As a kid, I would read for hours on end, especially classic novels that my mom would pick out for me. My favorite book from my time in elementary school was Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. My mom had given me a fancy illustrated hardcover copy that I would read over and over again.

Set during the mid-19th century, this coming-of-age novel follows the lives of four sisters growing up together while their father is off fighting in the Civil War. Each of the girls has her own challenges to overcome as she grows into adulthood, and there’s something in their stories for every little girl to relate to.

I always related to Jo, the second sister, who was a tomboy and defied the norms set in place for her by a society where women were expected to behave. She was the aspiring writer who always planned on making her own way in the world and was based on Louisa May Alcott herself. The book as a whole is based on Alcott’s own experiences growing up with her three sisters.

Even as I got older, this book still held a special place for me. When I was in 10th grade (before transferring to private school), my school put on a production of the musical version, and I was cast as the hag – a character in Jo’s “story within the story” that she wrote. It was a small role, but my friends made it blow up a little more by giving me a hashtag to use on social media: #HAGSWAG. It was like 2013, so people were still (kind of) saying swag.

There is one thing that’s a bit troubling looking back on this book for me, and that’s Louisa May Alcott’s hatred of the Irish. I get that it was a very common opinion to have back in her day, but it’s still not the best feeling knowing that little girls (like, at one point, myself) who love her work so much would’ve been subject to an unwarranted prejudice she held. That being said, I love that in the movie version by Greta Gerwig, Jo is played by Saoirse Ronan – one of the most renowned Irish American actresses of modern times.

Despite the controversial views Alcott held in her life, she still wrote an incredible book that helped shape my own childhood. I do plan on getting my niece a copy next, maybe a nice hardcover copy with beautiful illustrations like I once had. Covering all the chaos of girlhood in the 1800s, this book has stood the test of time and will likely remain a classic for generations to come, and it’s pretty clear why.