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Little Women
The illustrations for this series were created by Scott McKowen, who, with his wife Christina Poddubiuk, operates Punch & Judy Inc., a company specializing in design and illustration for theater and performing arts. Their projects often involve research into the visual aspects of historical settings and characters. Christina is a theater set and costume designer and contributed advice on the period clothing for the illustrations.
Scott created these drawings in scratchboard an engraving medium which evokes the look of popular art from the period of these stories. Scratchboard is an illustration board with a specifically prepared surface of hard white chalk. A thin layer of black ink is rolled over the surface, and lines are drawn by hand with a sharp knife by scraping through the ink layer to expose the white surface underneath. The finished drawings are then scanned and the color is added digitally.
The beautiful Meg, artistic tomboy Jo, doomed Beth, and selfish since the publication of Little Women in 1869, these four sisters have become America’s most beloved literary siblings. Louisa May Alcott’s rich and realistic portrait has inspired three movies and stirred the emotions of countless young girls. Set in New England during the Civil War, the novel follows the adventures of the March sisters as they struggle to pursue their dreams.
Scott created these drawings in scratchboard an engraving medium which evokes the look of popular art from the period of these stories. Scratchboard is an illustration board with a specifically prepared surface of hard white chalk. A thin layer of black ink is rolled over the surface, and lines are drawn by hand with a sharp knife by scraping through the ink layer to expose the white surface underneath. The finished drawings are then scanned and the color is added digitally.
The beautiful Meg, artistic tomboy Jo, doomed Beth, and selfish since the publication of Little Women in 1869, these four sisters have become America’s most beloved literary siblings. Louisa May Alcott’s rich and realistic portrait has inspired three movies and stirred the emotions of countless young girls. Set in New England during the Civil War, the novel follows the adventures of the March sisters as they struggle to pursue their dreams.
526 pages, Hardcover
Published October 1, 2004
26 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Louisa May Alcott
4,094 books10.6k followersLouisa May Alcott was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet best known for writing the novel Little Women (1868) and its sequels Good Wives (1869), Little Men (1871) and Jo's Boys (1886). Raised in New England by her transcendentalist parents, Abigail May Alcott and Amos Bronson Alcott, she grew up among many well-known intellectuals of the day, including Margaret Fuller, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry David Thoreau, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Alcott's family suffered from financial difficulties, and while she worked to help support the family from an early age, she also sought an outlet in writing. She began to receive critical success for her writing in the 1860s. Early in her career, she sometimes used pen names such as A.M. Barnard, under which she wrote lurid short stories and sensation novels for adults that focused on passion and revenge.
Published in 1868, Little Women is set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts, and is loosely based on Alcott's childhood experiences with her three sisters, Abigail May Alcott Nieriker, Elizabeth Sewall Alcott, and Anna Bronson Alcott Pratt. The novel was well-received at the time and is still popular today among both children and adults. It has been adapted for stage plays, films, and television many times.
Alcott was an abolitionist and a feminist and remained unmarried throughout her life. She also spent her life active in reform movements such as temperance and women's suffrage. She died from a stroke in Boston on March 6, 1888, just two days after her father's death.
Alcott's family suffered from financial difficulties, and while she worked to help support the family from an early age, she also sought an outlet in writing. She began to receive critical success for her writing in the 1860s. Early in her career, she sometimes used pen names such as A.M. Barnard, under which she wrote lurid short stories and sensation novels for adults that focused on passion and revenge.
Published in 1868, Little Women is set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts, and is loosely based on Alcott's childhood experiences with her three sisters, Abigail May Alcott Nieriker, Elizabeth Sewall Alcott, and Anna Bronson Alcott Pratt. The novel was well-received at the time and is still popular today among both children and adults. It has been adapted for stage plays, films, and television many times.
Alcott was an abolitionist and a feminist and remained unmarried throughout her life. She also spent her life active in reform movements such as temperance and women's suffrage. She died from a stroke in Boston on March 6, 1888, just two days after her father's death.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 28, 2025
A delightful coming-of-age classic that I can’t believe I’m only reading now for the first time. It’s chalked full of wise lessons and biblical morals that would benefit every young girl to read.
June 11, 2024
Very good book!
January 25, 2025
(This is for the back half, I finished the book portion last month, this is letters and essays and biographies and inspo and such)
It was so long holy cow. The size of a whole other book. I had to renew this copy four times I KNOW the library HATES ME. (The last time wasn’t even a whole month just 19 days 😭😭)
I really liked some of the parts, the last essay and one or two others were very interesting and informative reads. I enjoyed “The Purple Jar” and “Norna” stories/play. Oh my gosh was it slow sometimes. I dreaded “A Modern Cinderella, or The Little Old Shoe” but the following story was good again. I like how they included many of Louisa’s stories like I feel like an expert on her life. Also it’s very interesting to see how she uses her life story as inspiration for almost all her writing material, like I’ve read that before hmm. Anyways. That’s that. First read (yes im counting it 😠)
Btw the last log was this Norton Critical Edition. I just thought since I actually started and finished LW in 2024 I could log it as its own thing and now this is part 2.
It was so long holy cow. The size of a whole other book. I had to renew this copy four times I KNOW the library HATES ME. (The last time wasn’t even a whole month just 19 days 😭😭)
I really liked some of the parts, the last essay and one or two others were very interesting and informative reads. I enjoyed “The Purple Jar” and “Norna” stories/play. Oh my gosh was it slow sometimes. I dreaded “A Modern Cinderella, or The Little Old Shoe” but the following story was good again. I like how they included many of Louisa’s stories like I feel like an expert on her life. Also it’s very interesting to see how she uses her life story as inspiration for almost all her writing material, like I’ve read that before hmm. Anyways. That’s that. First read (yes im counting it 😠)
Btw the last log was this Norton Critical Edition. I just thought since I actually started and finished LW in 2024 I could log it as its own thing and now this is part 2.
May 11, 2025
I’m glad I can finally say that I’ve read Little Women. And despite being a classic and dated, it is easy to read.
However it’s was all a bit too ‘twee’ for me. Overly sentimental and idealistic, and a bit heavy on the morals.
However it’s was all a bit too ‘twee’ for me. Overly sentimental and idealistic, and a bit heavy on the morals.
June 26, 2025
A devious slice of history, endurance, life and joy ✨
August 8, 2025
We read this as part of our homeschool read alouds. Just a perfect book that has quite a few lessons that everyone should remember every once in a while.
March 1, 2022
I do adore this book for how - in it’s time - it was a key piece of feminist literature. You can see how she gave Jo agency and let them each mature separate to certain expectations, but some of it does ring hollow to modern ears. The emphasis on religion and obedience just made me laugh. Overall I did enjoy it, but with a pinch of ‘how far have we come in 150 years’.
December 31, 2019
As this is my last book to finish (and only half the story lol) I won't make my target even though I'm in bed sick for the day.
On a much more positive note, this book however still a bit odd in places was way ahead of its time with working and exceptional female characters that will stay with me.
On a much more positive note, this book however still a bit odd in places was way ahead of its time with working and exceptional female characters that will stay with me.
December 8, 2010
Who doesn't love Jo March?
December 24, 2012
Hard to get into but good after that
July 6, 2015
Excellent book. Loved the story and the writing style.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews