SOURCE: "Louisa May Alcott's Little Women: Who is Still Reading Miss Alcott and Why," in Touchstones: Reflections on the Best in Children's Literature, Children's Literature Association, 1985, pp. 13-20.

MacDonald contrasts recent responses to Little Women with those of child readers in Alcott's time, suggesting that although modern critics often consider the book sentimental and romantic, when compared to other works of the time, it is radical and realistic.

Louisa May Alcott's books continue to occupy space on library shelves, and some of her novels can still be found in bookstores. At least part of the reason that children, especially girls, continue to read Alcott is that her books are highly recommended by adults who read them when they were children, and who find rereading them similar to visiting an old friend. For children today, however, the experience of Alcott cannot be so comfortable; her books are certainly not...