This story of a wife and her four daughters living outside Boston during the Civil War has captivated readers for decades. Louisa May Alcott's classic heroines offer something with which every reader can identify. Jo's independence, Meg's resourcefulness, Beth's sweetness, and Amy's impetuousness see the girls through countless adventures and the everyday struggles of life during the Civil War.

A collection of stories by American authors set during the Civil War which reveal the conflict's effects on children of differing viewpoints, ages, genders, races, and locations. Brief introductions place each story in literary context and explain the author's connection to the war.