Louisa May Alcott Summer Reading Challenge : Week 2

Louisa May Alcott Summer Reading Challenge Week 2

 

Jo's Story 

by Susan Beth Pfeffer  

Oops I missed a week! I'll catch up soon.

Ten-year-old Jo March, an aspiring writer, chafes against her elderly great-aunt's strict rules for ladies, but when she overhears Aunt March offering to adopt one of the March girls, Jo knows she has to be the one. She's the only one her family can live without and so she must break from her sisters and spend more time with Aunt March learning to be ladylike.

Right off the bat we know Aunt March doesn't adopt Jo so I was totally uninterested in the plot. Jo behaves very badly and it was cringy to read. I'm not sure the author fully read the original novel before embarking on this series because I noted a few inaccuracies. The Marches are recently poor because Father gave money to friends and made some bad investments. Amy wears hand-me-downs from her cousins and not her sisters. Also, the novel never mentions where they live. Everyone assumes Concord but I'm not sure it is.

On the plus side, the story introduces young readers to the March family and their values. Marmee's wise counsel is always there when needed. We learn about each girl's personality and interests. Meg is ladylike already and Amy aspires to be ladylike, is beautiful and artistic. Sweet Beth loves dolls and her sisters. Aunt March is strict but she isn't unfair. She agrees to reconsider allowing Jo to read Oliver Twist IF Marmee and Father agree she can read it.

The book contains excerpts from the other sisters' stories which sound a little better and include events leading up to Father going off to join in the Civil War.

I remember when these stories came out and I probably read them but this one didn't appeal to inner 10-year-old me or grown-up me that much. I might try the others at some point.