Little Houses: Laura Ingalls Wilder Homesites Review

When you are building a literature-rich homeschool, few authors invite children into history quite like Laura Ingalls Wilder. Little Houses: A Journey Through the Homesites of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Eliza Westfield, illustrated by Kate Lozovska, is a beautifully crafted companion book that brings the world of the Little House series to life in a unique and meaningful way. This book is part of the Her Story Travels: In the Footsteps of Literary Heroines series and is a natural fit for any Little House on the Prairie Unit Study in your homeschool. I hope you enjoy this Little Houses: Laura Ingalls Wilder Homesites Review

Catch Up! If you haven’t read all about our first week on the prairie, I would encourage you to go and read my Little House in the Big woods post. This covers everything we did from making nightdresses, to prairie cooking and making button strings. It also gives you a good idea of everything we achieved with our own little house on the prairie renovations!

Little Houses: Laura Ingalls Wilder Homesites Review

What Is Little Houses About?

Little Houses: A Journey Through the Homesites of Laura Ingalls Wilder takes readers on a geographical and historical journey through the real places Laura Ingalls Wilder lived. Rather than retelling the Little House stories themselves, this book traces Laura’s life by visiting each homesite mentioned in the series, from the Big Woods of Wisconsin to Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, and Missouri.

The narrative blends biography, history, and gentle travel writing, showing how each move shaped Laura’s life, writing, and understanding of home. It helps children connect the fictionalised world of the Little House books with the real historical settings behind them.

Check out week two! Last week we focused on Farmer Boy. This is the second book in the Little House on the Prairie book set. During the week we did lots of prairie cooking (hasty pudding, making a sour dough starter and some prairie bread) and also made some button lamps, a prairie ladder, and some peg hooks. Gary and the little ones did some gardening in our prairie garden and we tried to make some more of our rag rug.

Why This Book Works So Well for Homeschool

For homeschooling parents, this book shines because it supports literature-based learning while naturally integrating geography, history, and narration.

Check out week three! We focused on The Little House on the Prairie. This is the third book in the Little House on the Prairie book set. During the week we did some of prairie cooking (soda biscuits) and also made some curtains, hay sticks and a hammock net. Gary and the little ones did some gardening in our prairie garden and we tried to make some more of our rag rug.

Strengths for a Little House on the Prairie Unit Study

• Chronological clarity
  Children can clearly see where Laura lived and in what order, something that can be confusing when reading the novels alone.
• Geography integration
  Each homesite invites map work, route tracing, and discussion of why families moved westward.
• Gentle historical context
  The book introduces westward expansion, pioneer life, and settlement without overwhelming younger readers.
• Biographical insight
  Students gain a deeper understanding of Laura as a real person, not just a literary character.
• Beautiful illustrations
  Kate Lozovska’s artwork adds warmth and emotional depth, making the book especially engaging for visual learners.

Week four we focused on ‘On the Banks of Plum Creek’ and the children learnt about herbal medicine, stained a rocking chair for the corner of the house, made some baskets and began a productive Little House vegetable garden. And lastly, we made some home-made yogurt and a blueberry pie.

How We Use This Book in Our Homeschool

In our homeschool, this book works best as a bridge text. We read it alongside or just after reading the corresponding Little House novel. For example, after finishing Little House in the Big Woods, we revisit the Wisconsin homesite in Little Houses to reinforce location and historical context.

It also works wonderfully as:

• A morning time read-aloud
• A geography lesson anchor
• A unit study spine connecting multiple Little House books
• A narration and discussion resource

Because the text is accessible and engaging, it works well across a wide age range, making it ideal for family learning.

During week five, we focused on By the Shores of the Silver Lake. We made signs for over the front door and inside the cottage, wove our own baskets, Thomas began building a stove for the cottage, made some molasses popcorn balls and a very tasty prairie chicken with home grown green beans.

Educational Themes Covered

This book naturally supports multiple homeschool subjects:

• American history (westward expansion, pioneer life)
• Geography (states, travel routes, land features)
• Literature (author study, historical fiction)
• Social studies (family life, migration, settlement)
• Character study (resilience, adaptability, creativity)

It pairs exceptionally well with hands-on projects such as map tracing, timeline building, and pioneer-style crafts.

During week six our focus was on The Long Winter. We made this tea towel and dish cloth (I’m posting about them a bit later), did some prairie cooking and made butter, bread, and jam. Thomas also completed the Little House stove and Lillie made a table cloth.

Who Is This Book Best For?

Little Houses: A Journey Through the Homesites of Laura Ingalls Wilder is ideal for:

• Families doing a Little House on the Prairie Unit Study
• Literature-based homeschoolers
• Charlotte Mason–inspired homeschool families
• Elementary and early middle school students
• Multi-age homeschool households

It is not a replacement for the Little House novels, but a rich companion that deepens understanding and appreciation.

Last week, during our time with The Little Town on the Prairie, we focused on prairie dress up for all five children, we made some cod balls, fresh lemonade and prairie biscuits and held a prairie party. Thomas made a sink unit to go in our own little house whilst Charlotte made a tea towel and dish cloth to go with it.

Final Thoughts on Little Houses: Laura Ingalls Wilder Homesites Review

If you are looking to add depth, clarity, and historical richness to your Little House on the Prairie Unit Study, Little Houses: A Journey Through the Homesites of Laura Ingalls Wilder is a wonderful addition to your homeschool bookshelf.

It invites children to see Laura Ingalls Wilder not only as a beloved author, but as a real girl who lived, moved, struggled, and found home in many places, a powerful reminder that stories grow out of real lives.