A Little Women Christmas

Starred review from September 15, 2014
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. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Nancy Gallt, Nancy Gallt Literary Agency.

September 1, 2014
A celebration of Christmas in the March family has been adapted as the text for this oversized picture book, with lavish illustrations of the family enjoying the holiday together. The March sisters enjoy a happy Christmas morning, with special gifts for their sister Beth, who has been in poor health. Their celebration becomes more joyful yet with the surprise arrival of Mr. March, who has been injured in the Civil War. The illustrations are dark and moody, reflecting the somber nature of a household with a father away at war and the realities of 19th-century illumination. There are continuity issues in both text and illustrations. Jo's age does not seem consistent throughout the book, with one close-up view showing a girl who looks about 12 and others with her looking older. Beth is referred to as the youngest daughter, rather than the second youngest, and she is shown with blonde ringlets instead of Amy, as in the original. It is too bad there is no author's note giving more specifics about Louisa May Alcott, the original story, the time frame of the Civil War and the New England location. It's hard to identify the intended audience for this effort, as those who love the original already will likely be unhappy, and those who don't will lack the context necessary to enjoy it. A well-intentioned but misguided effort. (Picture book. 6-8)

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October 1, 2014

Gr 2-4-From the revisiting of beloved characters to the perfectly captured tone of familial warmth, the "Pleasant Meadows" 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.-Joanna K. Fabicon, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2014
Grades K-2 Frederick, author of the Mother-Daughter Book Club series, goes back to one of the original mother-daughter books in this adaptation of the Christmas scene from Little Women. Those familiar with Alcott's original will get the most from this handsomely illustrated version, but that won't be the intended audience. Still, there's inherent appeal in the story's events: Jo and Laurie conspire to make sure that the family has Christmas presents, a gay Christmas morning, and then the surprise when Father walks through the door after months away in a Civil War hospital. Ibatoulline's oversize artwork has a realistic, almost photographic quality, illuminated as if by candlelight. An inviting introduction to a classic.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)