Puffin Schools has been created by the children’s publisher Puffin to help bring together all the inspiring content we create for schools into one place.
Little Women is part of The Sisterhood collection, a stunning celebration of iconic female writers of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
The four March sisters sweep everyone up in their adventures – including Laurie, the boy next door. Despite their sisterly squabbles, the bond between them is strong, but as they strive to become independent young women their lives follow very different paths.
The Sisterhood collection, published for International Women’s Day, is not only a story. It is a feminist toolbox filled with defiant girls who refuse to conform and whose authors allowed them to grow and take up space in a society that wanted them to shrink.’
Scarlett Curtis, Feminist Writer and Activist
Challenge readers to consider how the themes of Little Women are relevant today: these questions cover everything from suffrage to social media and the Kardashians.
1. What do the first nine lines of the novel tell us about the contrasting characters of the four March sisters?
2. Little Women is set in the years during and after the American Civil War and the war is often alluded to. Do you think this is critical to the story, or could it have been told in any other setting or time?
3. Louisa M. Alcott was a supporter of women’s suffrage and the abolition of slavery – do these values come through in the book?
4. How relevant are the trials and tribulations Jo faces to the modern reader? Do young women today face similar issues?
5. Jo has a masculine-sounding name and Alcott sometimes describes her in a male way: she examines her shoes in a ‘gentlemanly manner’ and bears her unhappiness ‘like a man’. Why do you think the author does this?
6. Towards the end of the book Aunt March is trying to dissuade Meg from marrying impoverished Mr Brooke, and declares: ‘You ought to marry well and help your family; it’s your duty to make a rich match.’ But Meg defies her and accepts his proposal for love. Alcott herself never married. What do you think she is saying about marriage in Little Women?
7. Which social media channels do you think the March sisters would use today?
8. What effect does Mr March’s absence have on the March sisters? What effect does it have on Marmee? Do you think events would have panned out differently if he had been home?
9. The book contrasts the lives of the rich and the poor in descriptions of the Kings, Gardiners, Laurences, Marches and Hummels. Does the author imply any moral judgements associated with money, or the lack of it?
10. How do you feel about Amy burning Jo’s book? Do you think Jo would have forgiven her so soon if Amy hadn’t fallen through the ice when they went skating?
11. In Hannah’s opinion ‘work was the panacea for all afflictions’. Do you see work as one of the themes of the book? How broadly do you think the author defines the concept of work?
12. How do the Marches compare with the Kardashians? Are there any similarities? Do they share any values?
Puffin Schools has been created by the children’s publisher Puffin to help bring together all the inspiring content we create for schools into one place.
The books on this website will range from those for EYFS through to primary and up to lower secondary school. You can discover our full range of books at puffin.co.uk
Puffin is an imprint of Penguin Random House, the world’s number-one publisher representing a vibrant community of publishing houses marked by unparalleled success. Through our world of stories, Puffin aims to open up the world to every child. Our mission is to inspire children to feel they can be and do anything, and to create readers for life.
Puffin started out as a non-fiction publisher, with its first title appearing in 1940. As the most iconic and well-known children’s book brand in the UK today, we are always on the lookout for innovative ways to tell the world’s favourite stories and for brilliant new debut talent and brands that connect with today’s young readers, from newborn up to twelve years old.
We publish a diverse and wide range of fiction, non-fiction, picture books and children’s classics. Our list includes some of the world’s favourite authors, illustrators and licensed brands, such as Eric Carle, Helen Oxenbury, Nadia Shireen, The Snowman, Doctor Who, Roald Dahl, Tom Fletcher, Jeff Kinney, Rick Riordan, Robin Stevens, and Jacqueline Wilson to name but a few.
Ladybird, Puffin and Penguin are imprints of Penguin Random House UK. Across their extensive list, we believe there is a story for every child, everywhere.
You can find information about books for all ages at penguin.co.uk
All the books featured on this website can be purchased in the usual way: as well as being available on the high street and online, you can find lots of brilliant offers via school-specific suppliers and wholesale retailers.
Whether you’ve got a brilliant idea for a lesson, a photograph of something incredible you’ve done at your school or just have a question, please email [email protected] and a member of the team will get back to you as soon as possible .
The Story-Makers Show was known as Puffin Virtually Live up until March 2019. The content and ambition of the show remains the same: to give every pupil the opportunity to engage with authors and illustrators in their own classroom using the power of the internet.
We’ve re-named Puffin Virtually Live so that it’s easier for new teachers to discover it as part of Puffin Schools and to acknowledge that the show now premieres on show day, rather than being streamed live.
Your account for Puffin Virtually Live has been deactivated as it is no longer a feature of the Puffin Schools website.
If you were registered for the newsletter, you will now receive the Puffin Schools newsletter, which is filled with all the latest information about accompanying resources and upcoming shows.
If you do not wish to receive it any longer then please unsubscribe.
You can watch The Story-Makers Show on the Puffin Schools site. However, please be aware that it uses a YouTube player and that you should check your school’s permissions to ensure that YouTube isn’t blocked.