How to survive the 'Little House' books

IN THE LITTLE HOUSE BOOKS, real-life pioneer girl Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867-1957) chronicled her family's life on the American frontier. Young readers, who continue to gobble up Ingalls's stories today, will remember the vivid descriptions of a now-lost time, from traveling in a covered wagon to playing ball with a pig's bladder. Adults who revisit the series, on the other hand, may notice grimmer aspects.