<P> During the course of the story, Jack, the family bulldog, moves with the family to Plum Creek, though in real life he did not make the journey with the family . Readers liked Jack so much that Laura decided to include him in this book . </P> <P> Pa trades his horses Pet and Patty to the property owner (a man named Hanson) for the land and crops, but later gets two new horses as Christmas presents for the family, which Laura and her sister Mary name "Sam" and "David". Pa soon builds a new, above - ground, wooden house for the family . During this story, Laura and Mary go to school for the first time in Walnut Grove (the town is never actually named by Laura in the book) where they meet their teacher, Miss Eva Beadle . They also meet Nellie Oleson, who makes fun of Laura and Mary for being "country girls ." Laura plays with her bulldog Jack when she is home, and she and Mary are invited to a party at the Olesons' home . Laura and Mary invite all the girls (including Nellie) to a party at their house to reciprocate . The family soon goes through hard times when a plague of Rocky Mountain Locust decimates their crops . The book ends with Pa returning safely to the house after being unaccounted for during a severe four - day blizzard . </P> <P> By the Shores of Silver Lake, published in 1939 and fifth in the series, is based on Laura's late childhood spent near De Smet, South Dakota, beginning in 1879 . The book also introduces Laura's youngest sister Grace Pearl . </P> <P> The story begins when the family is about to leave Plum Creek, shortly after the family has recovered from the scarlet fever which caused Mary to become blind . The family welcomes a visit from Aunt Docia, whom they had not seen for several years . She suggests that Pa and Ma move west to the rapidly developing Dakota Territory, where Pa could work in Uncle Henry's railroad camp at very good wages for that era . Ma and Pa agree, since it will allow Pa to look for a homestead while he works . The family has endured many hardships on Plum Creek and Pa especially is anxious for a new start . After selling his land and farm to neighbors, Pa goes ahead with the wagon and team . Mary is still too weak to travel so the rest of the family follows later by train . </P>

What state did little house on the prairie take place in