What do you think?
Rate this book
Pollyanna: Great Illustrated Classics
The world's best-loved children's stories set in large type for easy reading.
-- Over 100 illustrations in each book
-- Over 100 illustrations in each book
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1995
14 people are currently reading
234 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
April 3, 2018
I really liked this book because it shows that even in the most tragic moments you should always be glad. You should play the Glad Game.
September 6, 2018
Eli really enjoyed it.
March 21, 2017
I read this one to my 4-year-old daughter. Both of us loved it. Not only did she understand the story, but she loved having the pictures on every page to look at. I read many of these Great Illustrated Classics books as a kid and loved them. I'm having a great time sharing these with my daughter now.
April 4, 2023
Even in hard times there is something to be glad about. ♥️ I love the message in this book. It can be enjoyed by children and adults.
July 31, 2010
A classic from childhood. Actually, I remember the movie better, with Haley Mills as Pollyanna (I think).
The classic plot of poor little wonderful girl who becomes an orphan, moves in with an unsympathetic relation (aunt), and gradually turns the cold hard woman into a loving person. All the while, making friends with everyone in town, all of whom love her.
Tragic accident, misery, eventual recovery.
It is a wonderful book, full of optimism, happiness and a positive mental outlook. I recommend it to anyone who needs a lift and is tired of violence, misery, gratuitous sex and profanity.
The classic plot of poor little wonderful girl who becomes an orphan, moves in with an unsympathetic relation (aunt), and gradually turns the cold hard woman into a loving person. All the while, making friends with everyone in town, all of whom love her.
Tragic accident, misery, eventual recovery.
It is a wonderful book, full of optimism, happiness and a positive mental outlook. I recommend it to anyone who needs a lift and is tired of violence, misery, gratuitous sex and profanity.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2016
This book was really formative for me, and I recently realized the full extent of the impact it has had on my life. After learning to play the "Glad Game" at a very young age, I have kept that attitude of positivity with me to this day. The biggest takeaway from this book for me is that attitude is everything!
December 17, 2022
Ova mala, uporna i pomalo naporna stenica Polijana je uspela da me rasplače. Topla i draga priča o devojčici koja je imala jako teško detinjstvo, ali koja je svojim pozitivnim stavom uspela da osvetli sve ljude koje je srela. Volim ovu knjigu i vratiću joj se.
Read
August 17, 2015I loved this book so much I read it in a day!! It is that good!!
September 12, 2015
Still love it!
November 12, 2017
I thought it was just okay, but my daughter liked it.
Polly is a rather severe woman, who takes no nonsense from her servants or anyone else. When her brother dies, she very grudgingly takes in her only niece, named Pollyanna. Even though Aunt Polly does her best to raise the girl with strictness and no affection, Pollyanna's positive attitude in every situation soon has the staff of the house jumping to her every need.
She makes friends everywhere she goes with her "Glad Game," from the invalid neighbor she goes to see regularly, to the grumpy man on the street whom she greets cheerfully every day. You see, her father always taught her that there was something to be glad about in almost every situation--sometimes you just had to look harder for it than others. Living with Aunt Polly would suck the joy right out of life for most people, but dear little Pollyanna even finds gladness there.
Pollyanna will need all of her friends and all of her optimism when tragedy strikes.
* * * * *
Did you ever see this movie? I did, a long time ago. I vaguely remembered it. That was my only experience with this story. I read this one with my 7-year-old daughter. I would read some chapters, then she would take it to her room and read more on her own as she had time. We finished it together.
The 3 star rating is the middle ground between our opinions. Here's what I had a problem with: the characters were all fairly 2-dimensional. They were mean (Aunt Polly), or loyal and sweet (servant girl), or glad (Pollyanna), and that was about it. There may have been other sides to their personalities, but we really didn't see them.
Also, I felt like the Moral of the Story was beating me about the face as I read it. Nearly every interaction between the characters seemed primarily a construct for showing one more example of how a positive attitude could make any situation better. Okay, okay! Enough already!
It did make me wonder how the full length book would be different than this abridged version.
Has anyone read the original? What did you think about it?
I blog at: www.ofbooksandblooms.com
Polly is a rather severe woman, who takes no nonsense from her servants or anyone else. When her brother dies, she very grudgingly takes in her only niece, named Pollyanna. Even though Aunt Polly does her best to raise the girl with strictness and no affection, Pollyanna's positive attitude in every situation soon has the staff of the house jumping to her every need.
