Sonnenshine expressed a personal connection to the original books, noting that the strong female protagonist influenced her career path in writing and film.
"Everything in my life has been jump-started by these books," said Sonnenshine.
"Reading about a female protagonist, written by a female author, I thought 'I can do all that.'
It led me to writing, led me to film school, gave me confidence."
Growing up in a rural California setting, Sonnenshine felt her own upbringing mirrored the lifestyle of the characters.
"It was pretty rural and my parents were very Ma and Pa," said Sonnenshine. "My father built a cabin and gardened; we raised chickens and sheep.
My mother was a schoolteacher who sewed all my clothes and dolls."
While she enjoyed sections of the famous 1974 television adaptation starring Michael Landon, she believed it departed significantly from the novels.
"My mother said, 'Well that's just how they've adapted it,' and I said, 'I'm going make a version of these books someday,'" said Sonnenshine.
Sonnenshine pitched her vision to Friendly Family Productions to open up the historical context of the era, combining child and adult viewpoints.
"I'm pretty dark," said Sonnenshine, "so I'm not the first person who comes to mind for 'Little House,' but it is my origin story."
The series integrates Indigenous and Black characters to provide a multi-dimensional perspective of life in Kansas during the period.
"I'm a superfan," said Sonnenshine. "It's how I defined myself as a kid.
I've always wanted to share this vision that I had, which is all about this immersive experience of music, family, landscape, community, faith and love."
