Jo

August 1, 2020
A graphic-novel version of Little Women, with a few modern twists. The story begins with eighth grader Jo introducing the family via her blog: Oldest sister Meg is starting high school; precocious Amy, the youngest, loves to draw; Marmee works as a nurse; and Dad's overseas doing top-secret work for the army. Readers later learn that Beth, 11, is in remission for leukemia. On the first day of school, confident Freddie, editor of the school paper, invites Jo to join the newspaper club. Near Halloween, a boy named Laurie moves next door, and soon he and Jo are close friends. Valentine's Day sees Laurie admitting to a crush on Jo, which causes Jo to realize that she also has a crush--on Freddie. With help from wise, unconditionally accepting Marmee, Jo comes out, by the end of the school year writing about being gay and her fear of facing homophobia and rejection in a school newspaper article. The characterization and much of the setup come directly from Alcott's novel, and, as in that book, the loving, supportive family relationships are the strongest feature. This book deals with attraction in a way that will be comforting to readers. The clean, simple, full-color artwork suits the story well, and the layout of the panels is easy to follow. The March family is White; Freddie is Black. Louisa May Alcott would approve. (Graphic fiction. 9-13)

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August 10, 2020
While repackaging Jo’s story for a contemporary readership, this gentle, warm graphic novel adaptation will remind readers why the March family is long beloved. In Gros’s update, the heroine is a white 13-year-old blogger who faces mild challenges with the support of her sisters and Marmee; chats via video with their deployed father; and harbors a crush on classmate Freddie, a bespectacled Black girl. Beth’s recovery from leukemia and Jo’s coming out—first to instantly accepting Marmee, next via a school newspaper essay—add a contemporary optimism not present in the more bittersweet original, in which familial closeness was an antidote to a harsher reality. Jo declares in her article, “What scared me most about coming out was how people would react. I was scared my parents would be disappointed,” but Gros doesn’t really hint at this fear beyond a bit of blushing. Friendly illustrations have an Archie-and-Veronica quality that, alongside a lack of chicken pox vaccines and a presence of introductions using pronouns, makes for a hazy temporal setting, but it’s impossible not to root for Jo and family, and to celebrate their victories, however easily won. Ages 8–12. Agent: Jill Corcoran, Jill Corcoran Literary.

September 1, 2020

Gr 5-8-A middle grade graphic novelization on the tail end of Little Women's latest resurgence. As aspiring writer Jo March begins eighth grade, she maintains an anonymous blog and, despite initial trepidation, joins the school newspaper while supporting her sisters-Meg, Beth, and Amy-and mother Marmee, who's balancing work, family, and her husband's deployment. When best friend Laurie confesses unrequited romantic interest, it only makes things more complicated-especially since Jo's smitten with Freddie Bhaer, the paper's female editor. Whether fitting in, coming out, or taking care, Jo leads a life that's at once conventional and convoluted, but the March women always get by with a little effort and a whole lot of love. Over 150 years, Little Women has been reimagined for every conceivable medium and succeeding generation. Gros's version, told through Jo's introspective blog posts and dialogue, pops with clean, bright digital illustrations. Generally, characters map one to one with source material. All named characters except for Freddie, who is brown-skinned, are white; numerous characters of color are featured in the background. Superfans may spot a few Easter eggs: Meg's high school, for instance, is named after Little Women's original publisher, and the middle school is named after the editor who helped shape the book. And since some readers must know in advance, Beth doesn't die. VERDICT A super-cute, heartstring-strumming, accessible rendition.-Steven Thompson, Bound Brook Memorial P.L., NJ

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