Module 7-The Penderwicks & Speak

Book Info:
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall. Random House Children's Books, 2007.

Summary:
When the Penderwick family goes on summer vacation, they are surprised to find that their vacation rental is a small cottage on the Arundel estate, a beautiful and lavish house complete with sprawling gardens, a kindly cook, an attic full of old clothes and other treasures, a cute gardener with a pair of rabbits, and the estate owner's son, Jeffrey Tifton. Though his mother is set on Jeffrey going to a military academy after the summer's over, Jeffrey and the Penderwicks have other plans, including run-ins with a dangerous bull, soccer games, and first love.
My Take:
I adored this book! The characters were great and I loved each of the girls for their very individual personalities. The story was really fun, seeming bigger in scope than it actually was because the events, though small for most people, were bigger to the girls. It actually reminded me a little of Little Women: four sisters, a lonely little boy who lives next door and becomes their friend, absent parent (though this time it's the mother rather than the father), etc. I think my favorite parts involved Rosalind and her crush on the 18-year-old gardener, Mr. Penderwick's unwavering love for his daughters, and how Mrs. Tifton, though seeming to be the intractable evil mother figure, eventually learns to listen to Jeffrey's wishes and desires for his life and resolves to spend more time with him and to let him make his own decisions about where he'll go to school and what he'll do with his life.
Reviews:
School Library Journal ( July 01, 2006 ; 0-307-28577-4 )
Gr 4-6-In Jeanne Birdsall's humorous novel (Knopf, 2005), four motherless sisters-Rosalind, 12, Skye, 11, Jane, 10, and Batty, 4-their absentminded professor dad, and the family dog share a summer retreat on the Massachusetts estate of Arundel. Owned by the frosty Mrs. Tifton and her lonely son, Jeffrey, Arundel's pretentious mistress treats the oddly-matched Penderwick sisters and their doting father as social misfits. Feisty Skye and sensitive Jeffrey become best friends, drawing the reluctant Mrs. Tifton and the entire Penderwick clan into a series of hilarious misadventures, including runaway pets, an encounter with a bull, and a first crush. The sisters are determined to help Jeffrey escape being sent to the Pencey Military Academy, "Where boys become men and men become soldiers." Susan Denaker's gentle narration of this 2005 National Book Award winner perfectly captures the subtle humor and charm of each character. Fans of Sydney Taylor's All-of-a-Kind Family or Maud Hart's Betsy-Tacy novels will love this updated version of a comfortable childhood adventure. Just the ticket for an extended family car trip.-Celeste Steward, Alameda County Library, Fremont, CA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Suggestions:
This book would be a great recommendation for late elementary and early junior high kids, and could also be used in book talks, especially if teachers or librarians were looking for a book to act as a gateway between older books like Little Women and other similar books with idyllic themes of growing up and the adventures you can have as a child).


Book Info:
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Penguin Group, 2006.

