Sisters Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil do not have parents, but they have a very kind uncle. The sisters learn to dance, act and sing at a dancing school. But soon they have no money. What will happen to them?

After her mother's death, Rachel and her adopted sister Hilary are taken in by Aunt Cora, who runs a dancing school where Rachel's spoiled cousin Dulcie is the star pupil.

Peter and Santa live a rather dull existence with their Aunt Rebecca, but when she dies they face the awful prospect of life in separate orphanages. In desperation they run away to find their only living relative, Uncle Gus, who works in a circus as a clown. Gus will only let them stay if they promise to work hard, and so the children plunge headlong into the circus world where they soon discover skills they never knew they had. But life is so different...