9 Books for Those Who Enjoyed The Little House on the Prairie Series

Last Christmas I bought my daughter the box set of the first five Little House books. We started reading the books aloud sometime in February, and just finished the fifth book last week. It’s been fun reliving this part of my literary childhood with her, and interesting to read these books again as an adult more than 20 years later. There’s just something about Laura Ingalls Wilder’s storytelling that’s timeless (even if it’s more fictionalized than memoir).
But if you’ve already had your fill of Laura, Mary, Carrie, Grace, Ma, and Pa, or if you’re looking for other frontier-themed stories, there are plenty to choose from.

Buffalo Music, by Tracey E. Fern and Lauren Castillo
While “braving the new frontier” was a time of excitement, it was also a time of destruction, a fact briefly mentioned in Ingalls’ story. Inspired by the real pioneer Mary Ann Goodnight, Buffalo Music tells the story of Molly and her husband, who settle in Texas in 1876. Molly is awed by the giant buffalo who roam the plains, but over time those buffalo become fewer and fewer. Hunted by man, the great herds are driven almost to extinction in just a few years. When a local cowhand brings two injured calves to Molly’s doorstep, she nurses them back to health. As word spreads of her tender touch, more calves arrive. And more. And more. Until Molly has formed one of the first captive buffalo herds in the nation.  (Ages 4-8)

Dandelions, by Eve Bunting and Greg Shed
For some, moving west was an adventure. For others, it was a heartache. Such is the case with Zoe and her family. Arriving at their Nebraska Territory claim from Illinois, there’s nothing but grass as far as the eye can see. Even their home, a sod house, is almost invisible against the rest of the landscape. Papa is excited for opportunity, but Mama misses her home. On a trip to town with Papa, Zoe discovers something that might make Mama feel better. With the help of her younger sister, Zoe plans a surprise, one that will bring a little bit of their old home to their new one. (Ages 4-8)

Apples to Oregon: Being the (Slightly) True Narrative of How a Brave Pioneer Father Brought Apples, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Grapes, and Cherries (and Children) Across the Plains, by Deborah Hopkinson and Nancy Carpenter
This time it’s Papa who can’t leave home behind. He decides he must absolutely bring his apple trees on the journey from Iowa to Oregon. Oh, and his peach trees. And pears. And if he’s going to bring those, well, he might as well bring the plum, grape and cherry trees, too. This is a tall tale full of exaggeration and humor and just a tad bit of true accounting of the challenges that come with crossing the country in search of new adventure.  (Ages 4-8)

Crazy Horse’s Vision, by Joseph Bruchac and S.D. Nelson
It wasn’t just settlers living on the midwest prairies. Before the settlers arrived, it was home to Native Americans. Crazy Horse is perhaps one of the most famous Native names in history, but this story starts with with a child called Curly, on account of his unruly hair. After witnessing devastation among his Lakota people, Curly sets off on a vision quest. The vision he receives gives him the courage and the understanding to return and grow into the man known as Crazy Horse. (Ages 8-11)

Rescue on the Oregon Trail, by Kate Messner
This is the first book in Messner’s Ranger in Time series. Readers will meet Ranger, a lovable golden retriever who would be a great search-and-rescue dog if he could ever stop chasing squirrels long enough to pass his test. When Ranger stumbles upon a first aid kit in a garden, he finds himself traveling back in time to 1850s Oregon. There he meets a boy named Sam, who, along with his family, is making his way west on the Oregon Trail. Sam is thrilled to find a dog to replace the one he left behind. But don’t be fooled. This is not a just a cuddly, feel-good dog story. Messner tackles real hardships faced along the trail, from snakes and stampedes, to disease and drowning. The extensive author’s notes further expand the reader’s knowledge. (Ages 7-10)

May B., by Caroline Starr Rose
This novel-in-verse digs into the emotional aspect of life on the prairie. Mavis Elizabeth Betterly, otherwise known as May B., is sent to be a companion on the Oblinger homestead. The Oblingers are novices to the Kansas prairie, and Mrs. Oblinger is lonely. May’s family is poor, and the money the Oblingers offer will make ends meet. “Only ’til Christmas,” her father promises. But then Mrs. Oblinger disappears. And Mr. Oblinger leaves to hunt down his wife, leaving May to take care of the homestead. Now another Kansas winter is coming and May finds herself trapped and alone, in a sod house, in the middle of the wide, endless fields of Kansas. (Ages 8-12)

Our Only May Amelia, by Jennifer L. Holm
Being a pioneer in Washington is hard. It’s even harder if you’re the only girl around, the youngest in a family with seven older brothers. And it’s really hard when you’ve got a true pioneer spirit, but your mother insists you act like a Proper Young Lady. The struggle to find her place sometimes places May Amelia at the receiving end of harsh words and criticism, frowned upon by her family. Add that to the dangerous and often unpredictable world of Washington at the turn of the 20th century, and May Amelia doesn’t have it easy. But now Mama’s going to have a baby, and maybe, just maybe, it will be the girl that May Amelia desperately hopes for. (Ages 8-12)

The Birchbark House, by Louise Erdrich
This is the first book in a series about a young girl named Omakayas, or “Little Frog” (the fifth book releases next month). As an infant, Little Frog is the sole survivor of a smallpox epidemic that wipes out all of Spirit Island. Found and rescued by a woman named Tallow, she is brought to Madeline Island on Lake Superior, where she is raised by her adopted Ojibwe family. Now seven years old, this is the narrative of Little Frog’s everyday life—chores, friendship, sickness, games, family, celebration, and sorrow. Laura fans will enjoy this perspective from the other side of pioneer life. (Ages 8-12)

Sarah, Plain and Tall, by Patricia MacLachlan
And since it was a classic series that inspired this list, let’s allow it to be a classic series that ends this list. While MacLachlan never specifically names the time or place of her Newbery Award-winning book, we get the feel of a 19th century midwestern heartland. It’s a quick read, light on plot, heavy on the heartstrings. Anna and Caleb’s mother died during Caleb’s birth. While Anna, Caleb, and their father muddle along for several years, something is missing. As was commonly done during that time, their father sends for a mail order bride. Enter Sarah, who steps into the family with patience, compassion, and the grit needed for life on the prairie. A sweet, quick, read that may surprise you, there are four more books in the series to enjoy. (Ages 7-10)
Are you an honorary member of the Ingalls family? What books would you add to this list?