Little Women

I think every 12 year old girl should read this book with her mother. Then, read it again on her own each year until she is 18. This book embodies the time-honored values that women used to have and live by, but are now fading away as society becomes more self-absorbed. I love that the young women in this book are still human with individual weaknesses, but strive to overcome their shortcomings to make life better for those around them, while still retaining their unique personalities. When my girls caught me reading this book, they asked me to read it out loud and even though I was in the middle of the story, they loved every bit of it. They kept asking me to tell them what came next and how it ended. It took me several times of starting this book to finally get through it, but once I did, what a reward. My favorite memory while reading this book sitting out on the porch reading it to the girls. Of course, they wanted to be the characters and "played" Little Women for weeks after. They also love watching the movie and reliving it all over again. The characters, the setting, the family ties, it's all beautiful.