Little House Expanded Reading List

As a lifelong fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder  I’ve been drawn to any biographies, spin-offs, or other books inspired by the Little House series. Some I’ve collected as I’ve had the opportunity. Others I’ve read from the library.

Here’s what my collection currently looks like.

Below is a list of these books plus others I’ve read, and a few I haven’t yet read but intend to. I’ll mark with a star rating the ones I’ve read so you’ll be able to tell which ones I think are best.

I have not included the abridged, condensed, or otherwise rewritten editions of Laura’s stories. In my opinion the books did not need to be rewritten or re-illustrated. Possibly these newer editions are more politically correct. I realize that’s important to some. I prefer the original stories, realizing that they are indeed fiction.

The only exception would be the beautifully illustrated picture books for young children which came out when my children were small. Each of these books is adapted from a chapter in one of Laura’s books. The illustrations are soft pictures reminiscent of Garth Williams’ style.  Here’s a blog post by illustrator Renee Graef, telling how she came to illustrate these books.

As usual, most book links are affiliate links which means I might make a small commission if you click through and end up buying something.

By Laura Ingalls Wilder

Biographies

• Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser ****
• The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Marta McDowell
• The World of Little House by Caroline Strom Collins
• Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Writer’s Life by Pamela Smith Hill ****
• I Remember Laura by Stephen W. Hines ****
• Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Biography by William Anderson
• Laura by Donald Zochert *****
• Laura Ingalls Wilder: Young Pioneer by Beatrice Gormley

My First Little House Books

Spin-Off Books

These are fictional books by other authors about Laura’s daughter and ancestors.

The Martha Years by Melissa Wiley

1. Little House in the Highlands *****
2. The Far Side of the Loch *****
3. Down to the Bonny Glen *****
4. Beyond the Heather Hills *****

The Charlotte Years by Melissa Wiley

1. Little House by Boston Bay *****
2. On Tide Mill Lane *****
3. The Road from Roxbury *****
4. Across the Puddingstone Dam *****

The Caroline Years by Maria D. Wilkes and Celia Wilkins

1. Little House in Brookfield
2. Little Town at the Crossroads
3. Little Clearing in the Woods
4. On Top of Concord Hill
5. Across the Rolling River
6. Little City by the Lake
7. A Little House of Their Own

Caroline by Sarah Miller (A re-telling of Little House on the Prairie from Ma’s perspective. This one is an adult novel.) ****

The Rose Years by Roger Lea MacBride

1. Little House on Rocky Ridge ****
2. Little Farm in the Ozarks ****
3. In the Land of the Big Red Apple ****
4. On the Other Side of the Hill ****
5. Little Town in the Ozarks ****
6. New Dawn on Rocky Ridge ****
7. On the Banks of the Bayou ****
8. Bachelor Girl ****

Hands-On Books

• The Little House Cookbook
• My Book of Little House Paper Dolls
• Little House Coloring Book
• My Little House Crafts Book

Inspired by Laura Ingalls Wilder

• Dear Laura: Letters from Children to Laura Ingalls Wilder ****
• A Prairie Girl’s Faith by Stephen W. Hines
• The Wilder Life by Wendy McClure ***
• My Life as Laura by Kelly Kathleen Ferguson ***
• Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park *****

Memoirs from the TV Show

• Prairie Tale by Melissa Gilbert (Laura Ingalls)
• The Way I See It: A Look Back at My Life on Little House by Melissa Sue Anderson (Mary Ingalls) ***
• Confessions of a Prairie Bitch by Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson) ****
• Lessons from the Prairie by Melissa Francis (Cassandra Cooper) ****
• Little House in the Hollywood Hills by Charlotte Stewart (Miss Beadle)
• A Prairie Devotional by Wendi Lou Lee (Baby Grace) *****

Other author profiles you might enjoy:

• Louisa May Alcott
• Grace Livingston Hill
• Melissa Wiley
• Harold Bell Wright