Louisa May Alcott Summer Reading Challenge Week 2

Louisa May Alcott Summer Reading Challenge Week 2

Jo: A Graphic Novel 

by Kathleen Gros

Middle Grades/Young Adult Graphic Novel

Jo March is an ordinary 8th-grade girl about to start her final year of middle school. She decides t blog about her life at home with her three sisters and their mother and also write about her daily life at school. Jo chronicles her attempts to become a "real" writer by joining the newspaper club and how failure makes her feel. With the encouragement of her new friend Freddie, a budding editor, Jo begins to find her voice and make it count. She learns some important lessons by the time graduation rolls around.

As an adaptation of Little Women this book fails. It misses the whole little women point. I missed Jo's temper, her fights with Amy and Marmee's wisdom. I missed Father's letter and his illness that provides the catalyst for Jo to get to DO something to help her family. Even Beth doesn't fall ill in this version because she's already been ill with leukemia and must go for tests and treatment. The family is recovering from the worry. Dad is away doing top secret stuff with the Army and video chats when he can. The video chat scene consists of the girls sharing their news- things we already know- and not Dad sharing any thoughts with his little women. The scenes taken from the original are out of order. It was all just too bland and nice. Meg likes a boy named Jon, she tutors some bratty kids who don't want to pay attention; Beth likes music and when she tries the flute it doesn't sound nice; Amy wants to be creative but her teacher makes her draw; Jo wants to be a writer and they all work hard and are rewarded at the end. I even missed the Hummel family. Decorating the hospital at Christmas does not equal giving up Christmas breakfast to a less fortunate family.

Laurie is an average teenage boy with living parents who travel for work. He speaks with them as often as they can and he knows they love him. His grandfather is kind. Snooze. I was confused why Laurie randomly comes down with chicken pox and why all the March sisters had it. There's a vaccine for that! Kids don't get chicken pox anymore! When Laurie reveals his feelings for Jo and she freaks out, it doesn't equate to the original. First of all, 1860s Jo is older, at 17 she's old enough to marry but she doesn't want to- not because she doesn't like men, but because she's immature and Laurie is too. Jo is facing the breakup of her nuclear family and the loss of her childhood. She's struggling to accept change and worried about what it means for her future. 1860s Laurie is grown but still a boy. He acts like a boy and Jo thinks of him as a brother. Husbands were typically older than the wives because they needed to be able to support a family. Enter Professor Beher. Jo gets to know him, matures a little, goes home, Beth dies, Jo is lonely and ready to open her heart to love. I'd really prefer to see Jo as Louisa intended, a literary spinster content to paddle her own canoe.

That being said, I think Jo's journey will resonate with young readers, whether they're gay or not. It's about finding yourself and figuring out who you are more than focusing on the GAY issue. She just happens to figure out she likes girls. Freddie is adorable. She's fun, playful and smart. She encourages Jo and helps Jo become a better writer. They have a lot in common and it should be obvious to anyone who sees them, probably to the faculty advisor, that at least Freddie has feelings for Jo. Jo takes a little longer to get there but it becomes obvious as well. Jo figures out a lot more about herself and life before she's ready to announce her understandings to the world. Her coming out plot was so not an issue. I wanted a little more discussion on that front. (view spoiler)[ Everyone is just like "OH OK! We love you!" (hide spoiler)] Sometimes it is that way and it's important to put into the story but it's just sort of glossed over.

The other Marches are rather bland and boring. Amy is delightful, mispronouncing "big" words she can't remember. Beth is kind of a non-entity. She's brave and tough but sometimes she doesn't want to be the sick one. She doesn't want to keep fighting and she does, in her own quiet way. Meg is a typical teen with boys on her mind and busy with high school and her after school tutoring job. Unlike the original, she doesn't long for fine things and envy her wealthier friends. Marmee is kind and loving but not home very often.

The illustrations are OK. They're more realistic than some I've seen but not my favorite style. I'm not a fan of graphic novels to begin with. I prefer a little more meat with my story and no pictures. I always want more depth, stronger character development and more conversations. This book is no exception. I'm going to run it by my niece and see if she's read it and what she thinks. She's the graphic novel expert and Little Raphael of the family!