Jack and Jill [Hardcover]

Louisa May Alcott (Author)

Book Description

Jack and Jill: A Village Story is a children's book originally published in 1879. One of the many "girls' books" written by Louisa May Alcott, it takes place in a small New England town after the Civil War. - Wikipedia.org

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

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--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

About the Author

Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888) was an American writer. She is best known for her autobiographical novel Little Women (1868), set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House in Concord, Massachusetts. Little Women was published in 1868. This novel is loosely based on her childhood experiences with her three sisters. Alcott based the heroine from Little Women, Jo, on herself, but whereas Jo marries at the end of the story, Alcott never married. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 334 pages
• Publisher: Little Brown & Co (Juv); Orchard House Ed edition (June 1979)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316030929
• ISBN-13: 978-0316030922
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,990,169 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Louisa May Alcott was both an abolitionist and a feminist. She is best known for Little Women (1868), a semi-autobiographical account of her childhood years with her sisters in Concord, Massachusetts. Alcott, unlike Jo, never married: "... because I have fallen in love with so many pretty girls and never once the least bit with any man." She was an advocate of women's suffrage and was the first woman to register to vote in Concord, Massachusetts.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Quiet Pleaser, July 20, 2001

By 

"librarybear" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jack and Jill: From the Original Publisher (Paperback)

I'm sorry to see that this book has been so poorly received by other reviewers. It is not a family book like Little Women or the Rose Duo, but this is a Louisa May Alcott classic that should not be ignored. If nothing else, the interaction between social classes in America, represented by the mothers of Jack and Jill is endlessly fascinating. Also, this book could appeal to both genders. Both boys and girls will be entranced with the train and mechanical images, and it's unusual to read a child's book and have such fresh descriptions...something perhaps owing to the newness of trains at the time. The three girls, Jill, Molly and Merry, and their plans for self-improvement can be seen in almost every young adult book marketed towards girls. What's refreshing about this one is that they're self-improvement is not for the benefit of their peers or to "get a boy", but rather, Louisa May Alcott has them develop for their own personal growth. In an age when self-help books are on the best seller list, this book shows how it was done before it was a science. In addition, it's novel for it's intrerest in health fads and regiments, new school ideas, and the imporance of an American youth culture. Give this book a chance.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A warm read for a cold day., November 2, 2004

By 

frumiousb "frumiousb" (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Jack and Jill (Paperback)

While Jack and Jill might not rate as one of the best Alcott novels, it is not worth dismissing out of hand for that reason. As usual, she crafted a thought provoking and enlightened book that teaches as it entertains and comforts.

Jack and Jill are fast childhood friends who find their lives interrupted by a terrible sledding accident which leaves both of them invalids. As they recover and heal, they and their friends learn important lessons about responsibility, giving and friendship. Jack and Jill should be an immensely satisfying read for pre-teenagers. The sure Alcott hand with character keeps even the most obvious moral lessons from feeling overly preachy.

While the book is ideally suited for younger readers, grown ups will be interested in the larger issues raised here. Alcott firmly asserts the need for individual growth, gender equality, and personal responsbility. Historical discussions about temperance and higher education for women should additionally make this book a good read for history fans.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A sweet, old-fashioned growing up story., November 15, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Jack and Jill (Hardcover)

This charming, old-fashioned children's story begins by mirroring the nursery rhyme. Two friends, Jack and Jill, go up a hill to go sledding. They come tumbling down, and Jack breaks his leg while Jill injures her back more seriously. The book tells the tale of their recuperation and also of their and their friends' journey into young adulthood. The book is slightly moralistic, in the way that Little Women is; the young people earnestly want to become "good" and to help their friends become "good". Although this style is not in fashion now, it still makes for a sweet, hope-filled story. Very enjoyable. Also recommended: An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott.