The Louisa May Alcott Hidden Gems Collection
A recently orphaned girl meets her extended familyâincluding seven rambunctious cousinsâfor the first time in this charming novel from Louisa May Alcott, author of Little Women! Thirteen-year-old Rose Campbell never knew her mother, and the death of her father leaves her reeling and hopelessly lonely. Sheâs sent to live with her maiden great aunts, the matriarchs of her fatherâs wealthy Boston family who sheâs never met. The elderly womenâs quiet household suits Roseâs mourning, but the arrival of her appointed guardian, Uncle Alec, challenges the status quo. With Alec as her guide, Rose is properly introduced to the other residents of âAunt-Hill,â including Alecâs four sisters and their sons. Having so many relations overwhelms Rose at first. Her dour Aunt Myra convinces her she has a fragile constitution while fashionable Aunt Clara turns Roseâs head with stylish clothes. And the collective energy of male cousins ranging from age six to sixteen is more than she knows how to handle. But Uncle Alecâs steady commitment to seeing Rose flourish helps her find her footing and grow to love her eccentric family. She even âadoptsâ Great Aunt Plenty and Peaceâs housemaid, Phebe, as her sister. Surrounded by people who love her, Rose slowly but surely goes from sickly and timid to healthy, active, and bold as she learns to keep her fatherâs memory close while setting a course for a happy future.