Almanzo Wilder: Life Before Laura–a Review

I am a huge proponent of reading a book before watching a movie based on a book.  When I was given a copy of Almanzo Wilder: Life Before Laura (distributed by Legacy Documentaries) I must admit, I was skeptical.  After viewing this documentary, I am a great fan! 

      Almanzo Wilder:  Life Before Laura was produced by Dean Butler. Yes, the same Dean Butler who rose to fame for his portrayal of the Almanzo Wilder character in the iconic Little House on the Prairie television series.  “Produced in partnership with the Almanzo and Laura Ingalls Wilder Association in Burke, NY. The program offers a unique look at Almanzo’s early life through original footage and re-creations shot on location at the Wilder Homestead, supported by visual and text excerpts from Farmer Boy.” This nearly hour long documentary is wholesome, entertaining, and educational.  It can easily be enjoyed by the entire family, although, children in the suggested reading age range (8-13) for the Little House books would benefit greatly.

      This high quality DVD includes scenes from the restored Wilder homestead in upstate New York, pullouts of the beautiful Garth Williams illustrations from Farmer Boy, reenactments of select scenes from Farmer Boy, descriptions of actual life during the post Civil War era, and loads of tidbits of insights and information about the real Almanzo Wilder.  Watching this DVD would be an amazing introduction to a study of the Little House books (Farmer Boy in particular) or a fabulous summary after reading the books.  I recommend it over the fictional tv series for an introduction to life in the pioneer days. 

      One aspect of the dvd that my daughter and I found really interesting was the great contrast between the homelife and economic status of the Wilder family versus the Ingall’s family.  It would be similar to someone from Park Avenue being compared to someone from a low-income housing project.  I appreciated the emphasis on work ethic, respect, and honesty.  My daughter, our resident Little House expert, loved the dvd.  She was never a fan of the tv series, simply because she realized it was inaccurate when compared to the books.  Not so with this documentary.  Butler has done a masterful job of communicating factual information in an entertaining fashion.

     Available for $21.95, Almanzo Wilder: Life Before Laura will be a great addition to any family’s dvd collection.

     Other members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew have been reviewing this dvd as well as a documentary about Laura Ingalls Wilder.  To read their reviews, visit the crew blog by clicking on the banner below.