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This is frequently lauded as the best in Wilder's "Little house" weries and it is the first I have read. Unfortunately, it doesn't make me want to read the rest. While many excellent children's books can be enjoyed on many levels and thus continue to enchant people well beyond their chronological childhood, the merits of this book are primarily in its storyline, which is indeed fascinating - seven months of such severe winter (in 1880/81) that people in this Dakotan town were frequently even cut off from the neighbours across the street! The descriptions of cold, darkness and hunger and the family's ingenious ekeing out of their food and fuel are very interesting, but - such dull and righteous people! The four girls' characters are scarcely developed (unlike for example Alcott's "Little women") and blind Mary's saintliness and the other girls' general goodness is irritating; surely there would have been far more squabbling under such conditions. School friends are described physically but don't have any personality to speak of, Ma and Pa are scandalised by even the mildest of swearing under unbelievably difficult and provoking conditions. This must be a very sanitised account... The style is quite flat, and every sentence is very much in the moment, and works on only one level. Certainly suitable and informative reading for young people, but not really a book to treasure, unlike other North American classics such as Tom Sawyer, Anne of Green Gables, Emily of New Moon, Huckleberry Finn, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Little Women, What Katy did, and many others.

Although I live in Georgia, I experience true Winter weather every time I read this book. Even though it is simply written, it delivers a powerful message about the strength of a family unified during difficult times.

I'm only 11 and I love the book and I'm sure I'll still love it when I'm 70.It shows the struggles of familys of the 19th century and how life was then.If you like to hear about how life was "back then" this would be a great book for you!

I'm 11... I have read this book ever since I was maybe like 5 years old... I have loved all the little house series especially this one.... I strongly recommend this to people who is interested in pioneer life-- Believe me!! It is really cool and interesting!!

The Ingalls family are back for yet another adventure in the late 19th century. In this book, you can re-live the struggle of the family as they try to survive a long, hard winter. Experience what it was like in those days without the modern conveniences that we think we cannot live without today