Little Women was one of my favourite stories growing up, and I always wanted to be Jo. In her I saw a feminist icon with a passion for stories, long before I understood what it meant to be a feminist. I read the book, I spent countless hours watching the 1949 movie version with my grandparents, and I’ve held this story close to my heart for as long as I can remember. Today, I fell in love with another adaptation of it. Jo: An adaptation of Little Women (sort of), by @kagcomix, is a joyful middle grade graphic novel that portrays the March girls as contemporary school kids, finding their own way in the world and celebrating each other’s strengths and interests. Jo joins the school paper, and meets Freddie – and things get complicated when Jo’s best friend Laurie tells her he likes her. But Jo doesn’t have the same feelings for him – or for any boy. In fact, she thinks she might have a crush on Freddie.

This is as sweet and wholesome as you’d expect an adaptation of Little Women to be. I was thankful that it’s a loose adaptation, so whilst there is reference to Beth having been sick in the past, and having follow-up treatments to ensure she stays well, we don’t get to see her any tragic ending for her in this retelling. A sweet, lovely, and heartwarming introduction to younger readers not familiar with Alcott’s classic tale, and for those hard-core fans alike.