(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Scott McKowen. The complete text of Alcott's classic tale of Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy March is reprinted with a ribbon bookmark and a list of open-ended questions ("Do you think she overreacted, or was her anger justified?") designed to stimulate thought. Repeated scratchboard illustrations head each chapter, giving the book a generic appearance.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 In addition to her well-known novels, Alcott wrote numerous short stories, ten of which are featured in this collection. Alcott fans will be pleased to have more material to read, but the old-fashioned, sentimental tone of the tales--most of which have a lesson to impart--will prevent the book from finding a wider audience.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) 4-6 Eyewitness Classics series. Illustrated by Chris Molan. This adaptation of the first half of the classic story (Good Wives is not included) preserves the flavor of the novel by following the plot closely and retaining much of Alcott's original prose. Informative sidebars offer information about the Alcotts and customs of the time, and a few double-page spreads featuring captioned photos provide background material.

Reviewer: Anne St. John