Since its publication in 1935, Little House on the Prairie has been popular with both readers and critics. Originally, one reason for it appeal to readers was a sense of nostalgia. In the mid-1930s, the United States was in the middle of the Great Depression. Little House looked back to a simpler, happier time and place in American history. Despite the economic problems of the 1930s, this book and other books in the series sold well.

By the 1950s, Little House, as well as all eight books in the "Little House" series, was considered a classic work of children's literature. Though some critics have noted inconsistencies with the story and questioned the author's sense of geography, the book has continued to be praised for how it depicted a strong sense of family and familial love at its center. Critics also praised how the family was depicted...