Laura Ingalls Wilder: LEVELED BOOK • Y A Pioneer’s Life A Reading A–Z Level Y Leveled Book : Word Count: 1,605 A Pioneer’s Life

•Y S • V

Written by Katherine Follett

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Photo Credits: Glossary Back cover, pages 8, 12: © The Granger Collection, NYC; title page: © David Young-Wolff/PhotoEdit; page 15: © Bettmann/Corbis evoked (v.) called up or brought forth a feeling, Laura Ingalls Wilder: Back cover: Laura Ingalls Wilder in 1917 (around age 50). memory, or mental image (p . 14) hardship (n.) pain or loss; something that causes pain or loss (p . 8) A Pioneer’s Life homestead (n.) property given by the U .S . government to people who settled and farmed on the land, especially in the 1800s (p . 9) income (n.) money that is received from work or another source (p . 11) pioneers (n.) people who are among the first to settle in a new place (p . 5) prairie (n.) a wide, flat plain covered with grasses (p . 4) prosperous (adj.) successful; well-off (p . 13) publisher (n.) the person or company who makes writing available to the public, either Laura Ingalls Wilder signs copies of her books sometime around 1940. in print or on the Internet (p . 14) receded (v.) moved or pulled back from a previous Laura loved answering letters from her fans position (p . 6) and traveling to readings and book signings, but sensation (n.) a state of great excitement; someone or she was always happy to return home to Manly something that causes great excitement and Rocky Ridge Farm . The couple both lived into (p . 14) Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Pioneer’s Life Written by Katherine Follett Level Y Leveled Book their nineties . After Laura’s death in 1957, her Correlation stroke (n.) a rapid loss of brain function resulting © Learning A–Z books lived on, even becoming a TV series in 1974 . Written by Katherine Follett LEVEL Y from interrupted blood flow to the brain Illustrated by Stephen Marchesi Laura Ingalls Wilder’s stories of pioneer life Fountas & Pinnell T (p . 8) All rights reserved. Reading Recovery 40 still captivate young readers today . Her life has DRA 40 vivid (adj.) very bright and strong (p . 5) www.readinga-z.com www.readinga-z.com become part of American history .

Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Pioneer’s Life • Level Y 15 16 Photo Credits: Back cover, pages 8, 12: © The Granger Collection, NYC; title page: © David Glossary Young-Wolff/PhotoEdit; page 15: © Bettmann/Corbis evoked (v.) called up or brought forth a feeling, Laura Ingalls Wilder: Back cover: Laura Ingalls Wilder in 1917 (around age 50). memory, or mental image (p . 14) hardship (n.) pain or loss; something that causes pain A Pioneer’s Life or loss (p . 8) homestead (n.) property given by the U .S . government to people who settled and farmed on the land, especially in the 1800s (p . 9) income (n.) money that is received from work or another source (p . 11) pioneers (n.) people who are among the first to settle in a new place (p . 5) prairie (n.) a wide, flat plain covered with grasses (p . 4) prosperous (adj.) successful; well-off (p . 13) publisher (n.) the person or company who makes writing available to the public, either Laura Ingalls Wilder signs copies of her books sometime around 1940. in print or on the Internet (p . 14) receded (v.) moved or pulled back from a previous Laura loved answering letters from her fans position (p . 6) and traveling to readings and book signings, but sensation (n.) a state of great excitement; someone or she was always happy to return home to Manly something that causes great excitement Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Pioneer’s Life and Rocky Ridge Farm . The couple both lived into (p . 14) Written by Katherine Follett Level Y Leveled Book Correlation their nineties . After Laura’s death in 1957, her © Learning A–Z stroke (n.) a rapid loss of brain function resulting Written by Katherine Follett LEVEL Y books lived on, even becoming a TV series in 1974 . Illustrated by Stephen Marchesi from interrupted blood flow to the brain Fountas & Pinnell T Laura Ingalls Wilder’s stories of pioneer life All rights reserved. Reading Recovery 40 (p . 8) still captivate young readers today . Her life has DRA 40 www.readinga-z.com www.readinga-z.com vivid (adj.) very bright and strong (p . 5) become part of American history .

Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Pioneer’s Life • Level Y 15 16 Happiness at Rocky Ridge The Little House Books Where Laura Lived “It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the Once home, Laura began to pour her memories Minnesota real ones after all.” onto the page . Sometimes she would stay up all Wisconsin St. Paul —Laura Ingalls Wilder night writing at a little desk that Manly built for Pierre De Smet Pepin Walnut Grove One day, a visitor presented Laura with a her . Soon she had written an entire book about her South Dakota Madison gleaming red apple from the Ozark Mountains . early years under the towering trees of Wisconsin . Iowa Twenty-seven-year-old Laura set out once more She called it Little House in the Big Woods . Rose sent Nebraska in a covered wagon . This time, she headed east, it to a publisher . Des Moines toward the land of that beautiful apple . Lincoln Illinois Sixty-four-year-old Laura didn’t think much Springfield Laura and Manly bought an unassuming UNITED STATES would come of it . After all, it was the 1930s . People Topeka farm near Mansfield, Missouri, in the foothills had cars, electricity, radio—who wanted to hear Jefferson Kansas City of the Ozarks . It was rough, wooded, and rocky, about doing backbreaking chores in a dark forest? KEY state capitals Independence Introduction but Laura instantly knew it was home . It took Mansfield N The book was an immediate sensation . Laura Laura’s homes EW years of chopping trees, hauling rocks, plowing, Oklahoma Three-year-old Laura Ingalls awoke near dawn brought to life the howling winter wind, the S building, and planting, but Rocky Ridge grew into to Pa’s gentle voice . “Do you girls want to head out crackling fire, and the joyful skip of Pa’s fiddle . a beautiful, prosperous farm . After a lifetime of Table of Contents to the Indian camp for a picnic?” wandering, Laura was content . She captured the thrill of meeting animals in the wilderness . She evoked the joy that a simple rag Introduction ...... 4 Laura and her older sister, Mary, leapt out of Rose, Laura’s daughter, inherited Pa’s restless bed . It wasn’t often that they could spend a day doll could bring to a pioneer girl who lived in a The Prairie and the Big Woods ...... 5 spirit . Intelligent and ambitious, she moved away rough log cabin . with Pa, who was usually busy with farm chores . to San Francisco, where she became a respected Hard Times ...... 7 The girls packed a lunch and followed their father journalist . One summer, Laura visited her adult The mailbox at Rocky Ridge overflowed with across the vast, rolling prairie . Warm wind stirred Settling in Dakota Territory ...... 9 daughter in California . She wrote to Manly, letters from young readers begging for more . Laura’s hair, and insects and birds sang in the describing the towering redwoods, the glittering Laura recounted her time on the Kansas prairie in Young Lady Laura ...... 11 rippling grass . city, and the thundering Pacific Ocean . Little House on the Prairie and near Walnut Grove in On the Banks of Plum Creek . The frightful winter in Happiness at Rocky Ridge ...... 13 The Osage Indians had left their camp for the Rose was making a living at something Laura season . The girls picnicked near their fire pits and De Smet became , and the town’s The Little House Books ...... 14 had always loved—writing . Now that life on her recovery became Little Town on the Prairie . collected colorful beads in the grass . On the walk farm was comfortable, could Laura do the same? Glossary ...... 16 home, the sunset stained the sky pink and gold .

Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Pioneer’s Life • Level Y 13 14 Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Pioneer’s Life • Level Y 3 4 Where Laura Lived Happiness at Rocky Ridge The Little House Books “It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the Once home, Laura began to pour her memories Minnesota Wisconsin real ones after all.” onto the page . Sometimes she would stay up all St. Paul Pierre De Smet Pepin —Laura Ingalls Wilder night writing at a little desk that Manly built for Walnut Grove South Dakota Madison One day, a visitor presented Laura with a her . Soon she had written an entire book about her gleaming red apple from the Ozark Mountains . early years under the towering trees of Wisconsin . Iowa Nebraska Twenty-seven-year-old Laura set out once more She called it Little House in the Big Woods . Rose sent in a covered wagon . This time, she headed east, it to a publisher . Des Moines Lincoln Illinois toward the land of that beautiful apple . Springfield Sixty-four-year-old Laura didn’t think much UNITED STATES Missouri Laura and Manly bought an unassuming Topeka would come of it . After all, it was the 1930s . People Jefferson farm near Mansfield, Missouri, in the foothills had cars, electricity, radio—who wanted to hear Kansas City KEY of the Ozarks . It was rough, wooded, and rocky, about doing backbreaking chores in a dark forest? state capitals Independence Introduction Mansfield N but Laura instantly knew it was home . It took Laura’s homes EW The book was an immediate sensation . Laura Oklahoma Three-year-old Laura Ingalls awoke near dawn years of chopping trees, hauling rocks, plowing, S brought to life the howling winter wind, the to Pa’s gentle voice . “Do you girls want to head out building, and planting, but Rocky Ridge grew into crackling fire, and the joyful skip of Pa’s fiddle . Table of Contents to the Indian camp for a picnic?” a beautiful, prosperous farm . After a lifetime of wandering, Laura was content . She captured the thrill of meeting animals in the Introduction ...... 4 Laura and her older sister, Mary, leapt out of wilderness . She evoked the joy that a simple rag bed . It wasn’t often that they could spend a day Rose, Laura’s daughter, inherited Pa’s restless The Prairie and the Big Woods ...... 5 doll could bring to a pioneer girl who lived in a with Pa, who was usually busy with farm chores . spirit . Intelligent and ambitious, she moved away rough log cabin . Hard Times ...... 7 The girls packed a lunch and followed their father to San Francisco, where she became a respected across the vast, rolling prairie . Warm wind stirred journalist . One summer, Laura visited her adult The mailbox at Rocky Ridge overflowed with Settling in Dakota Territory ...... 9 Laura’s hair, and insects and birds sang in the daughter in California . She wrote to Manly, letters from young readers begging for more . Young Lady Laura ...... 11 rippling grass . describing the towering redwoods, the glittering Laura recounted her time on the Kansas prairie in city, and the thundering Pacific Ocean . Little House on the Prairie and near Walnut Grove in Happiness at Rocky Ridge ...... 13 The Osage Indians had left their camp for the On the Banks of Plum Creek . The frightful winter in season . The girls picnicked near their fire pits and Rose was making a living at something Laura The Little House Books ...... 14 De Smet became The Long Winter, and the town’s collected colorful beads in the grass . On the walk had always loved—writing . Now that life on her recovery became Little Town on the Prairie . Glossary ...... 16 home, the sunset stained the sky pink and gold . farm was comfortable, could Laura do the same?

Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Pioneer’s Life • Level Y 3 4 Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Pioneer’s Life • Level Y 13 14 Young Lady Laura Laura and When Laura stepped inside their little log Four-year-old Laura watched sadly as the Manly, as she cabin, she stopped short . Ma lay in bed, and the prairie receded behind their covered wagon . She “Suffering passes, while love is eternal.” nicknamed him, doctor was there . was too young to remember living in Wisconsin —Laura Ingalls Wilder moved to his as a baby . When they returned, though, she “Come meet your new baby sister,” Ma said homestead outside discovered another wonderful new world . At last the long winter broke, and the family in an exhausted but proud voice . De Smet, and soon returned to their homestead on the blooming The big woods were dark, wild, and mysterious . they welcomed This was one of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s earliest Dakota prairie . Their farm, and the new town, Laura loved being outdoors, whether throwing a daughter, Rose . and most powerful memories . It featured the two soon thrived . snowballs with her cousins or collecting firewood Unfortunately, the things that would shape her famous novels: her and doing other chores . On long winter evenings, young family was close family and her love for wild, open spaces . Mary had heard about a college for blind Pa played his fiddle for the family . His music hit with a string students in Iowa, and she wanted more than The Prairie and the Big Woods accompanied the happiest days of Laura’s anything to go there . Laura was now old enough of bad luck . A Laura Ingalls was born on February 7, 1867, in childhood . to teach school, and she knew the income would hailstorm destroyed Laura and Almanzo Wilder in 1885, shortly after their marriage the northern woods of Pepin, Wisconsin . Laura help Mary pay for college . She accepted a teaching their wheat crop, was the second child, following her sister Mary . job in a settlement twelve miles from De Smet . and then Laura and Manly came down with a dangerous infection . Laura recovered fully, but When Laura was just two years old, Ma and Pa Sixteen-year-old Laura bravely said goodbye Manly would walk with a limp for the rest of his Ingalls packed all their belongings into a covered to her family, but she dreaded being away life . Laura gave birth to a baby boy, but he only wagon and headed toward Independence, Kansas . from home for an entire semester . When the survived for two weeks . Then their house burned It was the first of many moves the Ingalls family first week of school ended, she got a surprise . to the ground . Still a pioneer girl, Laura searched would make during Laura’s childhood . They were Almanzo Wilder, the young man who had helped for a new place where they could get a fresh start . pioneers, some of the first non-Native Americans save De Smet, pulled up to the schoolhouse in a It wasn’t long before she found her home . in the American West . beautiful horse-drawn sleigh, offering to bring vivid Laura home on weekends . Laura formed memories in their log cabin on the Kansas prairie, but the family only During their long drives across the prairie, lived there for about a year . They had mistakenly their friendship blossomed into love . One night, settled on the Osage Indian reservation, and they Almanzo asked Laura to marry him . She said yes . had to leave, so they returned to Wisconsin .

Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Pioneer’s Life • Level Y 11 12 Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Pioneer’s Life • Level Y 5 6 When Laura stepped inside their little log Four-year-old Laura watched sadly as the Young Lady Laura Laura and cabin, she stopped short . Ma lay in bed, and the prairie receded behind their covered wagon . She Manly, as she “Suffering passes, while love is eternal.” doctor was there . was too young to remember living in Wisconsin nicknamed him, —Laura Ingalls Wilder as a baby . When they returned, though, she moved to his “Come meet your new baby sister,” Ma said discovered another wonderful new world . homestead outside in an exhausted but proud voice . At last the long winter broke, and the family De Smet, and soon The big woods were dark, wild, and mysterious . returned to their homestead on the blooming This was one of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s earliest they welcomed Laura loved being outdoors, whether throwing Dakota prairie . Their farm, and the new town, and most powerful memories . It featured the two a daughter, Rose . snowballs with her cousins or collecting firewood soon thrived . things that would shape her famous novels: her Unfortunately, the and doing other chores . On long winter evenings, close family and her love for wild, open spaces . young family was Pa played his fiddle for the family . His music Mary had heard about a college for blind hit with a string The Prairie and the Big Woods accompanied the happiest days of Laura’s students in Iowa, and she wanted more than anything to go there . Laura was now old enough of bad luck . A Laura Ingalls was born on February 7, 1867, in childhood . to teach school, and she knew the income would hailstorm destroyed Laura and Almanzo Wilder in 1885, shortly the northern woods of Pepin, Wisconsin . Laura after their marriage help Mary pay for college . She accepted a teaching their wheat crop, was the second child, following her sister Mary . job in a settlement twelve miles from De Smet . and then Laura and Manly came down with a When Laura was just two years old, Ma and Pa dangerous infection . Laura recovered fully, but Ingalls packed all their belongings into a covered Sixteen-year-old Laura bravely said goodbye Manly would walk with a limp for the rest of his wagon and headed toward Independence, Kansas . to her family, but she dreaded being away life . Laura gave birth to a baby boy, but he only It was the first of many moves the Ingalls family from home for an entire semester . When the survived for two weeks . Then their house burned would make during Laura’s childhood . They were first week of school ended, she got a surprise . to the ground . Still a pioneer girl, Laura searched pioneers, some of the first non-Native Americans Almanzo Wilder, the young man who had helped for a new place where they could get a fresh start . in the American West . save De Smet, pulled up to the schoolhouse in a It wasn’t long before she found her home . beautiful horse-drawn sleigh, offering to bring vivid Laura formed memories in their log Laura home on weekends . cabin on the Kansas prairie, but the family only lived there for about a year . They had mistakenly During their long drives across the prairie, settled on the Osage Indian reservation, and they their friendship blossomed into love . One night, had to leave, so they returned to Wisconsin . Almanzo asked Laura to marry him . She said yes .

Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Pioneer’s Life • Level Y 5 6 Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Pioneer’s Life • Level Y 11 12 Settling in Dakota Territory Hard Times After a few months of happiness, hardship The family boarded a train in Walnut Grove struck . Grasshoppers, descending in swarms as “Everything from the little house was in the and rode west to join Pa, who had gone ahead big as thunderclouds, devoured the family’s wheat . wagon, except the beds and tables and chairs. to Dakota Territory to work for the railroad . Having lost their crop, the family moved into Pa could always make new ones.” Walnut Grove and took odd jobs . Even little Laura Eleven-year-old Laura acted as Mary’s eyes . She —Laura Ingalls Wilder cleaned and waited tables in a hotel . Then they described the hulking, smoking train, the ornately lost their new baby brother, Freddie, to a fever . decorated cars, and the golden blur of wheat fields Pa Ingalls was a restless man, and he longed to Their spirits lifted a little when another baby, speeding by . Mary hung on every word . return to the open space of the prairies . He made Grace, arrived in 1877, but times remained tough . plans to relocate his young family to Minnesota . When they got off the train, there was no Mary fell ill . Either the illness or a stroke damaged settlement— just a railroad stop . The Ingalls family Difficulties began even before they left . Laura the nerves of her eyes . No one knows for sure what and a few others were the first citizens of what caught scarlet fever, so the family bundled her in caused the damage, but Mary would be blind for would become the town of De Smet, South Dakota . every blanket they owned before nestling her in the rest of her life . Pa built some of the first buildings, including the the back of the covered wagon . Seven-year-old Pa decided it was time to look west for a new first store . Laura watched her silent, snow-covered home start . disappear behind her . As more settlers arrived, the Ingalls family It was a lucky decision . One blizzard after acquired a homestead a few miles outside of town . another hammered the new town . The snow was In Minnesota, Laura and Pa were happy to be Laura, right, stands beside Pa built a cabin, a stable, and a garden . As winter her sisters Carrie, left, and so blinding that the girls couldn’t find their way back on the wide-open prairie . First, they moved Mary around 1880. approached, the family decided to live above their to school . Trains couldn’t deliver food, and some into a sod house constructed from dense mats of store in town, where the girls would be closer to families nearly starved . Laura and her sisters spent grass roots . From a distance, the house appeared the school . hours grinding raw wheat into flour by hand . to be nothing more than a gentle hill rising from the banks of a creek . A young man named Almanzo Wilder trudged through the snow to the only established farm in Later, Pa constructed a wood house and the area . He returned bearing all the wheat the planted wheat near the town of Walnut Grove . farmer could spare, saving the settlers . It was Laura and Mary went to school, where Laura not the last time Laura would hear about this loved reading, writing, and reciting . Ma was good man . expecting another baby .

Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Pioneer’s Life • Level Y 9 10 Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Pioneer’s Life • Level Y 7 8 Hard Times After a few months of happiness, hardship Settling in Dakota Territory struck . Grasshoppers, descending in swarms as The family boarded a train in Walnut Grove “Everything from the little house was in the big as thunderclouds, devoured the family’s wheat . and rode west to join Pa, who had gone ahead wagon, except the beds and tables and chairs. Having lost their crop, the family moved into to Dakota Territory to work for the railroad . Pa could always make new ones.” Walnut Grove and took odd jobs . Even little Laura —Laura Ingalls Wilder cleaned and waited tables in a hotel . Then they Eleven-year-old Laura acted as Mary’s eyes . She lost their new baby brother, Freddie, to a fever . described the hulking, smoking train, the ornately Pa Ingalls was a restless man, and he longed to decorated cars, and the golden blur of wheat fields Their spirits lifted a little when another baby, return to the open space of the prairies . He made speeding by . Mary hung on every word . Grace, arrived in 1877, but times remained tough . plans to relocate his young family to Minnesota . Mary fell ill . Either the illness or a stroke damaged When they got off the train, there was no Difficulties began even before they left . Laura the nerves of her eyes . No one knows for sure what settlement— just a railroad stop . The Ingalls family caught scarlet fever, so the family bundled her in caused the damage, but Mary would be blind for and a few others were the first citizens of what every blanket they owned before nestling her in the rest of her life . would become the town of De Smet, South Dakota . the back of the covered wagon . Seven-year-old Pa built some of the first buildings, including the Pa decided it was time to look west for a new Laura watched her silent, snow-covered home first store . start . disappear behind her . As more settlers arrived, the Ingalls family It was a lucky decision . One blizzard after In Minnesota, Laura and Pa were happy to be Laura, right, stands beside acquired a homestead a few miles outside of town . another hammered the new town . The snow was her sisters Carrie, left, and Pa built a cabin, a stable, and a garden . As winter back on the wide-open prairie . First, they moved Mary around 1880. so blinding that the girls couldn’t find their way into a sod house constructed from dense mats of approached, the family decided to live above their to school . Trains couldn’t deliver food, and some grass roots . From a distance, the house appeared store in town, where the girls would be closer to families nearly starved . Laura and her sisters spent to be nothing more than a gentle hill rising from the school . hours grinding raw wheat into flour by hand . the banks of a creek . A young man named Almanzo Wilder trudged Later, Pa constructed a wood house and through the snow to the only established farm in planted wheat near the town of Walnut Grove . the area . He returned bearing all the wheat the Laura and Mary went to school, where Laura farmer could spare, saving the settlers . It was loved reading, writing, and reciting . Ma was not the last time Laura would hear about this expecting another baby . good man .

Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Pioneer’s Life • Level Y 7 8 Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Pioneer’s Life • Level Y 9 10