Which seasons of Little House on the Prairie correspond to which books in the series?

[Iskra]

And the same question goes for the movies. We are reading through the books and I want us to watch the appropriate episodes/movies after reading each book. Is there a guide someplace, a site dedicated to this? Or maybe someone on here has the answers?

[UmMusa]

I was wondering the same thing! I wondered if the TV series was a compilation of all their adventures. I have no clue. We're on the third book now, the one about Plum Creek.

[JudoMom]

http://www.liwfrontiergirl.com/tv.html

 

This sounds about right to me.

[Erin]

Ninety percent of the series has nothing whatsoever to do with the books.

It's a good show, but I made sure my kids had read the books twice through before we ever started the tv series. ;)

[2_girls_mommy]

umm none LOL. The original pilot which they almost never show was pretty close to the entire book of Little House on the Prairie. Your best bet is to get ahold of the made for T.V. Disney mini series from about 2004 (somewhere close to that) Again, it is only about Little House on the Prairie, but much closer.

[Iskra]

That's a bummer. Thanks for the responses though:)

[Matryoshka]

Well, here's the real Charles Ingalls:

 

 

And here's Michael "my hair is too pretty to cut and my face is too pretty to cover with a beard" Landon's "Charles Ingalls" on the show:

 

 

The show and the books are less similar than that. ;)

[twoxcell]

umm none LOL. The original pilot which they almost never show was pretty close to the entire book of Little House on the Prairie. Your best bet is to get ahold of the made for T.V. Disney mini series from about 2004 (somewhere close to that) Again, it is only about Little House on the Prairie, but much closer.

:iagree: In my mind the TV series and the books are two completely different things. I also agree about the Disney Little House on the Prairie it is much closer.

[violamama]

 

 

 

 

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm. Michael Landon. Thank you for posting.

[kiwik]

I always thought most of them were set in the little town on the prairie book - not sure why, one of the characters? I never liked them enough to go out of my way to see them though (we had no tv).

[UrbanSue]

I always thought most of them were set in the little town on the prairie book - not sure why, one of the characters? I never liked them enough to go out of my way to see them though (we had no tv).

 

 

 

Probably because Laura does grow up in the show and meets Almanzo and all that. But the entire show is set in Walnut Grove which is the town in "Plum Creek". From "Silver Lake" on the family lives in and near De Smet, SD.

 

I've read all the Little House books every year since I was about nine. And I always enjoyed the show when I caught it on at 10 AM on sick days home from school when I was a kid. My poor mom who caught the show when it originally aired in prime time never made it past reading "Little House on the Prairie."

 

btw: my computer won't italicize on this forum--I do know the quotes are wrong :)

[Kathryn]

umm none LOL. The original pilot which they almost never show was pretty close to the entire book of Little House on the Prairie. Your best bet is to get ahold of the made for T.V. Disney mini series from about 2004 (somewhere close to that) Again, it is only about Little House on the Prairie, but much closer.

 

This.

[TraceyS/FL]

My grandma loved Michael Landon.... so Little House on the Prairie was ALWAYS on over there (unless Bonanza was on that is). I read the books - still on my shelves - enjoyed the TV show, and now have a smile on my face in thinking about that shared time with her!

 

 

Sometimes, you have to skip the "historically correct" aspect, be entertained by wholesome TV and good memories. Sadly, I'm not even sure my kids have watched it :( Guess I can add that to the to-do list this summer.

 

But I will have to look for the Disney mini-series, I missed that one apparently! Thanks!

[2_girls_mommy]

Absolutely. We still love the shows too. We have visited one of the sites where they lived and planned to see more. But the show doesn't line up for what OP was asking about. I myself grew up wanting to marry Michael Landon's "Pa." :)

[katilac]

<snip> Sometimes, you have to skip the "historically correct" aspect, be entertained by wholesome TV and good memories. Sadly, I'm not even sure my kids have watched it :( Guess I can add that to the to-do list this summer.

