Little Women (a retelling) by Laura Wood

Pages: 132 

Publisher: Barrington Stoke 

Released:  6th of April 2023 

Bestselling author Laura Wood brings the adventures of Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy to even more readers in this beautiful retelling of Louisa May Alcott’s coming-of-age classic.

Little Women, the charming story of the brave and resilient March sisters, has been adored by generations of readers who have identified with the struggles of kind and pretty Meg; gentle, delicate Beth; precocious, artistic Amy; and of course wild, tomboyish Jo, determined to forge her own path and become a writer.

Follow the girls as they come of age during the American Civil War and fall in love with the story all over again in this retelling by award-winning writer Laura Wood.

What I Have to Say 

A heartwarming and faithful retelling, that captured the heart and soul of the original, this book is perfect for anyone who wants to read Little Women but finds the original a bit long. Whether for younger children, or anyone who finds reading a struggle, or even people who just want a taste of the book with setting aside the time to read the whole thing, this retelling covers all the important moments of the first half. 

I read the original book a while ago, so can't remember all the details, but the most important thing about the book to my mind is the relationships of the Marsh sisters. This book set them up perfectly and succinctly, getting enough on the page to show the different personalities and the ups and downs of their relationships with each other, while still remembering that the reader is young or possibly dyslexic. It has all the intricate details while catering to the reader. 

I definitely would recommend this to anyone struggling with the full book. I really hope they continue on and do the second half, originally called Good Wives. 

4 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Barrington Stoke for providing me with this copy for review.