Julia's Bookshelves

Jo: An Adaptation of Little Women (Sort Of) by Kathleen Gros

• Buy the book here
• Page Count: 272
• Genre: Graphic Novel, Fiction

I love Little Women. At the core of my quest for new stories about sisters, growing up, and the highs and lows of being a writer is a long-term love for Louisa May Alcott’s most well known novel. I’ve blogged about Little Women before and spoken a bit about why the story means so much to me, and I have to say that as I reach new life milestones, I find new reasons that the book resonates.

When I saw Jo: An Adaptation of Little Women (Sort of) lying on a bookshelf, I knew I had to read it. I’m a true fan of anything Alcott-related, and I love the idea of an old story taking on a new twist. If you’re anything like me, this graphic novel for middle grade readers is a delight. Kathleen Gros takes the March sisters and places them in the modern world. Jo is about to start eight grade and writes an online blog about her life with three sisters. Major beats of the story are retained, and familiar characters appear in ways that feel both old and new. Fredrich Bower (called Freddie in Jo) is girl who writes for the school paper. Laurie is the new kid in town living with his grandfather. Amy is young, boisterous, and creative, while Beth is reserved and musical. Meg is kind and offers advice to her sisters often, just like in the original text.

The bones of the story are there. It is easy to recognize the characters and they don’t appear alien in the modern setting. I found myself wondering how the story would tackle the heavier aspects of Little Women, like Mr. March being away at war, marriages, and Beth’s illness. Some aspects of the story are reinvented, while others are left out entirely. Gros focuses in on Jo March and her journey of growing up and becoming a stronger writer. Because Gros makes a point to focus the plot mostly on Jo, there is lots of opportunity to dive into Jo’s relationships with Freddie and Laurie. These three characters play key roles in this adaptation, and this is where some Little Women purists might disagree with the artistic interpretation of the story.

Spoilers ahead!

Jo is a lesbian in Jo, and Gros is unapologetic about telling this as a coming out story. By changing the gender of Freddie from the character’s description in the original text, Gros opens up a space to really take a stance on Jo’s sexuality. For diehard Little Women fans, discussions about Jo’s sexuality aren’t unfamiliar. There are readers and academics who read Jo as a queer character, and it’s clear that Gros falls into this camp. Personally, I think this choice works very well for this modernized adaptation. Jo’s decision to reject Laurie in the source text is a pivotal moment for her character. In modern context, this moment reads well when imagined with the common social and cultural understanding gender and sexuality that young American audiences have. Jo’s feelings of being different and not feeling desire towards Laurie can be interpreted in a multitude of ways, and I appreciate that this adaptation is clear-cut and sticks to a strong perspective. Jo March coming out is nuanced and genuine in Jo, and I think the inclusion of the plot will help the themes of the source text resonate with young and modern audiences more.

If there’s a younger reader (ages 8-12) in your life that you’re hoping to introduce to Little Women, this imagining of the March sisters is a great way to make the story accessible to them. The modern language, distilled plot, and graphic novel form make this an engaging and entertains read. And for older fans of the original text, don’t pass this one by! As a lifelong Alcott fan myself, I found Jo to be a mix of heartwarming nostalgia and fresh perspective on a story that I love.