About The Little House on the Prairie

Little House on the Prairie is the most popular book by Laura Ingalls Wilder, an author who wrote about her childhood in the American Midwest during the late 1800s. The series encompassed nine books, the first of which was Little House in the Big Woods (published in 1932). Little House on the Prairie, published in 1935, was the third book in the series. Other Little House books include On the Banks of Plum Creek (1937), By the Shores of Silver Lake (1939), The Long Winter (1940), and The Golden Years (1943).

Wilder's books continue to be popular with young readers today, especially among girls aged eight to twelve. In 1974, a TV series based on the novels first aired on NBC. Starring Michael Landon as Charles Ingalls (Pa), Karen Grassel as Caroline Ingalls (Ma) and Melissa Gilbert as Laura Ingalls, the one-hour show became a huge success.

The Little House on the Prairie television show ran for eight years, until 1983. During that time, audiences saw Laura grow from a girl into a young woman. Aside from the Ingalls family, the show also centered on the Olesen family, who lived in town and ran the general store. Nellie Oleson, played by Allison Arngrim, was Laura's chief rival, and much of the show's drama sprang from their interactions.

Today, the entire Little House on the Prairie series is available on DVD. All of the books are still in print, as are numerous spin-off books chronicling the lives of Laura Ingalls Wilder's ancestors and children.