Summary:
In her first year of high school, Melinda Sordino finds herself ostracized and ignored, completely snubbed by her former friends all because she called the cops during an end-of-summer party. Melinda sequesters herself inside her head, speaking only when absolutely necessary, and trying to navigate through high school as quietly and below-the-radar as she possibly can. However, even within the sanctity of her own mind, there are things Melinda doesn't want to remember, doesn't want to think about. Though her grades suffer drastically all year, the only class she seems to do well in is her art class, a place where she feels safe and where she feels she can express herself without words. But when things start to go from bad to worse for one of Melinda's former friends, Melinda finds that she can't stay silent for much longer.
My Take:
A beautiful and lyrical book that scared the bejeesus out of me. It's wonderfully written, but about such a horrifying topic that it's beauty acts as a brilliant juxtaposition to the horror of what Melinda went through. Despite the topic, I didn't want to put this book down; I wanted to know how Melinda would finally speak out, how her art project would turn out, whether she'd be able to return to some kind of normal life despite everything that had happened to her. I highly recommend this book to anyone, teen or adult. It's beautiful and horrifying but well worth the sadness and terror it reveals.
Reviews:
School Library Journal (October 01, 1999 ; 0-374-37152-0 )
Gr 8 Up-This powerful novel deals with a difficult yet important topic-rape. Melinda is just starting high school. It should be one of the greatest times in her life, but instead of enjoying herself, she is an outcast. She has been marked as the girl who called the police to break up the big end-of-the-summer party, and all the kids are angry at her. Even her closest friends have pulled away. No one knows why she made the call, and even Melinda can't really articulate what happened. As the school year goes on, her grades plummet and she withdraws into herself to the point that she's barely speaking. Her only refuge is her art class, where she learns to find ways to express some of her feelings. As her freshman year comes to an end, Melinda finally comes to terms with what happened to her-she was raped at that party by an upperclassman who is still taunting her at school. When he tries again, she finds her voice, and her classmates realize the truth. The healing process will take time, but Melinda no longer has to deal with it alone. Anderson expresses the emotions and the struggles of teenagers perfectly. Melinda's pain is palpable, and readers will totally empathize with her. This is a compelling book, with sharp, crisp writing that draws readers in, engulfing them in the story.-Dina Sherman, Brooklyn Children's Museum, NY Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.
Suggestions:
This book could be very useful in a book talk or a teen discussion group, especially as it might help teens learn that they can talk about things that trouble them, including topics like abuse and rape.

Module 6-Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls: Best Friends and Drama Queens

Book Info:
Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: Best Friends and Drama Queens by Meg Cabot. Scholastic, Inc., 2009.

Summary:
When Allie and her friends learn that a new girl is moving to their town from Canada, they are very excited to have someone so interesting and foreign entering their class. However, the new girl, Cheyenne, is not as fun and exciting as they thought she would be, especially when she starts ordering everyone in their fourth grade class around. If they don't do what she says, she deems them "babies" and bullies them relentlessly until they buckle. The only girls to resist Cheyenne are Allie and Rosemary (though everyone's too intimidated by tom-boy Rosemary), and Allie is constantly picked on for not "going" with a boy until their teacher realizes what's going on and puts a stop to Cheyenne's bullying.
My Take:
Though I was a bit rankled by how most of the girls treated Rosemary oddly because she's a tom-boy and not "girlie," I really ended up liking these books. At first I was also annoyed with the very juvenile writing style…but then I remembered finding one of my elementary school diaries at my mom's house a few years ago and realized that my writing style had sounded remarkably like Allie's at that age. All in all, it was a very funny book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Allie and her friends, even though I really just wanted to punch the bullying Cheyenne at times. I especially liked Allie's uncle who helped Allie deal with her problems without being too parenty or over-bearing.
Reviews:
School Library Journal ( July 01, 2009 ; 0-545-03968-1 )
Gr 3-5-Allie Finkle is anxious to return to school after a rather boring winter break. Her spirits perk up when she hears about a new girl from Canada who will be joining their fourth grade class. However, Cheyenne is not what Allie and her best friends expected: she's a bully and thinks all the girls are immature. Cheyenne forms a new clique and institutes a new game which involves chasing boys on the playground and kissing them when caught. She orders all girls to "go with" a boy, even though most of Allie's classmates don't have a clue what they means. In this third book (Scholastic, 2009) in Meg Cabot's series, Allie decides she's not quite ready to be a grown-up and wants to enjoy life as a kid, no matter what Cheyenne tells her. Narrator Tara Sands perfectly voices the naive but charming nine-year-old, expressing Allie's rollercoaster of emotions. She easily transitions from incredulous Allie and strong willed Cheyenne to sweet but authoritative Miss Hunter. The pacing is faultless and the production quality is first-rate. An excellent choice for individual or classroom listening.-Wendy Woodfill, Hennepin County Library, Minnetonka, MN Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.
Suggestions:
This book would be fun for a book talk with older elementary school or junior high girls, especially ones who might be dealing with bullies and peer-pressure.

Module 5-Dooby Dooby Moo

Book Info:
Dooby Dooby Moo by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Betsy Lewin. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 2009.

Summary:
At this year's county fair there is to be a talent show with the first prize of a trampoline, which all of the farm animals desperately desire. Again Duck and the other animals must outwit Farmer Brown so that they can perform and win the talent show and the trampoline. However, all of the animal acts meet with disappointment when they don't receive very favorable scores, leaving Duck to go out on stage and try to win the trampoline for them all.
My Take:
I found this book really hilarious and silly, which is just great fun to read. The illustrations add to the witty writing, making the animals look like a fun cartoon while still retaining enough of a likeness to their real-life counterparts so that children could easily recognize the real thing (however, let's hope they don't expect pigs to do an interpretive dance or ducks to sing). Though not a book which enriches the reader with brilliant language and increased vocabulary, this and the authors' previous works are fun reads which can be enjoyed by both kids and parents, especially if they read the books together.
Reviews:
School Library Journal ( August 01, 2006 ; 0-689-84507-3 )
K-Gr 3-When Duck discovers an ad in the paper announcing a talent show at the county fair (first prize, a slightly used trampoline), Farmer Brown's animals are unstoppable. The cows and sheep concentrate on their singing while the pigs work on interpretive dance. How the suspicious farmer could ever confuse all this noise with routine snoring is a bit of a stretch, but the hilarious late-night practice scenes inside the barn will help readers make the leap. At the talent show, the cows and sheep impress some of the judges, but lack of sleep has the pigs truly snoring when it is time to perform. Fortunately, Duck steps in to save the day with a winning version of "Born to Be Wild." After the talent show, Farmer Brown suspects nothing until he hears "boings" coming from the barn. Comical watercolor illustrations provide the punch lines to many jokes within the well-paced text. Some of the sophisticated humor will go over the heads of most children, especially the witty footnotes that pepper the story. However, like Click, Clack, Moo (2000) and Giggle, Giggle, Quack (2002, both S & S), this story makes a great read-aloud, and fans of the series will be ecstatic to see another episode of mischief in the barnyard.-Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Suggestions:
A very fun book to use at storytimes, especially if they're used in conjunction with the other Duck books by Cronin and Lewin. The illustrations will (hopefully) tickle children's funny bones as will the story itself as it relates all of the antics the animals get up to.

Module 4-Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH and The Graveyard Book

Book Info:
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien, illustrated by Zena Bernstein. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 1999.

Summary:
A widowed mouse, Mrs. Frisby, encounters some dire problems when moving day comes too early and her youngest son, Timothy, is sick with pneumonia. After helping a crow escape before the farmer's cat can catch them both, the crow offers to take her to the wise old owl in the woods who may be able to give her some good advice. Though the owl does not typically consort with mice (other than in the natural way), because of the bravery of Mrs. Frisby's husband, Jonathon, he advises her to seek the help of the Rats of NIMH who live on the farm. After learning who Mrs. Frisby is and relating the story of their escape from NIMH, the Rats agree to help her, though she will have to go on some adventures of her own to bring about her family's salvation.
My Take:
I remember watching this movie a lot when I was younger but I had never read the book. After reading it, I actually found that I liked the book a lot more than the movie, despite all the times I had watched it as a child. I think what I enjoyed most about the book was how realistic (other than the talking animals) and down-to-earth (hardee-har-har) the book was as compared to the movie (which used all of these magic and supernatural elements to explain why the Rats were special rather than them being experimented on to increase their intelligence and longevity). I also found this to be a welcome change from The Runaway Bunny as it depicted a mother's love in a more healthy way: while Mrs. Frisby loves her children enough to do something dangerous and crazy, she doesn't seek to stifle them with her love. She is simply content to protect them and love them until they're able to better take care of themselves.
Reviews:
From the Publisher
Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, is faced with a terrible problem. She must move her family to their summer quarters immediately, or face almost certain death. But her youngest son, Timothy, lies ill with pneumonia and must not be moved. Fortunately, she encounters the rats of NIMH, an extraordinary breed of highly intelligent creatures, who come up with a brilliant solution to her dilemma. And Mrs. Frisby in turn renders them a great service. (Barnes & Noble.com)
Suggestions:
This book would be fun to use for a book talk with younger kids, either late elementary or early junior high. It's a fun story with a great adventure, and it would be fun to show them the video as well so they could compare the two (and maybe even show them the sequel which features Timmy as the hero).

 
Book Info:
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (audio book). HarperCollins Publishers, 2008.

Summary:
Nobody Owens, also known as Bod, is an orphan who has been raised by ghosts in a graveyard even since he was a toddler. Outside of the protection of the graveyard, there is a man named Jack who is out to get Bod, aching to finish his mission in wiping out Bod's entire family. His only non-ghostly guardian is a man named Silas, who lives in the graveyard but is neither living nor dead. Eventually Bod finds another friend (this time one who's alive) named Scarlett with whom he has many adventures as a child. However happy Bod's life is in the graveyard, he longs to go outside of it but cannot as Jack would surely find and kill him.
My Take:
This was a very interesting and fun book to read (or listen to). A boy raised by ghosts is an interesting enough concept, but add in all the intrigue and the mystery and it's even more fun. The thing I liked best, though, was listening to Gaiman narrate the book with such flair and panache, making it seem like some old-fashioned radio performance. Bod is a fun character, as is Scarlett, and it's especially interesting how Gaiman weaves in the supernatural (like vampires and werewolves) in a seamless way as if there was nothing strange about them, or about a boy being raised by ghosts in a graveyard.
Reviews:
School Library Journal ( March 01, 2009 ; 1-4361-5884-2 )
Gr 5-8-"There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife." So begins the tale of Nobody Owens, a child raised in a graveyard by ghosts. The man Jack, a member of an elite and despicable organization, is sent to slit the throats of an entire family. As he prepares to finish off the last and most important family member, he is enraged to discover that the baby boy has eluded him by climbing from his crib and going out the door. The youngster toddles to a nearby graveyard, where the ghostly inhabitants take him in. Little Nobody (Bod) flourishes in the graveyard, a place alive with adventure and mystery. But he longs to enter the world of the living, a place where danger, and the man Jack, await. What a wicked delight to hear this inventive, sinister story (HarperCollins, 2008) read by multi-talented author Neil Gaiman. His voice ranges from silky to gravelly and gruff to sharp-edged. Those who enjoyed Gaiman's Coraline (HarperCollins, 2002) will be eager to hear his inspired reading of this novel. Winner of the 2009 Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Produciton, This captivating production makes the story accessible to younger students as well as reluctant readers.-Lisa Hubler, Memorial Junior High School, South Euclid, OH Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.
Suggestions:
This book would be very fun in a book talk setting, especially if both the regular book and the audio book were utilized to give readers more options as to how they wish to approach the story, whether with text and illustrations or with a dramatic reading. It would also be interesting, in a school setting, to compare this story to The Jungle Book (which was one of Gaiman's inspirations for the book) and to talk about how he uses devices from The Jungle Book but also creates his own fable that is more relatable to modern children.

Module 3-Cinderella and Rapunzel

Book Info:
Cinderella and the Glass Slipper by Charles Perrault. Illustrated by Marcia Brown. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 1997.

Summary:
It's the classic story of a sweet and virtuous girl named Cinderella who is kept from the ball by her wicked Stepmother and Stepsisters. However, thanks to a Fairy Godmother, Cinderella is able to attend the ball and win the heart of the Prince, though she forgets her Fairy Godmother's warning to leave the ball before midnight. Though it seems that her fun is to be short-lived, the Prince seeks out the girl who won his heart using the glass slipper she left behind, determined to find her if he has to try it on every girl in the kingdom's foot.
My Take:
I really liked this take on the fairy tale. While still maintaining the Perrault version of the story, Marcia Brown creates a new story by imbuing the book with
almost juvenile illustrations. They're an interesting mash-up of subtle and yet specific ink lines mixed with smudges of color that almost look like they're from a kid's coloring book (albeit a very talented kid's coloring book). The illustrations look deceptively simple, which would no doubt appeal to children as they almost look like drawings the kids themselves could do and yet are still lively and relate to the story as to keep kids interested as it works with the text of the story. While not much of the story was changed, the illustrations make this a worthwhile read for anyone who likes fairy tales and wants some very rich and interesting illustrations to accompany their favorite stories.

Reviews:From the Publisher
Cinderella...or The Little Glass Slipper
There is perhaps no better loved, no more universal story than CINDERELLA. Almost every country in the world has a version of it, but the favorite of story-tellers is the French version by Charles Perrault.
This translation is excellent for storytelling and also reading aloud. Marcia Brown's illustrations are full of magic and enchantment from the little cupids putting back the hands of the clock to the last scene at the palace. They are pictures that will stay in a child's mind.

Children's Literature
It was Charles Perrault who, as the book jacket points out, compiled the collection of fairytales that included Cinderella, Bluebeard, Little Red Riding Hood, Puss in Boots, and The Sleeping Beauty. This is a translation from the French, which has attempted to retain the essence of the original while making the classic story of the lovely and virtuous Cinderella accessible to the readers of today. The story of the harsh treatment of Cinderella by her cruel stepmother and hateful stepsisters is familiar. In this version, Cinderella leaves the ball at a quarter to twelve. It is when she attends a second ball that she forgets the promise she made to her fairy godmother. Cinderella dances the whole night away with the prince until the clock strikes twelve. When her secret is found out, Cinderella's stepsisters beg for forgiveness and she is able to totally forgive them.

 
Suggestions:
Given that this version is fairly faithful to the version most children are familiar with, this would be a great book to use for a storytelling event, especially with its rich and beautiful illustrations. It could also be used for a book talk or discussion group with teens if you were looking at different representations of classic fairy tales, especially from an art perspective.

 Book Info:
Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky (adapted from the story by The Brothers Grimm). Penguin Group, 2002.

Summary:
After a longing for rapunzel from a sorceress's garden, a husband and wife barter away their unborn daughter to save their lives, agreeing to let the sorceress take her away and bring her up as her own. The sorceress imprisons the girl she names Rapunzel in a tall tower with no doors or stairs, only a high window. As Rapunzel has a mass of long hair, the sorceress uses it to climb up and down from the tower. One day a prince passes by the tower and hears Rapunzel singing up in the tower, but he cannot fathom how to reach her until he witnesses how the sorceress gets into the tower. He begins to visit Rapunzel, marrying her in secret, which eventually leads to the sorceress discovering their perfidy when she figures out that Rapunzel is pregnant. The sorceress banishes the pregnant Rapunzel from the tower and then blinds the prince, leaving them to wander around a barren wasteland until they can find each other again.

My Take:

Though Zelinsky doesn't really do much for the original story, the illustrations are beautiful (despite the illustrator's self-deprecating comments in the end-notes) and really capture that Italian Renaissance feel that Zelinsky was going for. Every time I turned a page I expected to feel the texture of oil paint, the illustrations were so rich. I understood perfectly why this book was chosen for the Caldecott award, especially as it not only beautifully illustrated this classic story but might also interest its young readers in classic art and history from the Renaissance period. This is a book that, while appropriate for younger children, will probably be better understood and appreciated by older readers, including adults. It is interesting in that it uses parts of the story which are usually left out (such as the secret marriage and pregnancy), which can provide new insights into the story for readers only familiar with the more commonly known version.



Reviews:

Booklist

( November 15, 1997 ; 0-525-45607-4 )

Gr. 3^-5, younger for reading aloud. After his wildly exuberant illustrations for Anne Isaacs' tall tale Swamp Angel (1994), Zelinsky turns to the formal beauty of Italian Renaissance art as the setting for his glowingly illustrated version of an age-old story. And, like Donna Jo Napoli's YA novel Zel (1996), this story is as much about the fierce love of mother for child as it is about the romantic passion between the imprisoned Rapunzel and the prince. Drawing on the Grimms' and earlier versions of the tale, Zelinsky begins with a childless couple, who are thrilled when the wife finally becomes pregnant. She develops a craving for the herb rapunzel, and when her husband is caught stealing it for her, the sorceress makes a terrifying bargain: if she can have the baby, she will allow the wife to live. The stepmother raises Rapunzel, "seeing to her every need," then locks her in a tower away from the world. Only the sorceress can enter the tower, by climbing Rapunzel's flowing hair. Then one day, the prince hears Rapunzel sing, falls in love with her, and learns to climb into the castle. They marry secretly. When Rapunzel becomes pregnant, the furious sorceress drives Rapunzel out, cuts off her hair, and blinds the prince. The lovers wander separately in the wilderness, where Rapunzel gives birth to twins; then the couple find each other, her tears make him see, and they come home to the prince's court. The rich oil paintings evoke the portraits, sculpture, architecture, and light-filled landscapes of Renaissance art. The costumes are lavish, the interiors intricate. Rapunzel is both gorgeous and maidenly. The sorceress is terrifying: the pictures also reveal her motherliness and her vulnerability, especially in the two double-page narrative paintings that frame the drama. One shows the sorceress taking the baby--and we see how she lovingly cradles it in her arms; in the climactic painting, when Rapunzel, the prince, and their children find each other, the whole natural world of rock and sky and tree seem to close around them in a loving embrace. Children--and adults--will pore over the intricate detail and glowing colors; they will also be moved by the mysterious tale of nurture and passion and terror. --Hazel Rochman

Suggestions:
This book would be great in a storytelling session given its brilliant and rich illustrations. It would also be worthwhile to share this with any students who have an interest in art and wish to experience different styles in a fun and easy way.

Module 2-The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh

Book Info:
The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne. Illustrated by Ernest H. Shephard. Penguin Group, 1996.

Summary:
“Short and stout” and with a constant “rumbly in [his] tumbly,” Winnie-the-Pooh is such a well-known figure that most people would have no trouble identifying him or any of his friends from the Hundred Acre Woods, be it Rabbit, Piglet, Kanga and Roo, Eeyore, Owl, or Tigger. In this collection, the original Winnie-the-Pooh and its companion collection, The House At Pooh Corner, are collected along with Shephard’s original illustrations of Milne’s son’s (Christopher Robin) toys. In this collection, readers can revisit the classic stories of Pooh getting stuck in Rabbit’s doorway, the joy of playing Poohsticks, Eeyore’s almost forgotten birthday, and the introduction of the one, and only, Tigger.

My Take:
This is one of my favorite childhood books, though I haven't read any of the stories in a long, long time. I don't even really remember reading the stories when I was little, though I do remember watching the cartoons all the time when I was little. Tigger was always my favorite character because he's so fun-loving and silly, unlike Rabbit who's taciturn and worrisome (and reminded me a lot of my sister, which always tweaked her a bit if I pointed that similarity out). I still enjoy watching the Tigger Movie every once in a while with my mom or my little cousins (but then I still love watching most Disney movies, apart from the ones with rubbish writing but good songs--Pocahontas, Hercules, The Hunchback of Notre Dame), so rereading these books was really fun and interesting. I still love Pooh and Piglet, and especially Tigger (and hold as one of my prize possessions a stuffed animal Tigger which is modeled after the original illustrations rather than the later Disney version), and found myself very happy to return to the Hundred Acre Wood and revisit some of my very good friends.

Reviews:
Children's Literature
Perhaps you have only read one or two of the stories by Milne or a few of the poems. Bits and pieces have appeared in myriad forms since their publication in 1926 and 1928. This beautiful single volume brings together all of the stories found in Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner. Young children will be entranced, and like their parents and grandparents before them, they will fall in love with Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore and Christopher Robin. And for those who may not know it, Tigger didn't appear until the second volume of stories. This collection is too heavy for little hands, but it is a real treasure for parents and teachers who can read sections to attentive audiences. The illustrations have been recolored and they too will continue to delight readers, young and old. The introduction contains a bit of background material regarding the author and illustrator, but the real delight is reading the stories and enjoying the illustrations.

Suggestions:
Though this is a larger book, it would be very useful at a storytelling event for younger children as the larger pages makes the illustrations easy to view and the characters are most likely already well-known to many children who attend. It might also be fun to have some examples of the later illustrations, especially the cartoons and movies, so that kids can see how the characters have changed over time.

Module 2-Little Women

Book Info:

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.  Online Version published by The Literature Network, 2000-2010. http://www.online-literature.com/alcott/littlewomen

Summary:

Originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1896, this story of four sisters learning how to survive and economize during tough times (namely due to their father’s service in the Civil War) is one that has been loved for generations, so much so that it has been adapted into a play, a musical, an opera, several films, and even an animated film. Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March all face hardships while their father is away, serving as a Chaplain for the North, either from being on dire financial straits or from trying to rebel against the strictures their sex and its perception in society has placed on them, all while trying to determine their own happy ending.

My Take:

Sadly, I had never read the book before (I remember my sister owning a copy when we were younger, but I never ended up reading it as I did most of her other books). However, I do remember watching the animated movie several times as a child, and a few of the films at various times throughout my growing up. Since then I’ve gone on to try and watch every film version I could find (much thanks to TCM, especially as I had no idea Katherine Hepburn and June Allyson had both played Jo, and I still can’t decide which performance I like better…though I’m definite on liking both of them better than Winona), but I still hadn’t read the actual book until this class. Though it took some time (especially as I ended up reading it online), I definitely enjoyed the book, especially the extended ending (not really extended, just never really touched upon in most of the film versions) about Jo’s school for boys and the sort of coda which showed how everyone turned out (one of my pet peeves in books are when the ending is just left hanging, like they could ride off happily into the sunset, or they might get hit by a bus. I need a little more than that please). I’m very glad that I finally got a chance to read this book, mostly because it resonates much more with me now given that, like Jo, I also have three sometimes silly sisters who I love dearly and an itch to write (and I’m the second-oldest like Jo, too!).

Reviews:

Jandy's Reading Room (Blog) 10/26/2005 http://www.jandysbooks.com/children/lttlwmen.html

Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March live in New England with their mother while their father has gone to fight in the American War Between the States. Once their family had been well-to-do but their circumstances had reversed. While the March family doesn't have monetary riches, they have love and family riches. Meg and Jo have jobs, Beth stays home with Marmee, and Amy goes to school.

Jo is the adventurous sister, the one who acted like a boy. She didn't often act like a lady like her sisters would. Jo is the one who befriended the lonely boy next door, Theodore Laurence. Soon Laurie is involved in many of the girls' adventures. As the five grow up, they enjoy many activities that grew from and strengthened their imaginations.

In time Mr. March returns home and the girls grow. They move from girlhood to womanhood, with the romances and businesses involved with that activity. Beth, the favorite of all the family, suffers from a life-threatening disease. Although she recovers, she never regains her full strength. Jo's untempered words get her in trouble more than once. Meg, then later Amy, meet the men who become the loves of their lives. Beth continues to comfort the March family. Laurie falls in love with Jo and is rejected - she knows they are better in a brother/siser relationship rather than husband and wife. Given time, a wise grandfather, and the right woman, Laurie recovers from Jo and discovers a new love. Jo continues to write, trying to make a small amount of money with her stories. She is certain she is to never marry, but even Jo finds someone who changes her mind.

This novel for girls is about 150 years old and is still charming to a young girl's heart. The March girls excite the imagination of the young reader. Miss Alcott brings the girls and her time period to life through a loving haze. Bad things happen in the book - tears are inevitable - yet overall this is a joyful book, full of hope.

I first read Little Women more years ago than I want to admit. I hope young girls can still enjoy this endearing novel, but they may be too jaded with all the amusements available in their environments. As an adult I find it overly sweet at times. It's overdone for my tastes now, but was perfect for my young imagination.

Yes, Little Women is a must read for all young girls, probably 10 and older. Us adult girls will enjoy it too, as long as we can let go of our cynicism. This is a charmer. A girl has to like Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy.

Suggestions:

It would be interesting to use this in a classroom or library setting to help interest children, especially young girls, in historical events, like the Civil War. While not ideal for a storytelling event (unless there is a condensed and more illustrated version), it might be good for a book talk presentation, and could perhaps be supplemented with the various film versions to help pique the kids’ interest.