Going to town

PreS-Gr 1‘A picture-book adaptation of a chapter from Wilder's Little House in the Big Woods. Readers meet Laura Ingalls and her family as they carefully prepare for her first trip to town. The night before, Mary and Laura have their hair wound up in rags so they will have curls. On the big day, they wear their best dresses, and Ma packs a picnic lunch. Laura is impressed with the many houses in town and the wide selection of store items. The more active part of the original chapter, in which Laura tears her pocket because she greedily picks up too many beach stones, has been omitted. Graef's full-color, double-page illustrations carry the text. From the gingham-check endpapers to the warm green and gold tones of the outdoor and interior scenes, she captures a glimpse of the characters' way of life while maintaining the style of Garth Williams's original illustrations. While there is little action in this book, it may be a good discussion-starter on pioneer life. For a livelier account, stick with the original.‘Janet M. Bair, Trumbull Library, CT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Each book in the series -- which attempts to retell Wilder's wonderful novels in picture-book format -- turns a beautifully written chapter into a slight story. The text is accompanied by illustrations, 'inspired by the work of Garth Williams,' that lack the personality and life of the Ingalls family. From HORN BOOK 1995, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.