Asia receives a very tempting offer from her aunt to run her uncle's restaurant in Philadelphia; Meg and the twins come to stay at Plumfield for a few days.
A gift of two hundred books to Plumfield School prompts Franz to assign a project on philanthropy which the students turn into a competition. But Jo's horse Penny falling ill with pleurisy results in the demonstration of spontaneous philanthropy and the value of reading.
Dan is overjoyed but Nat is skeptical when a young "old friend" from Boston appears at Plumfield with talk of going west for high adventures. Jo struggles as students are withdrawn from Plumfield for lack of an experienced teacher.
Jo's husband, Friedrich Bhaer, has died, and everyone expects Jo to close the school. When she hires sailor Nick Riley as caretaker for the grounds, things begin to change.
Nat asks Nick to enter a father-son ski tournament with him, so Jo must teach Nick how to ski. Laurie offers to be Dan's father for the day, which gives Nan an interesting idea.