Louisa May Alcott Google doodle marks 184th birthday of ‘Little Women’ author

Today’s Google doodle honors author Louisa May Alcott on the writer’s 184th birthday.

While Alcott is best known for her novel, “Little Women,” she penned several novels during her lifetime, including two follow-ups to “Little Women” — “Little Men” and “Jo’s Boys.”

In addition to writing classics, Alcott was known for her progressive ideals around feminism and was an abolitionist — working as a nurse at a Union hospital during the beginning of the Civil War. Growing up, Alcott’s home was a station for the Underground Railroad.

The Louisa May Alcott doodle was designed by Sophie Diao and features the March sisters from “Little Women” — Beth, Jo, Amy and Meg. The doodle leads to a search for “Louisa May Alcott” and includes the usual sharing icon.

“The March family of Little Women was based on Alcott’s own, and the coltish Jo was Louisa’s vision of herself: strewing manuscript pages in her wake, charging ahead with the courage of her convictions, and cherishing her family above all,” reports the Google Doodle Blog.

The doodle also includes a portrait of Alcott on the wall and an appearance from Laurie, the boy next door who falls first for Jo and then Amy.

I’m especially fond of today’s doodle, as my name was inspired by Amy March of “Little Women” — although I always felt like more of a Jo.

As it turns out, I’m not the only one who related most to Jo – the character also resonated with today’s doodler, Sophie Diao. You can read more about her attachment to Louisa May Alcott and what it’s like to be a doodler in today’s interview with the artist: Creating Google doodles that ‘Surprise & Delight’: 5 Questions with Doodler Sophie Diao.