A Garland for Girls

"A Garland for Girls" by Louisa May Alcott is a compilation of short stories from the late 1800s that follows young girls as they deal with what society expects of them, what they want to achieve, and how complicated friendship and charity can be, all while trying to become better people and improve the world. The book begins with six girls from Boston who start a club called the Mayflower Club to make their minds stronger. They meet up after summer and talk about entertaining gossip and decide to help people in their community who aren't as lucky as they are. Each girl has different feelings about charity, from excitement to reluctance, and they all try to find ways to positively affect the world. This highlights the girls’ different personalities and prepares the reader to see how each girl becomes stronger and more socially responsible, demonstrating how important friendship is and how helping others can change you.