There are actually three Christmas stories in this little book, and they all sound like the Louisa May Alcott we know from "Little Women" in that they are heartwarming, heart-wrenching, entertaining; and they all have very obvious morals. In "The Quiet Little Woman," a little orphan finds a family to love that will love her in return. "Tilly's Christmas" tells about the happiness a child receives on Christmas because she is kind to a little bird. "Rosa's Tale" is told at that magical first hour on Christmas when animals are said to be able to talk, by a faithful old horse who doesn't want to be sold away from the family she loves. Anyone who loved "Little Women" will love these stories. ( )

This is a collection of three “lost” Christmas stories by Louisa May Alcott. The editor and publisher, Stephen Hines, implies in his forward that all three stories were written for inclusion in “Little Things,” a magazine started in 1871 by the five Lukens sisters and modeled after “The Pickwick Papers” in Little Women. However, according to the The Louisa May Alcott Encyclopedia, there is only evidence (from her letters) that Alcott wrote the first story, “The Quiet Little Woman” (retitled by Hines, originally called “Patty’s Place”), for the girls’ magazine. The other two stories are “Tilly’s Christmas,” originally published in 1868 (and later republished under the title “The Fairy Bird,”) as well as “Rosa’s Tale,” originally published in 1879 in a story collection.

The short stories are typical Alcott style and would be appreciated by her fans. It does bother me that the editor renamed the first story, probably to take advantage of the popularity of Little Women. With its content, red binding, gold dust jacket, and small Christmas-stocking size, the book was likely published to take advantage of the Christmas book market – but now it’s out of print. ( )

A sweet story, but not my favorite of Alcott's. Yet if you are an Alcott fan, this is a lovely addition to the collection of her works.
The story is one of an orphan in need of someone to care about her. ( )