Hewing closely to the details of her own youth, this is Stratton-Porter's near-autobiographical story of childhood in rural America in the 1870s and 1880s. "Laddie" is a character based on Leander, Stratton-Porter's adored older brother, and the novel is a thinly fictionalized account of his love and courtship of a girl from a neighboring family, as observed by his younger sister. Readers who want to know more about the family should consult biographies of Stratton-Porter's life. They reveal the tragic story of the real "Laddie"; and the reader is left to wonder whether the novel is her attempt to make her brother's story "come out right". ( )

This is a coming of age story about a girl, Litter Sister, and her older brother, Laddie. One of Stratton-Porter's best stories telling about integrity and love of the land. ( )