n March, the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus a global pandemic; by April, scores of Americans had taken up what can best be described as "urban homesteading" activities: baking bread, tending to gardens, raising chicks, cross stitching and quilting. This dovetailed with, or perhaps inspired, a noticeable cultural uptick in "Little House on the Prairie" content.
The New York Times' Brooks Barnes came out as a "Bonnethead" in his piece, "Comfort Viewing: 3 Reasons I Love 'Little House on the Prairie.'" People began forming "Little House" group texts. Alison Arngrim, who played mean girl Nellie Olsen in the 1974 TV series, hosted virtual readings of the books for fans via Facebook Live, while reporter Liam Stack tweeted, "I have done so much baking and stock-making and homespun cooking during the pandemic, it is like Little House on the Prairie.
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