[2] It is the story of Rose Campbell, who has been recently orphaned and resides with her maiden great aunts, the matriarchs of her wealthy family near Boston,[3] until her guardian, Uncle Alec, returns from abroad to take over her care.

Through his unorthodox theories about child-rearing, she becomes happier and healthier while finding her place in her family of seven boy cousins and numerous aunts and uncles.

Alcott wrote, "I rather enjoyed it, and felt important with Roberts, Low, and Scribner all clamoring for my umble' works.

"[9] One of the novel's minor characters, who Rose dislikes, was originally named after Alcott's childhood acquaintance Ariadne Blish.

[11] Caroline Healey Dall told this to Alcott, who clarified that Ariadne "was a very well behaved child who was held up to naughty Louisa as a model girl.

[11] Thirteen-year-old Rose Campbell is a sickly orphan who attended boarding school for a year after her father died.

There, they meet two Chinese gentleman, Whang Lo and Fun See, the latter of whom entertains Rose with things he has brought from China.

Jamie and his friend join The Cosey Corner Light Infantry, whose members are the neighborhood children.

One afternoon Rose discovers Charlie and Archie smoking and encourages them to quit, then Aunt Jessie has Will and Geordie burn their yellow-back novels.

Although Uncle Alec discourages Rose from the professional study of medicine, he educates her in physiology so she can take charge of her own health.

Feeling remorseful, Mac visits Rose in her room in the middle of the night and begs for forgiveness, which she grants.

[16] Henry James wrote a review of Eight Cousins in The Nation that called it an "unhappy amalgam of the novel and the story-book".

[18] When Aunt Jessie convinces Will and Geordie to give up their yellow-back books, she explains that she feels they are unfit for children.

Uncle Alec educates Rose at home, not in traditional subjects but in skills such as domestic governance and physical health.

Alec's methods may also be informed by John Dewey's constructivism, in which students are active participants in the learning process.

"[23] As part of this, Rose and Alec visit Uncle Mac's warehouse, and she learns about "navigation, geography, grammar, arithmetic, and keeping [her] temper".

[29] English professor Ruth DyckFehderau argues that despite Alcott's preface, she is suggesting education reforms.

[33] Alec seeks to improve Rose's health by giving her milk and oatmeal, by getting rid of her medicines, and by keeping her from wearing corsets.

Alcott viewed men and women as equal, and creating a male mother figure allowed her to remove gendered roles in Rose's household.

[41] English professor Claudia Nelson argues that Alec's child-rearing methods are more important to him than Rose is, claiming that Alcott hints at this same idea.

[43] Rose tries to "cross the class barrier" by befriending Phebe, professor of children's literature Kristina West explains.

[47] Rose must get used to the Campbell "culture" because she has been kept from knowing the family her entire life, explains English professor Lordina Cohoon.

[48] Cohoon claims that Rose's frequent association with Chinese objects, such as those Alec gives her from his voyages to China, is paralleled with her foreignness as a female among male cousins.