Louisa May Alcott wrote many enchanting short stories for young people. Retellings in this collection include "Tabby's Tablecloth," "Annie's Dream," "Onawandah," and "The Silver Party." Hi-Lo: RL 2.8; IL 4–9.

Tales of Louisa May Alcott is available in paperback (PB) and reinforced library binding (RLB) editions. Perfection Learning, 1999; 68 pages; PB ISBN 0-7891-2376-2; RLB ISBN 0-7807-8031-0.

To order the book, please call 1-800-831-4190, fax 1-712-644-2392, or click here.

Note: The publisher also offers Accelerated Reader® software and a Teacher Resource for this title.

Excerpt from Tale 4: "The Silver Party"

It was Thanksgiving morning, and Tony was alone in his room. His mother had noticed that he had a cold. So she’d made him stay home while the rest of the family went visiting.

Tony didn’t feel well at all. But it wasn’t his fever. Or his sore throat. It wasn’t even his runny nose that made him feel so awful. It was the thought of missing the big holiday feast!

Bored, Tony wandered into the dining room. The servants were preparing for the great dinner to come. Tony tried to peek into the kitchen. But the cook wouldn’t allow it.

“Shoo! I don’t want my staff getting sick today,” she said.

So Tony poked about the house. At last, he heard the servants leave the dining room. He went back to take a look.

What a sight it was! The long table was covered with antique lace. It was set with all the best china and glass. A gleaming silver service sat next to the grand centerpiece. Tony noticed fresh-cut evergreen, gourds, and pinecones.

Tony said, “It’s all very pretty. But the food is what I care about. I’m afraid that Mama won’t let me have my share. Not if she thinks I’m sick. Maybe I’ll just pretend to feel better when everyone gets home.”

Tony began to feel sleepy. So he sat down on the sofa in the corner. He yawned a big yawn. He must have closed his eyes for a moment. For when he looked at the table again, he was stunned at the scene.

The old soup ladle stood tall at the head of the table. Its bright bowl had a face! The ladle looked like a stately gentleman with a big head.

The ladle began to speak to the forks and spoons gathered before him. His voice had a bright, musical sound to it. He said, “Ladies and gentlemen. May I have your attention?”

The forks and spoons came to order at once.

“This is the day we all look forward to,” continued the ladle. “It is a special holiday. And we should all have fun. We will be quite busy once dinner starts. And we’ll all be very tired afterward. So I think it would be a good idea to hold our celebration now.”

“Hooray!” cheered the silver party. The finger bowls played music on their rims. And the silverware all got up to dance.

Excerpt © 1999 Perfection Learning.

A note for users of older versions of Internet Explorer, Netscape, or AOL:
This site will look a lot better in a newer browser. Download one for free!
Internet Explorer: Windows Mac | Netscape: Windows Mac Other
For AOL users, please choose Internet Explorer above.