Louisa May Alcott
22) Kate's Choice
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In "Kate's Choice", a young English girl inherits a financial windfall when she is suddenly orphaned. Per her father's wish, she is sent to America to live with the families of each of her four uncles in order to choose where she will live. Each family is full of wonderful, prosperous interesting people, all of them anxious that Kate should choose their family to stay with. But at Christmastime, Kate surprises them all by announcing whom she shall...
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In this gem of a story, The Candy Country, little Lily discovers that arriving in a magical country where everything is made of sweets is not the wonderland she had first thought. The story is a poignant example of the strong educational and moral influence that Louisa May Alcott's father had her life and her writing.
28) Rosa's Tale
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In Rosa's Tale, Louisa May Alcott spins a heartwarming fable about a horse who magically speaks to a lonely girl at midnight on Christmas Eve...
29) Nelly's Hospital
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Nelly's Hospital (1865) is a short story by Louisa May Alcott, written during or shortly after the American Civil War. Nelly, a small soul, starts an hospital for little creatures and animals, inspired by the happenings on the war front, and wants to do some good.
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In "A Country Christmas", Louisa May Alcott tells the story of Sophie, a debutante from the city who travels to rural Vermont to spend Christmas with her cousins Saul and Ruth. Though apprehensive at first, Sophie learns that the charms of celebrating Christmas in the country are many.
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Originally written for the daughter of Ralph Waldo Emerson, a family friend, Louisa May Alcott charms us with the daily events in her fantasy world of flora and fauna. By using the magical fairies as actors in nature's play, Alcott creates delightful morality plays, allowing children to easily learn the lessons of right from wrong. Stories include "The Frost King, or, The Power of Love", "Little Bud", "Annie's Dream", "Eva's Visit to Fairyland" "Lilly...
32) Rose in Bloom
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Before she wrote Little Women, Louisa May Alcott told this story of a ninteenth-century girl finding her way in society.
In this sequel to Eight Cousins, Rose Campbell returns to the "Aunt Hill" after two years of traveling around the world. Suddenly, she is surrounded by male admirers, all expecting her to marry them. But before she marries anyone, Rose is determined to establish herself as an independent young woman. Besides, she suspects that...
33) What Love Can Do
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In What Love Can Do, two poor sisters share their modest Christmas wishes with each other, namely: a little money with which to buy gifts for their family members. Overhearing this, the kindly residents of a boarding house come together to make a lovely Christmas surprise for the two girls.
34) Bertie's Box
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In "Bertie's Box", a family sits around the table putting the finishing touches on their Christmas present wrapping. A letter arrives from a poor widow asking for assistance in providing a Christmas present for her two children. Overhearing this, young Bertie sets about packing up some of his toys to send to the unfortunate mother.
35) Jack and Jill
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The story follows Jack Minot and Janey Pecq, who are best friends who live next door to each other. They are always seen together, so Janey gets the nickname of Jill, to mimic the old rhyme. The two do go up a hill one winter day - and then are involved in a terrible accident.
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In "Gwen's Adventures in the Snow", Gwen and her siblings set out on a winter evening's sleigh ride only to encounter bad weather. Taking shelter in their country house to wait out the snowstorm, the group builds a fire, makes a picnic from the house's reserves and shares stories to allay each other's fears.
37) The Brothers
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Louisa May Alcott's short story "The Brothers" is set during the Civil War, Narrated by a wartime nurse, the story tells of one white brother and the other a half black meet in a hospital. Due to a previous a grudge between them the black one tries to kill the white one. Preaching the religion of humanity and kindness, she draws from her personal experiences to create this amazing work. This piece first appeared in The Atlantic Monthly in November...
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"A Merry Christmas / Little Women" is the famous Christmas scene (Chapter Two) from the immortal Louisa May Alcott novel, "Little Women". The four March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy and their mother, celebrate Christmas without their father who has gone to war. Newly impoverished, after father's financial loss, the sisters' work outside the home for money to support the family, and rediscover the true meaning of Christmas in the process.