Meg March is the perfect young lady. Her gracious manners and sweet personality make her very popular at school. So when Meg is invited to Mary Howe's fancy picnic, she is eager to go. Nothing her tomboy sister, Jo, says against snobbish Mary Howe changes Meg's mind. Meg claims Jo is just jealous because she wasn't invited too. But on the big day, the March parents are visiting friends and the housekeeper is called away on an emergency. Meg knows she should stay home to watch over her young sisters- even if it means not going to the picnic. Still...Meg doesn't want to miss the fun and, forgetting her manners, does something that turns the picnic into an unforgettable afternoon.