A Little Women Christmas
‘Tis the season to celebrate, but for sisters Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March, the only present they hope for is their father home safe and sound from the war. Little do they know that there are holiday surprises in store—and on Christmas morning, an unexpected miracle will light up their world. Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women has long been cherished by readers, and now, families can discover it anew with this retelling of holiday scenes from the treasured classic.
Reviews
“A cozy Christmas with the March clan is on tap in this picture book adapted from Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. Using accessible but not overly contemporary language (and retaining some of Alcott’s phrasings), Frederick turns a holiday-centric episode from the novel into a standalone story brimming with warmth. Admirers of the original will still find much to love, as the characters’ personalities and the basic plotlines remain true. Ibatoulline’s gouache portraits of family life, often awash in the glow of candlelight, are steeped in 19th-century detail, from the modest dresses and carefully set dinner table to a crackling orange-red fire in the fireplace. Outdoor scenes of the March house and its snowy environs are as crisp and clear as a snap of winter air.” (Publishers Weekly)
“From the revisiting of beloved characters to the perfectly captured tone of familial warmth, this chapter of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women gets a pleasing picture-book retelling. Prior plot developments—Beth’s illness, Jo’s shorn hair, and the family’s relationship to the boy next door (Theodore Laurence officially, but Laurie to his friends)—are succinctly woven into the story, heightening the dramatic and emotional holiday heft when the March father finally returns home from war. The gouache art honors the source material with Orchard House, Amy’s ringlets, and Father’s Union army uniform looking just as they should. If reading Little Women is already a holiday tradition, this is a fine addition to the rotation, especially for younger Alcott fans.” (School Library Journal)
