Our Recommended Reading for Children & Young Adults and Recommended Reading for Adults articles have been popular resources for readers interested in Laura Ingalls Wilder and Little House on the Prairie. Here is a brief overview of On The Banks of the Bayou.

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Author: Roger Lea MacBride
Illustrator: Dan Andreasen
Publisher: HarperCollins (September 19, 1998)

Synopsis:
The Little House books have captivated generations of readers with their story of the little pioneer girl Laura Ingalls growing up on the American frontier. Now the Little House story continues with The Rose Years, books that tell the story of Laura and Almanzo Wilder’s daughter, Rose. The first six books in the series describe the Wilders’ journey to Missouri, their first three years on Rocky Ridge Farm, and their move to the town of Mansfield, Missouri.

In this latest Rose Years title, a whole new world opens up for Rose when she leaves Rocky Ridge Farm and moves to Louisiana to live with her aunt Eliza Jane. Rose is sixteen now, and she thrives in a city brimming with excitement and adventure. Rose even finds herself becoming an independent young woman with her own ideas, ambitions, and dreams. On the Banks of the Bayou continues the story that Laura Ingalls Wilder began more than sixty years ago – a story whose wonder and adventure have charmed millions of readers.

About the Author: Roger Lea MacBride
Roger Lea MacBride, the “adopted grandson” and heir of Rose Wilder Lane, was born in New Rochelle, New York, in 1929.  His father, Burt MacBride, was an editor for Reader’s Digest when Rose wrote for the magazine, and he introduced his teenage son to the author.  Roger loved to listen to Rose’s stories and political theories, and the two became close.  MacBride received the rights to the Little House books upon Rose’s death in 1968.

In 1971, he had Laura’s manuscript of The First Four Years published, and in 1974, he edited her letters to Almanzo in 1915 and published them as West From Home: Letters of Laura Ingalls Wilder, San Francisco 1915. In Rose Wilder Lane: Her Story he used her letters and diaries as source material to create a semi-autobiographical account of her life. A continuation of the Little House series with Rose as the main character has been published under the name of Roger Lea MacBride.

MacBride provided some input into this fictionalized series, which includes: Little House on Rocky Ridge, Little Farm in the Ozarks, In the Land of the Big Red Apple, On the Other Side of the Hill, Little Town in the Ozarks, New Dawn on Rocky Ridge, On the Banks of the Bayou, and Bachelor Girl. He was also an active participant in the creation of the television shows “Little House on the Prairie” and “Young Pioneers.”

About the Illustrator: Dan Andreasen
Dan Andreasen has illustrated many well-loved books for children, including River Boy: The Story of Mark Twain and Pioneer Girl: The Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder, both by William Anderson. He lives with his family in Medina, Ohio.

Pick up your own copy of On The Banks of the Bayou here.

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