Little Women is one of the most famous works of young adult literature of all time, particularly for its focus on young girls and young women.

In picturesque nineteenth-century New England, tomboyish Jo, beautiful Meg, fragile Beth, and romantic Amy come of age while their father is off to war.

Young Adult Mag: Your four main characters, Jo, Amy, Beth, and Meg, are said to have been based on yourself and your three sisters.

Louisa May Alcott: That’s true.  But the characters that you will read about in the book are quite fictionalized.

YA: Why did you choose to write the story as a semi-autobiography?

LMA: There’s an old saying: write what you know.  I felt that I wanted to create characters that were strong and memorable, so by infusing these characters with bits and pieces of my real sisters, I think I was able to make characters that people would love as much as I loved my sisters.

 
YA: What do you think about the claim that your story invented the idea of what’s come to have been known as the “all American girl”?

LMA: If being strong, independent, and having integrity translates into an American ideal, then I would say I’m very pleased to have contributed to that model.

 
YA: What advice would you give to young female readers?

LMA: Be strong.  Be independent.  Be yourself.  But even more importantly, know yourself.