Louisa Learns to Write: Louisa May Alcott Creates Little Women

Through persistence and hard work, Louisa May Alcott goes from a little girl writing in her “Imagination Book” to the world-renowned author of Little Women. This nonfiction picture book will inspire creativity and spark interest in writing for kids ages 7–10.

Louisa May Alcott wrote the beloved classic Little Women, but she started out as just a little girl scribbling in her journal.

Born into the middle of a spirited, creative group of sisters, Louisa was always up for exploration, play, dreaming, and creating—the traits that would one day make her a writer. Even when times were hard, Louisa’s family held each other close and persevered. So when Louisa dared to write a novel, she wrote about the thing that mattered most to her—family! The four Alcott sisters became the four March sisters in the smashing hit novel Little Women.

Award-winning writer Kate Hannigan and illustrator Sofia Moore bring Louisa to life, and she is just as spunky and charming as you’d hope Jo March’s creator would be.

Kate Hannigan is the author of several children’s books, including A Lady Has the Floor, which received four starred reviews; Josephine and Her Dishwashing Machine, a 2024 NSTA-CBC Best STEM Book; and Nellie vs. Elizabeth, one of Smithsonian Magazine's Ten Best Children’s Books. Kate’s other books have also made the 2022 Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List, the 2023 Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year, and were nominated for the 2023 Illinois Bluestem Award, among many other honors. Her most recent title is Rachel Carson’s Wonder-Filled World.

Sofia Moore is a Ukrainian-American artist and illustrator. She loves painting traditionally and layering textures both on paper and digitally. Her recent book Dream By Dream by Geri Kolesar was a 2024 Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year. Her other titles include Pencilvania by Stephanie Watson, named one of the best books of 2021 by the New York Public Library, and A Beam of Light by Elisa Boxer.