On September 30, 1868, Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women was first published

On September 30, 1868, the first volume of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women was published. The novel, centering on a family of four girls whose father was away in the Civil War, was hugely popular from the start. 154 years later, it’s still a children’s classic, beloved for its themes of perseverance and family. 👩‍🦰👩‍🦰👩👧

Since its publication, the story has been adapted to film six times, most recently in 2019.

Did you know? Alcott was at first reluctant to write a story for girls, but her publisher saw a lucrative opening in the market for a girls’ book, and so she took on the endeavor to help support her aging parents.

“Little Women” from Boys and Girls of Bookland, Jessie Wilcox Smith, 1923

-Written by Anna Zemaitaitis, Media and Digital Content Associate