Louisa May Alcott

Little Men Louisa May Alcott

Little Men by Louisa May Alcott

The novel reprises characters from "Little Women" and is considered by some the second book in an unofficial "Little Women" trilogy, which is completed with Alcott's 1886 novel "Jo's Boys, and How They Turned Out: A Sequel to "Little Men."

"Little Men" is, technically, the sequel to "Little Women" and picks up a good numbers of years later, after Jo March and her husband, Professor Bhaer, as they start their school at Plumfield, the house that originally was owned by Jo's Aunt March.

The school is not run on conventional lines. All the children have their own gardens and their own pets, and are encouraged to experiment with running businesses. Pillow fights are permitted on Saturdays, subject to a time limit. Children are treated as individuals, with a strong emphasis on gently molding their characters.

"With two sons of her own, and twelve rescued boys filling the informal school at Plumfield, Jo March -- now Jo Bhaer -- couldn't be happier. But despite the warm and affectionate help of the whole March family, boys have a habit of getting into scrapes, and there are plenty of troubles and adventures in store."

The novel opens when Nat, a street-bound boy with an amazing ability to play the violin beautifully, shows up on Jo's doorstep, and from then on out the story features a stable but large group of kids and their kind and guiding adult influences.

"Little Men" is utterly charming, and you can tell that Alcott just went to town creating the school of her dreams.