Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie Kingsley
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Beloved frontier book has great messages but outdated slurs.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 11 parent reviews
Based on 19 kid reviews
Kids say this is a charming and educational read that offers a nostalgic glimpse of life in the 1800s, although some scenes may be too intense or disturbing for younger audiences. While many appreciate the positive family dynamics and relatable characters, a few find it boring or not suitable for sensitive children under eight due to themes of violence and fear.
- cozy read
- relatable characters
- educational value
- age-appropriate considerations
- some disturbing scenes
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS, young Laura Ingalls lives with her Ma, Pa, and sisters Mary and Carrie in a small cabin in Wisconsin in the 1870s. The book follows the family for a full year, through all the seasons, starting with fall and getting ready for winter. The Ingalls turn to the natural resources around them and work hard to survive: Every chapter either mentions a sweet treat the girls had (e.g., a single peppermint stick) or is dedicated to storing food for winter (e.g., a pig slaughter or wheat harvest). The close-knit family celebrates Christmas with relatives, Pa plays the fiddle and jokes with his girls, and, late in the book, they start to see more neighbors, setting the scene for the family to move further into the frontier throughout the series.
Is It Any Good?
This period story gives readers a vivid idea of frontier life and stresses the value of working together as a family. The theme that runs throughout Little House in the Big Woods is that life is hard and serious work, but it's OK to have fun and important to keep a twinkle in your eye. There's much about young Laura's life that today's readers might find unusual: that children should be seen and not heard, that one small rag doll is the best Christmas gift ever, or that hot potatoes in pockets and irons from the fire are the way to be warm when heading home from your cousins' house.
This installment is gentler than the rest of the Little House books that follow it, and the overtly sexist and racist ideas that pop up throughout the series are largely absent here. Children do get whipped twice, and there's a huge emphasis on children being obedient, but in Little House, it's wrapped in kindness.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how much work goes into making every meal in Little House in the Big Woods. How do you and your family prepare for meals? Where does your food come from? Is it very different from making your own butter and cheese, killing animals, salting the meat for winter, and getting maple syrup from trees?
What do you think of the idea that children should stay quiet and not speak unless they're spoken to? How does your family teach respect and manners, and what are some of the rules about behavior in your household? What are the similarities and differences from the Ingalls family?
Have you read other books that are based in historical settings? How do they compare? What aspects of this book might be true or be made-up?
How do the characters show gratitude, self-control, and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Garth Williams
- Genre : Historical Fiction
- Topics : Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , History
- Character Strengths : Gratitude , Self-control , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : HarperCollins Children's Books
- Publication date : January 1, 1932
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 7 - 12
- Number of pages : 256
- Available on : Paperback, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : ALA Best and Notable Books
- Last updated : May 20, 2026
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