After her friend dies, Miss Amy, an old lady, convinces the Ingalls and Doc Baker to help her stage her own death. Amy thought this was the only way to get her family to come and see her.

A traveling circusman, O'Hara, comes to Walnut Grove and tries to get everyone to believe he has magic healing powders. However, he is really found out when Mrs. Oleson almost loses her life when she tries his healing powders instead of having an operation.

When it is found out that a young boy, Graham, is being beaten by his alcoholic father, John, Caroline takes care of the boy while Charles stays with John to try to get him to stay sober.

Charles and Hansen build a bank in Walnut Grove. The banker is Mr. Sprague, a cold and heartless man. Laura becomes friends with Mr. Sprague without knowing who he really was. Mr. Sprague believes that Charles sent Laura to him to try to persuade Mr. Sprague to give a loan to Mr. Ingalls.

Laura goes into a haunted house when Nellie dares her to do it. She becomes a friend of the old man that lives there, Mr. Pike. She finds out that he is waiting for his wife to return. After Laura learns that Mrs. Pike died years ago, she helps Mr. Pike cope with the death of his wife.

Laura and Nellie are rivals for the affections of a classmate's heart. The two polar opposites are after Jason, the new kid at school who is into inventions. Both of them have crushes on Jason, but Jason - who is into inventions and electricity - only has feelings for Laura...

When Miss Beadle can no longer handle the older students' bullying, she is fired. Her mean-spirited succecssor immediately clashes with Laura, and unfairly blames her for several incidents in the classroom.

Rev. Alden's pleas to ""turn the other cheek"" is put to the test when a family of ruffians move to Walnut Grove and cause trouble.

Mr. Edwards and Doc Baker help a nearby town with an epidemic case of mountain fever. When Mr. Edwards returns, a quarantine is placed on Walnut Grove. Alicia, Mr. Edward's adopted daughter comes down with the disease. Mr. Edwards tries to help his daughter. Laura, not knowing about the disease, goes to visit Alicia and Mr. Edwards. Laura ends up taking care of the both of them while they recover.

Joseph Stokes is the son of a Sioux Indian who moves to Walnut Grove with his widowed mother. They stay with his grandpa, Jeremy. Jeremy doesn't like Joseph because he is embarrassed that his daughter married an Indian. At school, Joseph is being bullied. Jeremy finally accepts Joseph when he sees his grandson face the bullies

As a prank to make him look foolish, the older boys of Walnut Grove school nominate the object of their practical jokes, gentle Elmer Dobkins, to run for class president against popular Mary Ingalls and wealthy Nellie Oleson. While Mary and Nellie wage their campaigns with promises of popcorn and gum balls, Mr. Dobkins witnesses his son being teased by the older boys and, when he finds out why Elmer was nominated, angrily orders him to pull out of the election. But, when election day comes and the race seems too close to call, a cruel act and children tired of being bullied decide the outcome.

A tiny circus performer, Lou, decides to look for work in Walnut Grove after his wife dies while giving birth to his baby girl. A prejudice Mrs. Oleson uses her power to make sure that the dwarf doesn't find work. She even threatens Mr. Anderson that she would close her account at the bank if he hired Lou. To keep the infant alive, the dwarf must steal food. Mrs. Oleson decides to press charges when she finds out who stole the food. When Nancy falls in a well, Lou risks his life to save the girl. That's when Mrs. Oleson decides that being small has its advantages and decides to drop all charges.

A traveling side-show comes to Walnut Grove. The main attraction is a wild boy. The wild boy escapes and becomes friends with the Wilders. The boy turns out to be Matthew Roger and the reason he acts wild is become he is given morphine.

Mr. Edwards keeps Matthew at his place, but Nancy Oleson tells on him. A judge comes and rules that Matthew be placed in an institution. Then Mr. Edwards makes a statement that everyone is crazy sometime. He convinces the judge to allow the boy to stay with Mr. Edwards.

When Mrs. Carter's mother dies, Sarah Carter's father comes to town. He tries to get the Carters to come with home back to New York. He wants the Carters to have a better life. The Carters tell him that home sweet home is in Walnut Grove. After a while, Sarah's father begins to understand while the Carters feel this way.

The Older Brothers is a gang that used to have a notorious reputation. First they hold up Mr. Edwards but end up losing the money. Then they try to get ransom money for Mr. Edwards but that doesn't go very well.

Laura gives birth to a baby boy. The baby is fine and healthy for a while. Then for no apparent reason the baby dies. To ease her mind of the death, she blames Doc Baker for what happened to her baby. Doc's reputation declines so much that he must leave town to find work. Just before Doc Baker leaves, Rose comes down with small pox. Doc must stay quarantined with the Wilders for two weeks. Watching the Doc save Rose's life causes Laura to rethink her attitude about Doc Baker. Laura and the rest of the town convince him to stay on.

Jason Carter starts working for an old lady. Jason becomes great friends of the lady. However, Jason's mom believes the lady is being too nice. Jason is forbidden to work for the old lady until Sarah finds out that the lady will soon die.

No longer a mama's boy, Willie announces his engagement and plans to marry his sweetheart. All this upsets his mother greatly, who makes several attempts to get her way.

Mr. Montague stays at the Wilder boarding house while he is at Walnut Grove researching for a book that he is writing. Matthew Roger has a hard decision to make when his biological father shows up. Matthew decides to leave Mr. Edwards and go with his father. Mr. Edwards moves into the boarding house so he wouldn't be lonely anymore.

In Burr Oak, Iowa, Charles gets a promotion as a Purchasing Agent, and he takes Albert with him on a buying trip to Minnesota. En route, they stop at the University of Minnesota where Albert plans on pursuing his medical endeavors, then they reunite with family and old friends in Walnut Grove. Albert finds romance with a girl called Michele Pierson, and Charles encourages the local farmers to start a cooperative to enable them to compete with the big farms. However, Albert starts suffering from serious nosebleeds and exhaustion and is diagnosed with leukemia. Ultimately, he chooses to go back to Walnut Grove, where he spends his time making special memories and receives the offer of a four-year scholarship from the university he had planned on attending. Finally, Albert, Laura and Michele join Miss Plum and the local school children in their annual climb to 'the keepsake tree' at the top of Harper's Bluff, where they join hands and raise them in a celebratory salute.

During preparation for Christmas baby Rose Wilder is kidnapped by the woman who recently lost her child. Looking for her Laura, Almanzo and Mr Edwards meet lonely orphan boy, who finally stays with that woman.