Louisa May Alcott's 1868 classic Little Women, perhaps the best-beloved children's novel of all time, tells the story of these four spirited girls, with all their separate talents and ambitions. The girl sits up, puts her hands nonchalantly in her pockets, and begins to whistle. "Oh, don't, Jo," says Amy. "It's so boyish " "Well, that's why I do it," says Jo. "I detest rude, unladylike girls " "And I hate affected, niminy-piminy chits " Even though the March girls Jo, Amy, Beth and Meg disagree about plenty of matters, on plenty of occasions, the four make up the core of a cheerful, happy household . . . at least as happy as can be expected, given the fact that father is far away from home, fighting in the war -- perhaps never to return -- while mother is saying they should not have the pleasure of Christmas presents . . . not this year, when so many are suffering, and so many are in danger of losing their lives