltering from the summer heat. Hand her the canning jars and the melted paraffin to seal in the fruit and keep out the spoilers. Stand back as she continues with her daily chores – on to fixing a hearty meal for her exhausted husband.

Head out to the forest with Alamanzo and his axe as he clears land for a new home, fields for the crops and domestic animals. As the years progress, observe his willingness to experiment with crop rotations and research new agricultural equipment to expand and improve their livelihood.
Experience the heartbreak of leaving loved ones and good friends behind after calamity has destroyed your hard work. Step up and take a seat in the wagon as they head out; stoically starting over…again and again. Somewhere else. Sit in the buggy and bounce and jostle along wandering through towering prairie grass toward an unknown future.

With all the hard work necessary just to survive, it will surprise you to see how valuable education and literature was to both the Charles (Pa) Ingalls family and later with Laura and Almanzo. Where did they find the time in each day? Charles nurtured his children with stories about faraway places. Laura has provided generations of children with pioneer pride, responsibility, unity of purpose, community spirit and a love for nature and the world. Her books are as popular as ever today.

Meet Laura’s daughter, Rose, named for the sweet-smelling prairie flower that infused the air during the Wilder’s courtship. Learn how Rose, a bestselling author, helped her mother hone her own writing talents.

As each chapter was a diorama of a particular home site, I took my time reading the book. My favorite times were sitting on my screen porch overlooking my garden and I found that I shared Laura’s interest in the cycle of life progressing all around me. Laura and I watched birds hatch, flowers emerge from winter sleep, and note the arrival of summer’s sounds.

This dynamic work doesn’t end at Rocky Ridge Farm on the Wilder’s front porch where Almanzo and Laura enjoyed their waning years. It continues with several chapters that include a tour guide to the Ingalls and Wilder homesites today and a handy table listing all the flowers Laura mentioned in her books along with citations to each referenced. Bonus. Sources of heirloom seeds is provided for the inspired gardener.

Highly recommended reading. Here is the perfect gift for a nature loving friend or relative.

For those who love the Little House books, this is another angle into the Wilder world. Learning about the plants during the time of the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder helps readers understand another insight into their lives, in the very specific topic of botany.

This is a wonderful addition to my Little House library! This book is full of facts and information that gives the super fan more of the background surrounding the stories we love. It definitely reads like a non fiction book so do not start this book with the expectation that it will read like the original stories. The reader will find answers and explanations for things they had never thought of before. Perfect! Thanks to Netgalley for letting me read an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Book received from NetGalley.

I think I woke my husband up with my squealing like a fangirl when I saw that I was approved for this book. I have loved Laura Ingalls Wilder's books for years and am always thrilled when something new comes out about her, though much of it is about things I have already learned about her. I grew up reading the "Little House" books, especially with my family coming from one of Missouri's neighbors. Laura was definitely one of their better-known daughters though her life took her through many states and territories in the US. Since this year is the 150th anniversary of her birth and with the success of "Pioneer Girl", I was hoping for some new non-fiction books to be released. I believe that this one is a great addition to the library. It focuses on the botany, biology, geography, and geology of the areas the Ingalls and Wilder families lived, focusing mainly on Laura. This would be a great book for the older children who want to know more about what the prairies that Laura lived on were like, and the adults that still wonder what a chokecherry is or why in the world Ma thought that watermelons gave you malaria. I loved the illustrations and photos in the book, especially the illustrations of the prairie plants that Laura described in her books. It's going to be a long wait until this comes out in September so I can add it to my shelves.

A gorgeous book of natural history. Filled with illustrations, maps, and photographs, the presentation here is lovely, and the content thorough. Gardeners, history buffs, and Little House devotees will enjoy this close examination of the landscape of Laura Ingalls Wilder's beloved novels.

Unable to read book due to small print on the protected file.

Like many young girls, I grew up fascinated by Laura Ingalls Wilder's tales of frontier life. However, in re-reading them as an adult, I wanted more ~ more details, more description, a stronger connection with one of American's most beloved storytellers. "The World of Laura Ingalls" adds depth and dimension to the stories Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote for children. The research and historical fact in this book provides a broader frame of reference with which to appreciate Laura Ingalls Wilder's timeless series.

"The World of Laura Ingalls" is a must for educators and teachers. Those with a life-long love for the classic books will treasure this addition to their collection for the way it enriches the legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family.

I really, really enjoyed this book. Marta McDowell's exploration of the wild world Laura lived in was excellent. The book focuses a chapter on each of the places Laura called home. As we travel through Laura's life, we get to experience the wide variety of flora and fauna with her. Ms. McDowell quotes liberally from the works of Laura Ingalls Wilder, includes lush pictures, and solidly researched information about the plants and wildlife then and now.
The final two chapters are rooted firmly in the present. Visiting Wilder Gardens is chock full of helpful hints to make the most out of a road trip following the Laura Ingalls Wilder trail. Growing a Wilder Garden has a thorough lost of all the plants mentioned in Laura's writings and notations about cultivation at Rocky Ridge Farm. Additionally there are resources provided for heirloom seeds and gardening implements - basically everything you need to grow an authentic pioneer garden.
The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder is a must read for every fan of the Little House books.