Laura Ingalls Wilder ( February 7 , 1867 - February 10 , 1957 ) was an American writer . She is widely known as the original author of Little House on the Prairie series of books . Laura Elizabeth Ingalls Wilder ( February 7 , 1867 â `` February 10 , 1957 ) was an American author who wrote the Little House series of books based on her childhood in a pioneer family .