So Many Beginnings

Starred review from July 1, 2021
Grades 8-11 *Starred Review* It's 1863, and though the war between the Union and the Confederacy rages on, there is a distinct peace the March sisters hold in the knowledge that they are on the other side of the old life, of slavery. In this reimagining of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, Morrow invites readers into the lives of four emancipated sisters living in the freedpeoples' colony of Roanoke Island in North Carolina. Meg's ultimate desire is a family of her own; Jo gives voice to the newly emancipated through her powerful, opinionated writing; Beth uses her extraordinary seamstress skills to make beauty from painful relics of the past; and Amy masters dance styles once considered off-limits to Black people. Together, they wonder, is freedom something to be simply declared? Or is it a mindset to be learned and practiced? While readers will recognize shades of the original text, Morrow's exploration of notions of freedom, voice, and worthiness becomes far more powerful when enmeshed with the experiences of being Black, a woman, and formerly enslaved. The lyrical air of joy in the sisters' relationships is also heightened by the uniqueness of their journeys and the support they give one another along the way. Morrow's ability to take the lingering stain of slavery on American history and use it as a catalyst for unbreakable love and resilience is flawless. That she has remixed a canonical text to do so only further illuminates the need to critically question who holds the pen in telling our nation's story.

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September 1, 2021

Gr 7 Up-In this skillful retelling of Little Women, Morrow reimagines the lives of the Alcott sisters through multiple lenses. Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy are four African American sisters rebuilding their lives after the Civil War. Meg wonders if her dreams of a husband and home are out of reach. Jo needs to find the courage to use her voice to further the cause of saving the colony built by the newly emancipated. Beth's health issues may require an unimaginable trip, and Amy simply wants to chart her own course through the medium of dance. The bonds of sisterhood are tested amid the backdrop of a country trying to forge a new path forward. Although the chains of slavery have been removed, the sisters find that they are still operating under a system that considers them not up to the task of governing their own lives. The constraints of class, race, gender, and the fragile nature of emancipation affect all four sisters in different ways. Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy support one another as they summon the courage to continue rebuilding and forging a new future. Readers learn about the tenuous nature of Reconstruction, clashes between the newly emancipated and those born free, and the repatriation efforts of the American Colonization Society. The fragility of the hope held by emancipated African Americans is palpable in this narrative. VERDICT This title is ideal for public and school libraries looking for diverse retellings of classic stories.-Desiree Thomas, Worthington Lib., OH

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 27, 2021
In this reinvention of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 classic, Morrow highlights with impressive acuity the four March sisters, Black young women who come of age in the shadow of the American Civil War. After being emancipated by President Lincoln’s Proclamation in 1863, the Marches build a home on Roanoke Island, a budding Freedpeople Colony. Irrepressible adoptive daughter Amethyst, 14, longs to be the center of attention; levelheaded seamstress Bethlehem, 16, battles an unknown illness; tempestuous builder Joanna, 17, pursues writing; and Meg the teacher, 19, longs to marry. The family’s passionate contributions to the Union war effort are disrupted by the arrival of Joseph Williams, “a handsome, young Black man... from up north” who was “born free.” Suddenly, all four sisters must confront the challenges of building happy lives amid the ruins of the past. Via delicately written characterizations, each March woman exemplifies the notion that the wounds of bondage don’t disappear simply because freedom is at hand, and the racist catalyst of enslavement doesn’t disappear with the stroke of a pen, as a beloved story gains new meaning through the lens of enduring Black resilience, love, and hope. Back matter includes an author’s note. Ages 13–up.