Little Men

infobox Book |
name = Little Men
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = First edition; Roberts Brothers, Boston (1871)
author = Louisa May Alcott
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre = Children's literature
publisher = Roberts Brothers
release_date = 1871
english_release_date =
media_type = Print
pages = 376 pp.
(first edition)
isbn =
preceded_by = Little Women
followed_by = Jo's Boys

"Little Men, or Life at Plumfield with Jo's Boys" is a novel by American author Louisa May Alcott, first published in 1871. The novel reprises characters from "Little Women" and is considered by some the second book of an unofficial "Little Women" trilogy, which is completed with Alcott's 1886 novel "". "Little Men" tells the story of Jo Bhaer and the children at Plumfield Estate School. The book was inspired by the death of Alcott's brother-in-law, which reveals itself in one of the last chapters, when a beloved character from "Little Women" passes away. The novel has been adapted to film and television series.

Plot Details

"Little Men" follows the life of Jo Bhaer and the students who live and learn at the Plumfield Estate School that she runs with her husband, Professor Bhaer. The mischievous children, whom she loves and cares for as her own, learn valuable lessons as they become proper gentlemen and ladies. We also get cameo appearances of almost all the characters found in the previous books, almost all of them happy and well. Meg's older two children, Demi and Daisy joined the school as well as Mr. Bhaer's German nephews Franz and Emil.

The story begins with the arrival of Nathaniel "Nat" Blake, a shy young orphan with a talent for playing the violin and a penchant for telling fibs. Through his eyes we are introduced to the majority of the characters, from the Bhaers' children to other classmates. We follow Nat's life from April through Thanksgiving, meeting new students and playing games and having adventures throughout. Each student has his or her own struggles: Nat lies, Demi is naïve to the point of living out of reality,but is adored by mother and sister alike,and swears that he will be like 'parpar' after John Brooke (Meg's husband) dies, Emil has a bad temper, Dan is rebellious and rude, Tommy is careless (and once sets the house afire), Annie alias Nan is too tomboyish, Daisy is too prim and even weak-willed etc., but they learn to cope with their faults as they grow into young men and women.

ee also

*Little Men (TV series)