 

As a public service, I will point out that not all of the episodes are particularly wholesome or safe for little kids. The most infamous is the-one-where-Albert's-girlfriend-gets-raped-by-a-mime-and-dies, but they also delve into child abuse, suicide, mental illness, and other fun stuff.

 

I think these are mostly in the later years, but I can't guarantee that.

[katilac]

Lest you think I'm kidding, here is Sylvia being attacked by her rapist, who managed to find a creepy mime mask whilst out on the prairie:

 

[Hen]

I loved the series and have watched a few with my kids, I agree the latter episodes got weird and drama-ish...I plan to skip those, my memory about the time they had Mary go blind, it kind of all got high drama/strange.

 

.....I agree, Michael Landon was too nice looking for a beard :)

[wingedradical]

My fd has never seen the show or read any of the books!

 

I am seriousy considering them as family reading this summer - even though she is 16 and a bit old. I could just tell her I don't consider them too young for me.

[vonfirmath]

I loved the series and have watched a few with my kids, I agree the latter episodes got weird and drama-ish...I plan to skip those, my memory about the time they had Mary go blind, it kind of all got high drama/strange.

 

.....I agree, Michael Landon was too nice looking for a beard :)

 

 

Mary went blind in RL as well. So that part at least was somewhat accurate (the way she went blind may have been different. I forget the details)

[countrygal]

I think the first couple years of the show are better and have more accuracy. Watching them recently vs. what I remember as a child has made me notice what a soap opera drama it is!! I still like them, but sometimes they drag on... maybe that's just me not having time to watch tv anymore. I've started reading the series the my dc and have forgotten how good they are. I haven't read them since I was a child.

[momtoamiracle]

when Mary went blind on the show it was very very VERY different from how it happened for real. She never got dramatic, Never got angry and ugly. She was always calm and serene. It also wasn't from an old injury, but from a fever that damaged her eyes. All her beautiful golden hair had to be cut off. Laura became her eyes for several years until she went to the school for the blind in Iowa. She never married.

[Matryoshka]

when Mary went blind on the show it was very very VERY different from how it happened for real. She never got dramatic, Never got angry and ugly. She was always calm and serene. It also wasn't from an old injury, but from a fever that damaged her eyes. All her beautiful golden hair had to be cut off. Laura became her eyes for several years until she went to the school for the blind in Iowa. She never married.

 

 

All true, except that for real it also wasn't like in the books. The books draw on the Ingalls' life, but they are fictionalized - events are changed in what happened, in their chronology (for example, Laura was only 2yo when they moved to the Prairie, and the family returned and lived four more years in Wisconsin before moving to Plum Creek), there are composite characters (like Nellie Olson), and events are omitted (like the year or so they lived in Iowa and worked in a hotel). The details of how Mary went blind in real life are not quite what's in the book. She went blind from viral meningoencephalitis (called "brain fever" back then), not scarlet fever as in the book.

[angelmama1209]

All true, except that for real it also wasn't like in the books. The books draw on the Ingalls' life, but they are fictionalized - events are changed in what happened, in their chronology (for example, Laura was only 2yo when they moved to the Prairie, and the family returned and lived four more years in Wisconsin before moving to Plum Creek), there are composite characters (like Nellie Olson), and events are omitted (like the year or so they lived in Iowa and worked in a hotel). The details of how Mary went blind in real life are not quite what's in the book. She went blind from viral meningoencephalitis (called "brain fever" back then), not scarlet fever as in the book.

 

where did you find all this out? i'm a liw fanatic. ;)

[Matryoshka]

 

where did you find all this out? i'm a liw fanatic. ;)

 

When we read through the books the last time (or actually, listened to them on audio in the car - great with Pa's fiddle music included!), I got interested in knowing more, and I read a biography of Laura (Becoming Laura Ingalls Wilder) and also another book that had other autobiographical writings by both Laura and her daughter Rose called A Little House Sampler, both of which were very good and very informative. Another interesting read that hadn't been published when I read the Little House books as a child was West from Home, a compilation of letters Laura wrote home to Almanzo when she visited Rose in San Francisco and the World Fair there. She got to ride in an airplane! Much more interesting and lively read than the On the Way Home, which was a diary of their trip to Missouri.