She makes friends everywhere she goes with her "Glad Game," from the invalid neighbor she goes to see regularly, to the grumpy man on the street whom she greets cheerfully every day. You see, her father always taught her that there was something to be glad about in almost every situation--sometimes you just had to look harder for it than others. Living with Aunt Polly would suck the joy right out of life for most people, but dear little Pollyanna even finds gladness there.
Pollyanna will need all of her friends and all of her optimism when tragedy strikes.
* * * * *
Did you ever see this movie? I did, a long time ago. I vaguely remembered it. That was my only experience with this story. I read this one with my 7-year-old daughter. I would read some chapters, then she would take it to her room and read more on her own as she had time. We finished it together.
The 3 star rating is the middle ground between our opinions. Here's what I had a problem with: the characters were all fairly 2-dimensional. They were mean (Aunt Polly), or loyal and sweet (servant girl), or glad (Pollyanna), and that was about it. There may have been other sides to their personalities, but we really didn't see them.
Also, I felt like the Moral of the Story was beating me about the face as I read it. Nearly every interaction between the characters seemed primarily a construct for showing one more example of how a positive attitude could make any situation better. Okay, okay! Enough already!
It did make me wonder how the full length book would be different than this abridged version.
Has anyone read the original? What did you think about it?
I blog at: www.ofbooksandblooms.com
August 11, 2017
Sometimes I rate books based on writing style, sometimes on content, though I may like them equally but for different reasons. I gave Pollyanna 5 stars based on content (though there was nothing wrong with the style). My daughter suggested it to me after hurting my back because she thought I would really like it. I did.
Pollyanna was an orphan who played a game her father taught her before he died; to find the good in every situation, something to be glad about. Pollyanna not only took this advice herself, but helped other hurting people she came in contact with to see the world a little bit differently, ultimately affecting a better part of the town. The book reminded me that the most beautiful people don't focus on themselves and their problems but on helping others and finding the good in every situation.
Pollyanna was an orphan who played a game her father taught her before he died; to find the good in every situation, something to be glad about. Pollyanna not only took this advice herself, but helped other hurting people she came in contact with to see the world a little bit differently, ultimately affecting a better part of the town. The book reminded me that the most beautiful people don't focus on themselves and their problems but on helping others and finding the good in every situation.
March 5, 2018
Käisime lapsega hiljuti Nukuteatris seda etendust vaatamas ja otsustasime ka raamatu läbi lugeda, ilmselt ei jää filmgi vaatamata.
Illustreeritud klassikavaramu raamatud on selles suhtes kindla peale minek laste puhul, et igal leheküljel on pilt, mida nemad saavad loo kulgedes vaadata ja tekst on piisavalt lihtne, et ei väsi liialt ära.
Pollyanna lugu ise on aga väga tore ning meil kõigil on temalt ellusuhtumise osas nii mõndagi õppida. Unustame ju tihtipeale ära, kuidas olla rõõmus ning tänulik nende asjade eest, mis meil juba olemas on.
***
"Kõige rohkem meeldib mulle elada!" kuulutas Pollyanna. "Kõik need teised asjad, mida ma pean tegema - õmblema, kõva häälega lugema, süüa tegema -, see ei ole päris elamine. Tädi Poly ütleb, et see on "elama õppimine". Aga öelge, miks peaksid inimesed õppima elama?"
Illustreeritud klassikavaramu raamatud on selles suhtes kindla peale minek laste puhul, et igal leheküljel on pilt, mida nemad saavad loo kulgedes vaadata ja tekst on piisavalt lihtne, et ei väsi liialt ära.
Pollyanna lugu ise on aga väga tore ning meil kõigil on temalt ellusuhtumise osas nii mõndagi õppida. Unustame ju tihtipeale ära, kuidas olla rõõmus ning tänulik nende asjade eest, mis meil juba olemas on.
***
"Kõige rohkem meeldib mulle elada!" kuulutas Pollyanna. "Kõik need teised asjad, mida ma pean tegema - õmblema, kõva häälega lugema, süüa tegema -, see ei ole päris elamine. Tädi Poly ütleb, et see on "elama õppimine". Aga öelge, miks peaksid inimesed õppima elama?"
Read
August 8, 2021No matter what happens, Pollyanna will always find the sun in the clouds. After moving in with her rich aunt Polly, she shows the entire town her perspective on life. She starts to settle into her new life, when she is showered with messy drama around her. She's a simple girl in a messed up situation regarding family.
Seeing Pollyanna explore her new house, and her first few encounters with her aunt, were adorable! She gets amused by the smallest things.. it's pretty cute. Aside from Pollyanna herself, there's more drama then you may think. This book is 270 pages, and is very descriptive, when paying attention to the personalities of characters.
Seeing Pollyanna explore her new house, and her first few encounters with her aunt, were adorable! She gets amused by the smallest things.. it's pretty cute. Aside from Pollyanna herself, there's more drama then you may think. This book is 270 pages, and is very descriptive, when paying attention to the personalities of characters.
March 19, 2018
Absolutely adorable read. My 7 year old loved this story, and of course it came with great nostalgia for me. We read a different version (an abridged, "junior" version) which I would recommend for little kids as the original is pretty tedious (older language, lots of redundant details).
But learning of Pollyanna's "glad game" is such a good thing to have (not to mention it is everywhere in America as reference: "she's such a Pollyanna about that!" etc.). Just good for the cultural arsenal.
Highly recommended.
But learning of Pollyanna's "glad game" is such a good thing to have (not to mention it is everywhere in America as reference: "she's such a Pollyanna about that!" etc.). Just good for the cultural arsenal.
Highly recommended.
March 4, 2018
È un libro che mi è piaciuto un sacco.. Può sembrare banale perché associato al cartone.. Ma di fondo insegna una grande cosa essere contenti di quello che si ha cercare il buono anche nelle cose brutte... Per un finale che mi ha fatto commuovere cosa abbastanza difficile per me.
December 31, 2019
This Great Illustrated Classics retelling of Pollyanna was a terrific read with the girls. I forgot how wonderful this story was! Bedtime was pushed back a bit later every night so we could read "just a little more".
December 25, 2023
I am so GLAD I read this book. My memories are of the movie - and while a few things were changed, it's still the same message, find something to be grateful for in everything. This story helped make me who am I.
July 21, 2024
I have heard of Pollyanna but have never read the book until now.
She is a great little girl who has a game she played with her daddy that she teaches a whole town. Come join me in learning this game and playing with friends.
Happiness is Pollyanna.
She is a great little girl who has a game she played with her daddy that she teaches a whole town. Come join me in learning this game and playing with friends.
Happiness is Pollyanna.
January 2, 2025
Pollyanna, whether you read the abridged or unabridged version, is a heartwarming story that teaches people to be optimistic and always look on the bright side of life. She is funny, and is always doing things for other people, whether she knows them or not. Eleanor H. Porter creates an amazing model for people to look up to during hard times while still managing to add important life lessons along with amazing morals.
September 1, 2017
Finally got around to reading the book that my wife was named after. And, I sure am glad I did it.
November 30, 2017
Pollyanna can cure the dullest hearts and brings sunshine to the darkest places. She is just simply adorable!
I read for #ReadKidsLit 2017
I read for #ReadKidsLit 2017
July 1, 2018
This book was one of the best books i have ever read! If you are interested in reading it you will love it!
July 6, 2018
A sweet book of discovery and friendship that also can bring tears
November 22, 2018
its a very interesting book. I liked it. I got absorbed in it.
June 17, 2020
This story is a sweet one but I thought it was too edited. The pictures are on every other page which makes this a very quick read.
Next time I will be sure to search for the unabridged version.
Next time I will be sure to search for the unabridged version.
January 5, 2021
Pollyanna pode parecer uma historia simplista de uma menina boazinha e romântica, ams vai muito além disso: o enredo fala sobre empatia, resiliência e determinação.
September 16, 2021
adored this
January 31, 2022
Read it in college. All I can remember is Pollyanna is a happy girl.
September 3, 2022
A book I loved as a child and have always tried to play the glad game. Such a good practice to get us through the many trials we face.
November 21, 2023
Found this pristine (used) adaptation of Eleanor H. Porter’s children’s classic in my favorite bookstore, Books on Bay, in Savannah. Though at one time in my life I could practically quote the entire Disney movie version of the story, I’d never read the original. I am GLAD I found this book; it was fun to go back in time for just a little while this afternoon.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews