Customer Reviews

Jack and Jill

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

This book is an interesting improvement on the clasic nursery rhyme.With its twist of humor and sadness, Jack and Jill emphasises the value of friendship and the comfort that simple creativity can give.In spite of all these good qualities, I would rate this book as far from Alcott's best. It is too predictable and rather disapointing. Although less "preachy" than many of Alcott's books, the sermons are more direct and lack the pleasing maturity that gives such works as Little Women, An Old Fashoned Girl, and Eight Cousins their originality.All considered it is still a sweet, cuddle-up-by-the-fire book. I recommend to any of Louisa's most-devoted fans, esp those between 9 and 12.

I've long been a fan of the lesser Louisa May Alcott books and now my daughter has discovered them too. I was pleased to find Jack and Jill available in this handy paperback by an on-demand publisher. My seventh-grade daughter pounced on the book first, in great excitement. It was a bit deflating that there was no book-specific cover art or back cover material--it is a standard, rather ugly cover and the back text advertises the publisher itself. But I guess there's no arguing with that part. Far worse, my daughter found a minefield of typos in the first few pages, which proved very distracting. Then she found that about 1 1/2 pages from 3-4 were repeated verbatim on pages 5-6. She showed me both problems and she was absolutely right: the printing process had gone completely haywire. There was no reason to expect these issues were confined to the first few pages, and we had lost faith in the whole edition. Regretfully, we have sent the book back.

This has a sticky, preachy quality about it -too sweet. but although the beginning bears a resemblance to the rhyme, the story is for young adults and adults. No where as good as Little Women

A five star story.

Jack and Jill has been one of my unsung favorites for many years. A stand alone story not one of a series. It is a good quick read with many of the time period's nuances. I am an Alcott lover and my favorites are not the Little Women series, but her other caricatures of young women. Eight Cousins, Rose in Bloom, An Old Fashioned Girl and Jack and Jill are all ones I re-read often. Simple tales of growing up many years ago. They are not the farm/wilderness tales of Laura Ingalls, but the precursors to the American Girl type books and in my opinion, much better.

A one star edition.

My complaint is that this particular edition is billed as a High Quality paperback edition. My original copy was my mothers many years ago and I was looking for a paperback to use as my re-read copy. This edition is in a horrid courier font with no formatting and the paragraphs are split by a return. To get to know and maybe love this story as much as I do...find a real book copy of it not this pretender that would put even those faithful to the story off. I am don't even want to give it away lest I teach someone to dislike a wonderful story!

I read voraciously as a child, and this book was one of my favorites. I am going to read it again on my Kindle. It is entrancing.

I love this book. Took a star off for the typical Alcott preachiness. But I read it off the Gutenberg project and loved it so much I bought it off Amazon. It's so sweet. Storyline similar to What Katy Did by Susan Coolidge, girl is stubborn, injures herself (well and jack), may be paralysed, after a bit of preaching, she decides to be good and she eventually heals but is better for the lesson. Sounds boring, but the characters are interesting and sweet. And they're believable. Loved it.

While this is not my favorite Alcott novel, I still enjoy reading it as a portrait of the responsibilities and amusements of boys and girls in the 19th century. While Jack and Jill recuperate from their injuries sustained "coasting" on the "lulla," they mature and change, as do their friends, whose small projects to make their life better result in, if not in unimportant monetary wealth or fame, happier times to last them the rest of their lives.