[momtoamiracle]

All true, except that for real it also wasn't like in the books. The books draw on the Ingalls' life, but they are fictionalized - events are changed in what happened, in their chronology (for example, Laura was only 2yo when they moved to the Prairie, and the family returned and lived four more years in Wisconsin before moving to Plum Creek), there are composite characters (like Nellie Olson), and events are omitted (like the year or so they lived in Iowa and worked in a hotel). The details of how Mary went blind in real life are not quite what's in the book. She went blind from viral meningoencephalitis (called "brain fever" back then), not scarlet fever as in the book.

 

 

 

yes, I know, that's why I said "fever'. The book I read by Donald Zochert said they thought the fever caused a stroke.

 

this is the one I've read many times, includes photos:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Laura-Life-Ingalls-Wilder/dp/0380016362

[stripe]

 

 

As a public service, I will point out that not all of the episodes are particularly wholesome or safe for little kids. The most infamous is the-one-where-Albert's-girlfriend-gets-raped-by-a-mime-and-dies, but they also delve into child abuse, suicide, mental illness, and other fun stuff.

 

I think these are mostly in the later years, but I can't guarantee that.

I once saw the one where Ma is all alone at home and loses it and is muttering the Bible verse about cutting off what offends you or something and almost chops off her own foot, before everyone coming home just in time. Holy smokes! That still gives me the creeps.

 

Never saw the creepy mime rapist. What on earth?!

[Erin]

I once saw the one where Ma is all alone at home and loses it and is muttering the Bible verse about cutting off what offends you or something and almost chops off her own foot, before everyone coming home just in time. Holy smokes! That still gives me the creeps.

You're thinking of the one where she has an infection from a thorn or something like that. She has blood poisoning and she's trying to take care of it, yet running a horrendous fever.

[Incognito]

Yeah, that mime one was pretty bad/freaky.

 

We have a number of the seasons on DVD and used to be in the habit of watching them with my oldest when she was little. It went pretty well for a while (then the themes and stuff got a bit intense). Anyways, we saw the one where Mr. Edwards was attacked by a bear, and my DD (who was probably 2) liked to re-inact the scence by flopping down onto the ground, flailing around and growling. Then she'd laugh hysterically about it. She looked like a crazed animal.

 

Ah, the memories.

 

I read the actress who played Laura's memoir - it was interesting and disturbing. Little Laura (and Pa) weren't as wholesome off camera...

[threedogfarm]

The Wilder Life http://www.amazon.com/The-Wilder-Life-Adventures-Prairie/dp/B00AZ8DDPG/ref=sr_1_33?ie=UTF8&qid=1369574026&sr=8-33&keywords=laura+ingalls+wilder does a great comparison of the TV show and the books. The author explores how her own life was influenced by reading the books when she was young.

 

It didn't get the best reviews but I found it very interesting (I listened to it on audio). She talks about how the books do not parallel Laura's life and the reasons why, among other things. She also visits the different home sites, does some wacky things like make butter, etc.

 

I think it is definitely worth reading. . .

[teeniebeenie6]

I loved the series and have watched a few with my kids, I agree the latter episodes got weird and drama-ish...I plan to skip those, my memory about the time they had Mary go blind, it kind of all got high drama/strange.

 

.....I agree, Michael Landon was too nice looking for a beard :)

 

The older ones did get weird. I put one on for my daughter not remembering how they got and was horrified when the Ingalls family friend Alice get trapped in the blind school with a fire. She is screaming like a maniac, clawing to get out with a baby in her arms. They both go up in flames. My daughter was SO traumatized. I felt horrible for putting it on.

 

ETA: I adored the early seasons though. I like the older ones as an adult, but don't want my kids watching them. It seems they were written for those who had grown up with the show, to keep them watch as they aged.