Little Men

Louisa May Alcott’s Little Men (1871), also known as Life at Plumfield with Jo’s Boys, is the second book in her unofficial trilogy of children’s novels. It reprises characters from her popular classic Little Women (1868) and is followed by the final book in the series, Jo’s Boys (1886). Little Men tells the story of Jo Bhaer and her husband Fritz Bhaer, who run a school for underprivileged boys at Plumfield Estate. It has been adapted multiple times for film and television.

This guide refers to the Harper Collins Kindle Edition.

Plot Summary

The novel is set years after the events of Little Women. Jo March, now known as Mrs. Jo, and her husband, Professor Fritz Bhaer, or Mr. Bhaer, now run a school for boys on their large estate at Plumfield. Plumfield is a sanctuary for young boys from diverse backgrounds. One such boy is Nat Blake, a musically gifted orphan, who arrives at Plumfield after his father’s death. The Bhaers and the other pupils welcome him warmly to their family-style school, and he begins to recover his physical health and confidence. Nat forms a close friendship with Tommy Bangs, a warm-hearted and mischievous boy, and the two create a business venture gathering and selling eggs from Tommy’s hens.