Laura and her family move to Minnesota where they live in a dugout until a new house is built and face misfortunes caused by flood, blizzard, and grasshoppers.
Laura is growing up and in addition to working hard to earn money to help send Mary to a school for the blind, her social life is becoming more interesting and includes a blossoming friendship with Almanzo Wilder.
During their first four years of marriage, Laura and Almanzo Wilder have a child and fight a losing battle in their attempts to succeed at farming on the South Dakota prairie.