The Littles

John Peterson’s 1967 children’s novel The Littles is a low fantasy that follows the Little family, a family of small, human-like creatures. They secretly live in the walls of a regular-sized home that is inhabited by the Bigg family. The Littles is the first book in The Littles series, establishing the main characters, the world they live in, and their family dynamic. It explores themes of community, environmental awareness, and resourcefulness as it follows the Little family through several conflicts with the house’s new inhabitants.

This study guide follows the 2019 Scholastic paperback printing of the book.

Plot Summary

The Littles are tiny, human-like creatures that have furry tails. They secretly live within the walls of a home belonging to regular-sized people called the Bigg family. The Little family consists of Granny Little, Uncle Pete, Mr. and Mrs. Little, and their children, Tom and Lucy. They get all their food and supplies from the Biggs. In return, the Littles secretly perform necessary repairs to the Biggs’ home.

When the Bigg family goes on vacation for three months, they rent their house out to a couple called the Newcombs. Mr. Little and Tom overhear Mr.