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While I have already summarized the responses, rather loosely, I am posting
an official HIT minus one response because I was asked to leave it out.
Once again, thank you all for your kindness in answering so quickly.  I
appreciate this wonderful resource.

Susan Needham
LMS
Anderson MO
sjmneedham@hotmail.com

I wondered that myself when I began working in an elementary school library.
The reason is that the books are fictionalized biography.  That is, the
stories are embellished with conversations that did not happen exactly that
way,
and other details may have been added.  They are not strictly accurate, so
even
though they are basically autobiographical, they are in the fiction.  Riding
Freedom about Charlotte Parkhurst is another example of that kind of
bio-fiction.

Betsy Hundert
Oakville Elementary School
Mechanicsville MD




I had never really thought much about your question - and I would
imagine that the books were BASED on fact, but not all factual.  Would
you please share what everyone told you?
Mary Ann Shaffer
Orlando, FL


Laura Ingalls Wilder was our author of the month for February and I read a
little bit on her. Although the books are generally based on her memories
and the stories told her, she did fictionalize them. She changed some of the
names. She did not include her brother's birth or death. She totally left
out the time they lived in Burr Oak, Iowa.

Dana Stemig
Library Media Teacher
Modesto City Schools
Tuolumne School
Modesto, Ca
stemig@sbdglobal.net



When I asked my childrens' teachers that question many years ago, long
before I became a librarian, they told me it was because the conversations
were not exact quotes, but narrative used to make the story flow. I always
thought they should be biography. But what do I know?!

Sharon Hutchinson, Library Media Specialist
Westran Middle School
Clifton Hill, MO 65244
School:  shutchinson@westran.k12.mo.us
Home:  shutchinson@cvalley.net


I think it is because Laura fictionalized her life story to make it
readable for children. She was  also telling it age age 65 or older
without reference to notes, as far as I can remember, so probably that
was the best choice.
Deb Hendrickson


The books are fictionalized accounts based on her life.

Mary Kenslea
Library Teacher
MacArthur Elementary School (at Northeast)
40 Putney Lane
Waltham, MA  02452
kensleam@k12.waltham.ma.us


They are fiction because they are only BASED on the life of Laura Ingalls
Wilder and not a true factual accounting of actual people and events.  The
dialogue is made up and not from documented sources and the intent was not
to be autobiographical. Surprisingly they were not considered bio when they
were written because we all accepted those Childhood of Great Americans (I
think thats the name of the series) that got away with all kinds of
undocumented events, people and dialogue.

Cheryl A. Sturgeon
Elem. Media Spec.
Highland Local Schools (OH)
csturgeo@ohio.net



Susan Needham
LMS
Anderson MO
sjmneedham@hotmail.com

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