Emma Grossman, a nine-year-old girl, excels in academics and sports, and is known for her polite nature. However, she is actually a cold-hearted individual who takes pleasure in the suffering of others. She lacks empathy and finds happiness in other people's pain. She lives with her widowed father, David, who worries about her acceptance of a potential stepmother. Emma reveals her ambition to win a prestigious Citizenship Award, which requires obedience and politeness at school.