Best known for the novels Little Women and Little Men, Louisa May Alcott brought the story of her feisty protagonist Jo and the adventures and misadventures of the March family to an entertaining, surprising, and bittersweet conclusion in Jo’s Boys. Beginning ten years after Little Men, Jo’s Boys revisits Plumfield, the New England school still presided over by Jo and her husband, Professor Bhaer. Jo remains at the center of the tale, surrounded by her boys—including rebellious Dan, sailor Emil, and promising musician Nat—as they experience shipwreck and storm, disappointment and even murder.
Popular for over a century, Alcott’s series still holds universal appeal with its powerful and affectionate depiction of family—the haven where the prodigal can always return, adversity is shared, and our dreams of being cherished, despite our flaws, come true. In this edition of Jo’s Boys, readers once again experience a treasured classic by one of America’s best-loved writers.
Jo's Boys ANNOTATION Recounts the further adventures, successes, and failures of the numerous young men of Plumfield school.
FROM THE PUBLISHER This sequel to Louisa May Alcott's Little Women and Little Men chronicles the return of the classmates of Plumfield, Jo's school for boys. Ten years after the events of Little Men, readers reencounter Nat, the orphaned street musician, now a conservatory student; restless Dan, back from the gold mines of California; business-minded Tom, a reluctant medical student; sailor Emil, home from the sea; and other old friends. Alcott's sensitive and sympathetic portrayals of young adults make her novels a delight for readers of all ages.
FROM THE CRITICS Children's Literature - Gisela Jernigan Fans of Little Women and its sequel Little Men, might enjoy this second sequel that continues to chronicle events, both happy and sad, in the life of the March, Bhaer, Brooke and Lawrence families. Ten years have passed since the end of Little Men. Many of the now adult boys and girls of Plumfield School are returning to visit, and they often receive advice from Jo and Meg. One of the novel's most appealing characters, Nan is still headstrong and independent, but is channeling her energies into helping others as Doctor Nan, instead of annoying people with her pranks as "Naughty Nan." Her efforts to kindly thwart Tom's romantic advances, and the romantic career problems of some of the other characters, make this a novel that would probably appeal to an older age range than its predecessors.
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