The Little House books were a huge part of my childhood. I adored them - not so much for the plots themselves, but for the in-depth look into pioneer life. I used to wish I could live in the Big Woods alongside the Ingalls. So how could I resist a book telling Ma’s side of the story?

Caroline covers the time period when the Ingalls left the Big Woods and travelled via covered wagon to Kansas. The tone and pacing match the original series, as well as the in-depth detail of their temporarily nomadic life. But it has a distinctly adult tone as well, which took some getting used to.

But that’s not the part that really stuck out for me. Miller decided to be true to the time period, which meant showing the Ingalls’ prejudice towards the First Nation peoples they encountered in Kansas. I understand the reasons behind her choice; she wanted it to be accurate. But it was really hard to read nonetheless. I couldn’t help but wish that they could have been more enlightened than the people around them.

Overall, I think it’s a worthwhile read.

I found a great interview with Miller, where she explains her choices. I recommend giving it a look see: https://theloudlibrarylady.com/2017/09/20/caroline-little-house-revisited-by-sarah-miller

3.5/5