This charming, old-fashioned children's story begins by mirroring the nursery rhyme. Two friends, Jack and Jill, go up a hill to go sledding. They come tumbling down, and Jack breaks his leg while Jill injures her back more seriously. The book tells the tale of their recuperation and also of their and their friends' journey into young adulthood. The book is slightly moralistic, in the way that Little Women is; the young people earnestly want to become "good" and to help their friends become "good." Although this style is not in fashion now, it still makes fWhile the book is ideally suited for younger readers, grown ups will be interested in the larger issues raised here. Alcott firmly asserts the need for individual growth, gender equality, and personal responsibility. Historical discussions about temperance and higher education for women should additionally make this book a good read for history fans.