Little Men

"Little Men" (1871) continues Louisa May Alcott's story of the March family. It picks up from "Little Women" and "Good Wives" to follow tomboy Jo into her married life. Jo and her husband, Prof. Bhaer, have opened a school for boys. Jo takes charge, but she retains a "merry sort of face," and the boys call her jolly. The school takes in troubled cases including homeless "little chap," Nat, and rowdy run-away Dan. Alcott pictures the kind of boyhood that the recent bestseller, "The Dangerous Book for Boys, "hopes to rekindle. Alcott's boys climb trees and sneak off to light their first (choke ) cigars, but each lad has the makings of a good man -- qualities that Jo intends to bring out. The language might sound as quaint as "thunder turtles " and "hoydens" (grrrls), but the drama is the same now as always. Jo's concern for her boys is every teacher's -- every right parent's -- hope for every child. The story concludes with "Jo's Boys: And How They Turned Out."