Novelist Hilary Mantel once remarked that writing about women in history often requires distorting facts or imagining their significance, as the historical record typically offers limited insight into individual women's lives. This challenge highlights the difficulty of capturing women's contributions accurately without exaggeration or assumption.

However, in the case of Laura Ingalls Wilder, author Caroline Fraser asserts that we do not need to engage in such distortion. Wilder's story and impact are well-documented, allowing for a genuine exploration of her life and experiences within the context of American history without resorting to fantasy or oversimplification.