Discovering Laura

Discovering Laura: The Historical Laura Ingalls Wilder

Volume 1 coming in December 2025!

The trip from Pepin, Wisconsin, to DeSmet, South Dakota, would take less than seven hours by car today. For Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family, the journey lasted eleven years as they travelled across dense forests and sweeping prairies, from a “Little House” to a “Little Town” and multiple places in between. Children of all ages have seen the world of the pioneer through Laura’s eyes.

The structure of this two-volume series , along with its chronology, appendices, and extensive use of primary sources, will make it a resource for Wilder scholars, teachers, homeschoolers, and Little House fans.  It begins with the historical background for the family’s travels and each subsequent chapter covers one of Wilder’s autobiographical books or is another episode in the lives of the Ingalls and Wilder families, some of which have been overlooked. The book is deliberately eclectic, using incidents in Wilder’s writings as jumping-off points to enrich and deepen an understanding of the pioneer experience. 

Volume 1: 1860-1880

Volume 2: 1880-1957  

Endorsement from Dr. William Bennet, former U.S. Secretary of Education

• America has come to be known as a nation of pioneers. From the earliest European settlers to those expanding the frontiers of technology and space exploration today, the American continent has served to shape the culture and values of her people. The pioneering spirit of Laura Ingalls Wilder, preserved for posterity in the form of her classic books, has received a fresh and invigorating interpretation by Dr. Yecke, award-winning educator, historian, and author. Discovering Laura: The Historical Laura Ingalls Wilder provides a well-researched and broad collection of detailed background information not found anywhere else, and places characters and events solidly within their historical context.  Designed to enrich the understanding of the times and events in Wilder’s life, Dr. Yecke has created a must-have resource for parents, homeschoolers, teachers, and anyone who is a serious Wilder scholar.