Little Women: A BabyLit® Playtime Primer

by Jennifer Adams, Alison Oliver (Illustrator)

Be drawn back to a time before apps and television, when playtime was full of possibilities. In Little Women: A Babylit® Playtime Primer, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy show your little one all kinds of ways to have fun, including singing, gardening, sewing, skating, and of course, reading!



BabyLit® is a fashionable way to introduce your toddler to the world of classic literature, and little ones will love Little Women: A BabyLit® Playtime Primer. With clever, simple text by Jennifer Adams, paired with stylish design and illustrations by Sugar’s Alison Oliver, these books are a must for every savvy parent’s nursery library. Collect all twenty-four classic literature-inspired BabyLit primers!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Classics, Fiction, Retellings

22 pages, Board book

Published September 6, 2016

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Jennifer Adams is the author of more than forty books. Her bestselling BabyLit board books (published by Gibbs Smith) introduce small children to the world of classic literature and have sold 1.5 million copies. She is the author of another series of board books, My Little Cities.

Jennifer’s picture books for children, Edgar Gets Ready for Bed, Edgar and the Tattle-Tale Heart and Edgar and the Tree House of Usher are inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The Raven.” She also has two new picture books forthcoming from HarperCollins.

Her titles also include books for adults, including Y is for Yorick, a slightly irreverent look at Shakespeare, and Remarkably Jane, notable quotations on Jane Austen.

Jennifer graduated from the University of Washington. She has 20 years’ experience as a book editor, including at Gibbs Smith and Quirk Books. She currently works as a consulting editor for Sounds True, developing their children’s line. Jennifer works some evenings at her local independent bookstore, The King’s English, to feed her book habit. She lives in Salt Lake City with her husband, Bill Dunford, who is also a writer.

(bio from author's website)

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This little primer is certainly visually appealing. However, I'm not sure if it fits any audience. The board book format is generally reserved for infants and toddlers. But the text is geared towards a much older audience. Additionally, there is no cohesion between the pages, I was not certain if this was intended to be a vocabulary book or a story. It is highly unlikely a young child would be familiar with Little Women which is the book's main appeal and the reason I plucked it off the shelf. Perhaps this could serve as a library or pre-school coffee table enhancement if such a thing exists.

[Chrisanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really the age I need. But the illustrations are bright. Also, having read Alcott, I found the focus amusing. In almost every book Louisa wrote for young girls was a chapter devoted to teaching them that play was best when mixed with work.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun little introduction into the wonderful world of the March family.

[Ophelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

i liked reading about the different things they do, like writing, picnicking and dancing

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little book. Gives one activity that each of the girls likes to do.

[Terry Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had such books as this when I was a toddler. This is a very sturdy boardbook which as you know if you have children, is necessary to keep little ones from tearing the pages.

This story captivates the young with beautiful illustrations. The story itself is told with minimal words so the child is able to sit through the entire story. Short on words does not mean it can't convey the story. It simply selected pertinent activities that tell what things Little Women did in the book.

I love this book as I do their other boardbooks. They're constructed to last and be loved for generations.

[Clive]

Mom notes: I’m consistently torn about these BabyLit books! For me they’re great. They’re beautiful, charming, make great gifts. But I don’t understand how to read some of these to my kids. With Henry I’m just pointing at the pictures saying “Singing!” And “Reading!” But with Clive it is now more complicated. When you read the quotes and excerpts on each page it doesn’t make sense/ make a story, and then you have to explain that this is really a longer classical book and these are just small parts so don’t fixate on who Meg is, for example.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've loved LM Alcott my entire life. In childhood I read the books she's most famous for. In high school and college I researched and wrote papers about her darker side. My favorite book of hers is Little Women. So I was very excited when I learned about this book. I love it almost as much as the original. But I wanted an explanation at the end to tell people more about the characters. It isn't clear from the little bit here who they are. For example, not everyone who picks this book knows Marmee and her daughters. I'll give it to my niece as her first introduction to Miss Alcott.

[Stacie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Weird. What baby needs this weird introduction to Little Women? The pictures are old-timey so babies won't understand what the heck they are. The text is ripped off from Alcott so it's not written at the reading level of a board books reader. I guess if you want to think you're introducing your child to the classics - which you're really not - then this book is for you.

[Sara (Sjthroughthelookingglass) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The idea behind this series is such a charming one. Take beloved classics and downsize them for babies. A fan of little women will love this introduction to their baby. These are not stories but rather primers. In this case, your baby will learn about some different activities, like sewing, through the world of Little Women.

[Caroline K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This board book is a primer (as titled) and not a story. I'm not sure how interested children would be in the quotes from the original book, but I enjoyed them as an adult. All the little objects in the illustrations are fun and little people would enjoy looking at them. The color themed spreads are visually appealing.

[Dana Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the series and introduction to the classics. I enjoyed that Little Women has taken selections from the story and incorporated them in to playtime activities that children understand. While the words my be for older kids, it's interactive and a good learning experience for younger.

[María Eugenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Como en otros libros de la colección, lo que más me gustó son los pequeños guiños a la historia que se ven en las ilustraciones. Por ejemplo, en la página sobre "leer" los libros que salen son libros mencionados en Mujercitas. También hay guiños en la parte del picnic o en la del jardín.

[Elizabeth Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m always going to be very biased about Little Women. I adore everything about it. Each page had a different color theme describing a hobby or playtime, with simple illustrations related to the activity, and a quote from the original text, I believe. Very cute and simple.
(G rating)

[Brittany & Adaline Bear · Rating 5 out of 5]

We love an intro to the classics, and this classic is one of my personal favorites. I loved sharing words like “sewing” and “gardening” with my toddler. Words that she doesn’t have much experience with yet. This one is special.

[Andy Hickman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little Women: A BabyLit Playtime Primer, Jennifer Adams, Alison Oliver
"Writing- Jo was writing away at her novel with all her heart and soul."
[I had a spare hour and was in the library, so I looked at these cool little books]

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice. A simpler time.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the illustrations but this wasn't my favorite of the Babylit books.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

1000 Books Before Kindergarten

[Corby H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read with Asher tonight. She likes all the little sketches with kittens.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute book.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like others in this series better. It’s still a fun addition to the collection.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute board book version of "Little Women" focused on various play activities. It is great for fans of the classic and will engage little readers.

[Chelsea Covey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book for my daughter, it's very sweet with simple illustrations and big letters

[CC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming illustrations and great use of direct quotes from the book.

[Little Seesaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love it. I have tried to read Little Women so many times, and now I have succeeded. ha ha seriously the idea is so cute. A playtime primer.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes - this IS going on my CLASSICS SHELF!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

“All the stars” according to my 6yo

I actually forgot we owned this one until she picked it out to read to me for a bedtime story….

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 I really liked this one and thought it was pretty cute!!
It is all fun activities from the Little Women story.

[Callie Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adorable illustrations that introduce you to the world of Little Women without being a simplified narrative.