The Man Who Built the Next 'Little House'

ROGER LEA MACBRIDE met Laura Ingalls Wilder's daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, when he was 16 years old and she was 60. They became friends. She had written books and articles and traveled all over the world. He weeded her garden, and she told him her stories and ideas. When he grew up, Mr. MacBride became Rose's lawyer. After she died, he looked after the "Little House" books and answered letters children wrote to find out more about them.

He wrote "Little House on Rocky Ridge" because so many kids asked "What happened next?" This book tells about Laura, Almanzo, and Rose Wilder's wagon trip from DeSmet, S. D., to Mansfield, Mo.

Mr. MacBride put the stories Rose told him in the book. He also talked to people who had known the Wilders and read Rose's letters and newspaper articles. He admits he made up some of what happens in the story, but he wants the book to be a history as well as a novel. "I think she would have liked it," he said. He hopes to write five or six more books.

* 'Little House on Rocky Ridge,' by Roger Lea MacBride, is a HarperTrophy book. It's 353 pages long and sells for $3.95. `Kidspace' is a place on The Home Forum pages where kids can find stories that will spark imaginations, entertain with a tall tale, explain how things work, or describe a real-life event. These articles appear twice a month, usually on Tuesdays.