Under the Lilacs (34 page)

This is the story of two runaways — Ben Brown and his dog, Sancho — who have escaped from a hard life in the circus to search
for Ben’s lost father. Tired and hungry, the pair are taken in by young Bab and Betty Moss and their mother, as well as by
the Mosses’ neighbors, Miss Celia and her brother, Thorny. Thanks to their kindness, Ben soon has a job, a family, and a chance
to go to school. But can life with Miss Celia and his other new friends ever compare to the excitement of the circus? And
will Ben stay out of mischief long enough to find out?

Lousia May Alcott’s realistic and spirited writing has captivated readers for generations. She lived with the real Little Women in Concord, Massachusetts.
The author of mysteries, romances, and novels, she traveled widely and died in Boston in 1888.

¹
These lines were actually composed by a six-year-old child.