Carrie Ingalls : The Forgotten Sister

 

Non-fiction Chapter Book Juvenile Fiction

Date Published: 10-30-2025

Publisher: Solander Press

While her sister Laura chronicles their life on the frontier, Carrie Ingalls forges her own path. This is the story of the “forgotten” sister, a frail child who grows into a resilient woman of the American West. From the hardships of pioneer life, Carrie emerges as an independent journalist, newspaper editor, and landowner, quietly shaping the futures of fellow homesteaders and proving that strength comes in many forms.

My Review...

When I first began this delightful little book, I thought it was a little pedantic, very like a classroom story. Then as I looked a little farther, I realized that was true in some ways. I didn’t realize Carrie Ingalls really existed and that this was in fact, her biography.

For those of us a little older than this reading level, we grew up with the Little House on the Prairie books and the wonderful series. We lived with Laura Ingalls Wilder’s stories every day. And this story, though about Carrie, gave us an even better picture of the whole family.

This is a great read, but I also hope it will encourage kids to read all of the books about the Ingalls family. 

About the Author

 

 Award-winning author Clarissa Willis writes children's books. She has authored four picture books and one chapter book. Bloomers on Pike’s Peak, the story of Julia Archibald Holmes, received a Will Rogers Medallion Award and was a finalist for the Women Writing the West 2025 WILLA Literary Award in Children's Picture Books. Her book Fast as the Wind: The Story of Johnny Fry Pony Express Rider won a Will Rogers Medallion in 2023. The Three Little Pigs and the Not So Big Bad Wolf, released in early 2025. It tells a familiar story with a new twist. She believes childhood is a journey and strives to make it joyful through her books and public speaking.

Clarissa loves traveling and has a special connection to the American West. She finds inspiration in the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona, and the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. In fact, her next book, Not from Around Here, is set in Sedona and chronicles an unusual friendship between a young cowboy and his friend from far away.

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