Little Women: book club questions by chapter

🦉 Little Women · meeting 1 of 3

Read: Part One, “Christmas Without Presents”; Part Two, “The Boy Next Door” (pages 1–6, about 8 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 6, and don't read on: the next part is for next time.

1. What did the March sisters do with their Christmas breakfast?
   The story's answer: They carried it to the hungry Hummel family
2. Who have we met so far, and what does each of them want?
   Listen for: Make a list together on the board; keep it for next time and add to it.
3. The part we just read is called "The Boy Next Door". Why do you think it has that name?
   Listen for: Any answer that points to a moment in the part is a good one; ask for the page.
4. Stop here. What do you think will happen next? Write or draw one guess to check next time.
   Listen for: Keep the guesses in an envelope. Don't say whether a guess is right: the next part will.

🦉 Little Women · meeting 2 of 3

Read: Part Three, “Burdens” (pages 7–9, about 4 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 9, and don't read on: the next part is for next time.

1. Why did Marmee's secret about her own temper comfort Jo so much?
   The story's answer: It showed that even someone Jo admired had to work at her faults, so Jo could learn too
2. Look back at last time's guesses. Which came true, and what surprised you?
   Listen for: Read the guesses out. Nobody was wrong: a guess that missed often shows what the author wanted us to expect.
3. The part we just read is called "Burdens". Why do you think it has that name?
   Listen for: Any answer that points to a moment in the part is a good one; ask for the page.
4. Stop here. What do you think will happen next? Write or draw one guess to check next time.
   Listen for: Keep the guesses in an envelope. Don't say whether a guess is right: the next part will.

🦉 Little Women · meeting 3 of 3

Read: Part Four, “The Telegram”; Part Five, “Home Again” (pages 10–14, about 7 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 14, the end of the story.

1. Why did Jo cut off and sell her hair?
   The story's answer: To help pay for her mother's journey and her father's care
2. What happened when the sisters spent a whole week doing nothing useful?
   The story's answer: Everyone grew bored and cross, and the week ended in disaster
3. Across the whole story, what do the March sisters learn makes a family rich?
   The story's answer: Kindness, hard work and loving each other
4. Look back at last time's guesses. Which came true, and what surprised you?
   Listen for: Read the guesses out. Nobody was wrong: a guess that missed often shows what the author wanted us to expect.
5. The part we just read is called "Home Again". Why do you think it has that name?
   Listen for: Any answer that points to a moment in the part is a good one; ask for the page.
6. Now that you know the ending, was it the ending you expected?
   Listen for: Ask what in the earlier parts pointed to it, or pointed the other way.

About the whole story

1. Which character changed the most from the beginning to the end?
   Listen for: Ask what changed them.
2. Which scene would you put on the poster if this were a film?
   Listen for: A way to find the scene that mattered most to each reader.
3. Is there a line or a moment you will remember? Why that one?
   Listen for: Let readers find it in the book and read it aloud.
4. Who would you give this story to, and why them?
   Listen for: A reader who can name the right person has understood what the story is like.
5. If you could ask the person who first told this story one question, what would it be?
   Listen for: Collect the questions; some have answers on the story's page in the library.