Bethanne Andersen

When the author's Little Women was published in 1868, it was an instant success. She drew on her experiences in writing the novel, but there's a lot more to her rags-to-riches story. She came from a family that was poor but free-thinking, and started teaching when she was only seventeen years old. But writing was her passion.

When a pioneer family moves west the mother misses home so much that she will not even name the new baby until her daughter thinks of just the right thing to cheer her up.

Here are stories that might have happened, about four women of biblical tradition.

Noah's wife Naamah is called upon by God to gather the seeds of every type of plant on Earth and bring them safely onto the ark before the great flood.