By Sophie McKenzie (author)
"Entertaining, accessible 21st century re-imagining of Little Women"
Paperback Not Available
View All Editions (1)
Following the four March sisters for a year, and narrated by candid, clumsy Jo, the story begins at a time of great upheaval for the March family. Dad is working away as a humanist minister in war-torn Syria, Mum has recently lost her job as a social worker and, consequently, they’ve had to move house.
Sensitive, shy Beth just wants “Daddy to come home”. Fashion mad Meg is frustrated by not being able to buy new clothes, while trying to figure out what to do with her future. Sharp-tongued, artistic Amy constantly bickers with Jo, who’s doggedly determined to become a novelist. Despite their own troubles, the family volunteer at a centre for Middle Eastern refugees on Christmas Day.
It’s here Jo meets Lateef, a refugee who’s been adopted by a wealthy lawyer, and she immediately senses that he’s “going to be my best friend in the whole world”. In fact, he becomes close to the entire family as they ride a rollercoaster of worries and coming-of-age revelations alongside a whole lot of love and friendship.
Written in a highly accessible style, this affectionate update re-maps the personalities, aspirations and uncertainties of the original March sisters to create a new landscape of their lives, one that’s suffused in the spirit of the original and a contemporary freshness as it explores the timeless themes of sibling strains and solidarity, and feeling a sense of home.
Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy: four sisters whose stories are forever imprinted in our hearts. But what if their stories had different endings?
Read the full description
Reimagined by bestselling author Sophie McKenzie and told throughthe eyes of everybody's favourite sister, Becoming Jo perfectly captures the magic, exuberance and spirit of the original and much-loved book. On the 150th anniversary of its publication, Becoming Jo proves just how timeless the characters and themes found within Little Women really are.
Having started out as a journalist and editor, Sophie McKenzie became a full-time author after being made redundant and taking up a creative writing course. She immediately fell in love with writing stories and her debut novel Girl, Missing – which has since sold over one million copies – was just the beginning of a multi-award-winning and internationally successful career.
Read an author Q&A here .
You can see Sophie giving her writing tips in a video - click here.
Author photo © Middleton Mann
Sophie McKenzie - our Author of the Month
the best books for 9-12 year olds · the best books for teenagers
Only Love Can Break Your Heart
Flying Tips for Flightless Birds
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Becoming Jo and determined it is suitable for children aged 11-14 years old
Becoming Jo features in the following genres: Stories about Family and Friends, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Recommendations, Romance / Relationship Stories, Featured Books for 13+ readers
Paperback. Not Available.
Becoming Jo was written by Sophie McKenzie and published by Scholastic
Becoming Jo has 327 pages
©PTC International Ltd T/A LoveReading is registered in England. Company number: 10193437. VAT number: 270 4538 09. Registered address: 157 Shooters Hill, London, SE18 3HP. Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer
The National Year of Reading starts here. Join thousands of families and schools supporting reading for pleasure across the UK.