Laura Ingalls Wilder

Laura Ingalls Wilder is a beloved American author, best known for her Little House series of children's novels. These books are based on her own life growing up in a pioneer family and are cherished for their vivid portrayal of frontier life. Before gaining fame as a novelist, Wilder worked as a teacher and also helped out on the family farm.

Wilder was born on February 7, 1867 near the small settlement of Pepin, Wisconsin. She was the second child of Charles Phillip Ingalls and his wife, Caroline Lake Ingalls. Over the next several years, Caroline and Charles had three more children: Caroline Celestia, Charles Frederick, and Grace Pearl. Sadly, the Ingalls' only son, Charles, passed away when he was just an infant. The family's experiences during Wilder's childhood, including their many moves and the challenges they faced, would later provide the inspiration for the Little House series.

In addition to the Little House books, Wilder also wrote a regular newspaper column and kept a diary as an adult. These writings, which chronicle her experiences moving from South Dakota to Missouri, have been published as a book. Wilder's work has been widely adapted for the screen, with the Little House series serving as the basis for a popular television series and a series of movie sequels. Wilder herself lived until the age of 90, passing away in Mansfield, Missouri in 1957.