A bust of Laura Ingalls Wilder (FILE)

I recently took a trip to Missouri and loved it. See my article on Laura Ingles Wilder for Missouri Life:

“No matter what age, readers look for the same qualities in books: a compelling plot, interesting characters, vivid imagery, and a genuine page-turner. You hate to read the last page because the characters have become friends.

After more than 80 years, Laura Ingles Wilder’s Little House books have continued to be compelling. But why?”

Love of Family

Throughout her books, she writes about the strong family life the Ingalls enjoyed.

Laura describes her jolly, sometimes reckless father and her gentle, proud mother. She recalls listening to Pa’s fiddle as he played by the fireside.

Hartville native Richard Wakefield recalls Laura Ingalls Wilder visiting his elementary school and talking to the children.

“At that time, I didn’t know she was a famous author,” Richard says. “I just knew we enjoyed hearing her tell wonderful stories. She told of the hard times of traveling across America’s heartland. Yet, these hard times held people together. Neighbors were neighbors. They couldn’t afford to hire anyone to help on the farms, so they worked together.”

To read the full article, click here.

Carolyn Tomlin is a Jackson, Tennessee-based author that has been writing and publishing since 1988. She has authored 19 books and more than 4,000 articles in magazines such as Entrepreneur, Kansas City News, American Profile, Tennessee Home & Farm, Home Life, Mature Living, ParentLife and many others.