When a wealthy aunt offers to adopt one of the March girls, ten-year-old Jo decides the best thing to do is sacrifice herself.

Because she desperately wants to have her picture taken, ten-year-old Amy finds a way to accumulate the necessary five dollars but then decides to spend it in another way.

As each of the four March sisters turns ten, she is invited by Aunt March at Christmastime to discuss who will receive an heirloom, an old cameo brooch, and thus each girl contemplates her role in the family.

At the request of her great-aunt, ten-year-old Jo tries to befriend a sad and lonely blind girl who is visiting the neighborhood.

Beth tries to help an impoverished Irish immigrant boy and his family by stealing a silver bowl from her great aunt and giving it to the O'Neills to sell.