Thanks for all the information.
Believe it or not, I was in Salt Lake City last year when I started visiting with a sweet little girl of about 7. I asked what did she like to read. Before I knew it, the mother had picked up and started talking about Laura Ingals Wilder. Well, we stood there and talked and by the time the conversation was over, it was as if we were old friends.
The mother said reading them as an adult was a whole different experience than as a child and she loved it.
As far as the Indians being mentioned, the Ingals family had to leave what is now Kansas as it was called Indian Territory and supposedly they were being forced out because of that. The family also lived right on the main Indian trail. After an all night pow-wow the Indians who wanted to go to war, were convinced by one powerful chief to not do that and they all rode out peacefully.
But before all that happened, the Indian problems in Minnesota were talked about as one of their neighbors had been there and her father and brother had helped hunt the Indians down. The lady was hushed because little pitchers have big ears.
The Laura Ingals Wilder books contain all sorts of information relating to that day including that her uncle had ran away and joined the Union army as a bugler during the Civil War. I think it was Uncle George and he was refered to as being wild since he came back from the Army.
Mr. Johnson who was their neighbor in Knasas and so kind to the children was from Tennessee and I gathered he had been a Confederate.
Now understand I have read these books for years. It also helps foster a sense of history in children if you can believe that. So yes, the Civil War is mentioned but a big part of it is that you just have to know what you are reading in relation to the history of the time.
Take care-
Linda