all the land our forefathers had was a little strip of country, here between the mountains and the ocean. All the way from here west was Indian country, and Spanish and French and English country. It...

He knew you could never teach an animal anything if you struck it, or even shouted at it angrily. He must always be gentle, and quiet, and patient, even when they made mistakes. Star

There was no time to lose, no time to waste in rest or play. The life of the earth comes up with a rush in the springtime.

So they all went away from the little log house. The shutters were over the windows, so the little house could not see them go. It stayed there inside the log fence, behind the two big oak trees that...

I declare to goodness, I don't know but sometimes I believe in women's rights. If women were voting and making laws, I believe they'd have better sense. {Mrs. McKee to Laura, regarding homesteading...

Then the sun peeped over the edge of the prairie and the whole world glittered. Every tiniest thing glittered rosy toward the sun and pale blue toward the sky, and all along every blade of grass ran...

Where's my little half-pint of sweet cider half drunk up?

So to the end when life's dim shadows fall, Love will be found the sweetest song of all.

God hates a coward.I don't actually believe this is true. But it's something to aim for.

Mothers always fuss about the way you eat. You can hardly eat any way that pleases them.

It was muskets that won the Revolution. And don't forget it was axes, and plows that made this country.- Father Wilder

They were cosy and comfortable in their little house made of logs, with the snow drifted around it and the wind crying because it could not get in by the fire.

Rome was not built in a day. Likewise a railroad. Or other fun things in this life. - Charles Ingalls

The stars and stripes were fluttering bright against the rain, clear blue overhead, and their minds were saying the words before their ears heard them.

Snow as fine and grainy as sugar covered the windows in and sifted off to the floor and did not melt.

That machine's a great invention!" he said. "Other folks can stick to old-fashioned ways if they want to, but I'm all for progress. It's a great age we're living in. As long as I raise wheat, I'm...

Our inability to see things that are right before our eyes, until they are pointed out to us, would be amusing if it were not at times so serious. We are coming, I think, to depend too much on being...

Everything from the little house was in the wagon except the beds and tables and chairs. They did not need to take these, because Pa could always make new ones.