Timed Reading — Little Women

The March sisters had a private club that met in the attic of their house. They called it the Pickwick Club, after a novel by Charles Dickens that they all loved. Each sister played a character from the book. They kept a weekly newspaper called the Pickwick Portfolio, which contained stories, poems, jokes, and news about the family. The meetings were taken seriously, with rules, minutes, and a president.

Laurie discovered the club by accident. He had heard laughter coming from the attic during one of his visits and asked Jo what was happening. She explained the club to him, and he immediately wanted to join. Jo brought the request to the other members.

The sisters debated the question seriously. Meg felt that adding a boy might change the character of the club. Amy was uncertain. Beth said very little, as she usually did. Jo argued in favor of admitting him. She said that Laurie was practically a member of the family already and that the club could benefit from a new voice.

They put it to a vote. The result was in favor of admitting Laurie. When Jo told him the news, he was genuinely pleased. At the next meeting, he arrived at the attic with a contribution for the newspaper — a poem he had written himself.

From that evening, Laurie was a full member of the Pickwick Club. He had not simply been allowed into the house. He had been let into something the sisters kept only for themselves.