Fairy Poems by Laura Ingalls Wilder & Illus by Richard Hul

Did you know Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote Fairy Poems? She did! While she was out in San Francisco seeing Rose, Rose got her a job writing poems for a children's paper. 

I don't often associate LIW with fairies. I mean so much of her life was so practical and no-nonsense, where would fairies fit in? 

But then, if someone loves flowers and nature as much as Laura did, fairies are not far behind. 

I found this little gem on the shelf in my library one day and was completely delighted. 

The illustrations are SO NOT Laura Ingalls Wilder--okay, Laura Ingalls Wilder is really just Garth Williams, but I love them anyway. 

The Fairy Dew Drop

Down by the spring one morning

Where the shadows still lay deep, 

I found in the heart of a flwoer

A tiny fairy asleep.

Her flower couch was perfumed,

Leaf curtains drawn with care,

And there she sweetly slumbered

With a jewel in her hair...

...But a sunbeam entered softly

And touched her, as she lay.

Whispering that 'twas morning 

And fairies must away. 

The fairies in the Sunshine

Painting flower and baby faces.

...They color all the apples

And work for days and weeks

To make the grapes bloom purple

And paint the peaches' cheeks.

Ah! There's a tiny fairy!

She's in the garden bed!

It's little Ray O'Sunshine

Who makes the roses red. 

The Naughty Four O'Clocks

This is a sweet little book of fairy poems--just a dozen or so, but so darling! 

A Farmer Boy Birthday by Laura Ingalls Wilder illustrated by Jody Wheeler

Have you seen these books? They are picture books of various episodes in the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. For quite awhile, I wasn't too interested in them. How could you improve on Laura's writing and how could Almanzo or Laura be Almanzo or Laura if they weren't in Garth Williams illustrations? 

After someone bought my kids one though, I had to admit that they were quite pleasant little books. My kids are fascinated with Laura and Almanzo and have listened to the audio books (read by Cherry Jones) a thousand or so times. The older two (9 & 8) aren't that interested in these books anymore, but Gilbert, 6, and Elsie, 3 like these ones. They are definitely geared toward little kids. 

Almanzo is our hometown boy. Probably the most famous person to grow up in Northern New York. I bought this book at the Wilder farm in Burke, actually. 

The pictures are rather sweet, based on Garth Williams illustrations. 

(Geraniums on the windowsill means they are my sort of people.)

This book, obviously, is about Almanzo's birthday. Because it was his birthday, he didn't have to go to school. 

I like their style. 

Almanzo spends the morning training his two little oxen, Star and Bright, to the new yoke his father gave him. 

Almanzo knew he was growing up because his father let him do the oxen training by himself. 

And after lunch, he had a new sled. 

Of course, there is a lot of food. Jars of doughnuts and cookies and some apples. 

Helping his dad.

All in all, it is a sweet book. 

A book to get kids interested in Laura Ingalls Wilder before they are old enough for the real deal.