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

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.