I originally read these books when I was in elementary school and they have remained in my memory ever since, that's quite a complement when you consider that I have read most of my life, been a mother, grandmother, great grandmother, teacher and a librarian and therefore have read for pleasure as well as being able to share good books with others.

This past weekend, I read with my granddaughter from one of the books. I have always remembered how beautifully Wilder described things, How you could almost taste the food, etc., but I realized that she also describes things in such detail that you understand how to do things, like building a door without nails, hinges, and other things we buy today. Some authors turn you off with too much detail, but my granddaughter and I were fascinated with the door building project.

This edition in my library is leather-bound, but over the years, I've purchased many sets, the latest one for my granddaughter who is enjoying and discovering them now. ( )

I'm not that crazy about the Little House books, at least the ones (the first five) that I've read. The first two, Little House in the Big Woods and Farmer Boy, seem like survivalist-for-kids books, concerned with the techniques of wilderness living and farming and without any real character development or dramatic conflict. The series does pick up a bit with the third book, Little House on the Prairie, and the remaining two volumes in this B&N five-in-one of the first five novels are a substantial improvement over the earlier three. ( )