For generations, librarians, parents, and teachers have recommended the Little House books as wholesome fare for young readers. Many readers still admire the virtues exemplified in these books: hard work, honesty, generosity, adaptability, endurance, resourcefulness, and humor.

Some adults may feel that the world of the Little House is so long ago and so "good" as to seem irrelevant to young people now. Although the social environment of the books is much different from today's, Laura is easy to identify with, thus bridging the time gap. The characters are all good people, yet Laura has enough inner struggles to make her seem real.

Of course, the book's main social significance, other than its presentation of a coherent set of values, is its preservation of a vanished way of life. Details about recipes, building techniques, daily life, folkways, and crafts contribute to the reader's understanding of life...