The four March sisters - Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy - live in a New England settlement with their mother in difficult financial conditions, while their father serves as a field chaplain during the Civil War. The girls have a lot of adventures and unexpected bad luck, and through the many experiences their personalities emerge more and more: the sober and thoughtful Meg is a socialite, the boyish Jo loves books, the shy Beth is interested in music, and the slightly selfish Amy has artistic tendencies.

The Little Misses was written as a novel for girls, but it is now known as one of the best-known American classics, inspiring generations of female writers and being adapted into many films and other adaptations.

Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888) wrote several classic novels based on her childhood experiences in addition to The Young Women, and was also an active participant in the suffragette movement.

At the end of the book there is an author biography and a quiz about the plot as a bonus gift for the reader.