MARY INGALLS ON HER OWN
Ages 9 and up. HarperCollins, January 2008.

The Story: To Mary Ingalls, the Iowa College for the Blind seems
like a dream come true.  But it also means Mary must leave her
cherished family behind in Dakota Territory.  Now that she's on her own, Mary must learn to get along without her beloved sister Laura,
and in the process realizes she just might have some of Laura's famous spunk after all.
   

The Inspiration:  As part of HarperCollins' continuing publication of Little House books, this newest story of Mary's own adventures at college came to life.  As a lifelong Little House reader, I was both flattered and terrified at the thought of taking on Mary's story. Thirty years after first reading Laura Ingalls Wilder's books, I still recall every detail of them, and I worked to incorporate those into Mary's story while giving her a unique voice of her own. Incidentally, this book is published under the pen name Elizabeth Kimmel Willard.

• Buy this book now at

• Learn more about other HarperCollins Books and authors.

• To inquire about a school visit, see Announcements & School Visits or e-mail Elizabeth.