At her best, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie books offer a door for readers to walk through to get the full picture of the world the Ingalls were  living in. She may not tell you everything in the books (and in some cases, she tells you very little), but ideally she leaves you wanting more. For instance: Who were the Native Americans living alongside the Ingalls? What were buffalo wolves? Do they still exist? In this episode, we’re going to try and paint a bigger picture for you. Imagine you are standing in the doorway of any one of Laura’s Little Houses. You’re looking outside. What might you actually be seeing? Go Deeper:More on the buffalo slaughtering of the 19th centuryLearn more about the US Dakota War of 1862Little War on the Prairie (This American Life ep 479), featuring Gwen WestermanMni Sota Makoce: Land of the Dakota by Gwen Westerman and Bruce WhiteDr. Chris Wells’ workDr. Flannery Burke’s work See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices